It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Harney County place and not find Comic Books, Books or a Pooh Bear collection.
Harney County baby-boomers loved collecting stuff. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes where do you go with their Comic Books, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Collection online. Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing inviting listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, handling returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Mom may have paid $80 for an item but the online going rate is only $2.79. You need to ask yourself the question “is my time worth just a few dollars”? Online selling can take a significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Harney County Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s treasured items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Harney County children’s place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mom really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Items.
My answer is absolutely! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Harney County collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their items becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the Pooh Collectibles I think it makes people feel better which I am happy for. Letting go of “things” can be hard for a collector and owners and even sometimes for relatives. As much as we don’t want to be labeled as “materialistic” – things we buy and collect can have sentimental attachments and it’s those feelings that we are attached to probably more than the items. People remember where they were when they purchased an item, who they were with or even where in their life cycle they were. They don’t want those memories to vanish with the collection. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Harney County to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633
Burns | Crane | Hines |