It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Castle Hills house and not find Art, Cookie Jars or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Castle Hills baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff. The trend these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out enticing 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. Great Aunt may have paid $90 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 Castle Hills Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s adored collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Castle Hills 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 Mother really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Many times I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Items.
My answer is yes! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Castle Hills collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collection becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donated items along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear Items 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Castle Hills to WI.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Bear Items to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633