It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s China Grove place and not find Precious Moments, Cookie Jars or a Pooh collection.
China Grove baby-boomers took seriously collecting items. The craze today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector family member passes where do you go with their Comic Books, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out attractive listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Great Aunt may have paid $40 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 plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a China Grove 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 China Grove kids place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandma 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 contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Collection.
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 China Grove 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 donated items along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh 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 family members. 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 received 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 mug or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from China Grove to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633