It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Alturas de Azahares Colonia place and not find Art, Trading Cards or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Alturas de Azahares Colonia baby-boomers loved collecting items. The movement these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Books or Pooh Bear collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating 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 $60 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 lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Alturas de Azahares Colonia Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s adored collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Alturas de Azahares Colonia kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Great Aunt 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 take Winnie the Pooh Collectibles.
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 Alturas de Azahares Colonia 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 donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the 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 items. You can put a price tag on a mug or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Alturas de Azahares Colonia to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633