Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Val Verde house and not find Hummels, Paper Weights or a Pooh Bear collection.

Val Verde baby-boomers took seriously collecting items.  The trend today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member dies where do you go with their Hummels, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear collection?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out appealing 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 $100 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.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collection

You can give it to a place like a Val Verde thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s cherished items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Val Verde 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. 

Donate Your Grandma’s Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear Collection. 

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 Val Verde  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 collection along with mine.  I consider their items 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Val Verde to WI. 

If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com