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 Rockford house and not find Comic Books, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.
Rockford baby-boomers took seriously 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 Hummels, Paper Weights or Pooh Bear collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing 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. Mother 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 plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a Rockford Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s beloved collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Rockford kids 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 emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept 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 Rockford collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collectibles 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 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 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 plush or poster but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Items 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 Rockford to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633