Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Ellison Bay house and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or a Pooh collection.

Ellison Bay baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting items.  The inclination today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member dies what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear collectibles?

Selling Winnie the Pooh 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, figuring out attractive 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.  Grandma 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 plenty of time.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collection

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

You could donate any plush to a Ellison Bay 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 Grandmother 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 Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been emailed 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 Ellison Bay  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 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a plush or book but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Items 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 items when traveling from Ellison Bay to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com