It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Lincoln County home and not find Stamps and Coins, Snowglobes or a Pooh collection.
Lincoln County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting items. The tendency today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes away what do you do with their Comic Books, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating inviting listing descriptions, figuring out 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 Lincoln County thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s much-loved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Lincoln County 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 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 take Pooh Bear 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 Lincoln County 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 donated items along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Lincoln County to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633
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