It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Dover place and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Dover baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting stuff. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Precious Moments, Books or Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online. Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out appealing 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. Mom may have paid $70 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 Dover Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s adored collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Dover 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.
Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear 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 Dover 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or poster but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh 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 Dover to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633