It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Bruce home and not find Hummels, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.
Bruce baby-boomers took seriously collecting things. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative dies what do you do with their Comic Books, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up appealing listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Grandmother may have paid $40 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.
You can give it to a place like a Bruce Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s adored collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Bruce kids place. However, many places only want 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.
Over the years I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Items.
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 Bruce 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 items along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates 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 purchased 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 stuffie or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles 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 collection when traveling from Bruce to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Bear Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633