It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Mentasta Lake house and not find Hummels, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.
Mentasta Lake baby-boomers loved collecting stuff. The tendency today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Art, Books or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out enticing 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. Great Aunt 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 significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Mentasta Lake Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’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 Mentasta Lake 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 take Winnie the Pooh Collection.
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 Mentasta Lake 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 relatives. 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 mug or toy 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 owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Mentasta Lake to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633