Donating Your Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

It seems like the love of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Franklin house and not find Hummels, Vinyl Records or a Pooh Bear collection.

Franklin baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The tendency today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes where do you go with their Precious Moments, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh items?

Selling Pooh Collectibles

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the issues 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, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc. 

Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging.  Grandma may have paid $50 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.

Donate Pooh Bear Items

You can give it to a place like a Franklin thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s well cared-for collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Franklin children’s place.  However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Mom 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 Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take 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 Franklin  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 donated items along with mine.  I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates 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 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or book 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 items when traveling from Franklin to WI. 

If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com