Donating Your Grandmother’s Pooh Bear Collectibles

It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Smackover house and not find Stamps and Coins, Vinyl Records or a Pooh collection.

Smackover baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting items.  The tendency these days 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 Precious Moments, Trading Cards or Winnie the Pooh items?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out inviting listing descriptions, figuring out 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.  Great Aunt may have paid $100 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 Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Smackover Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s adored items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Smackover 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 Great Aunt 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 Mom’s Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Items. 

My answer is with great excitement!  I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”. 

If I am talking to the Smackover  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 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 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 plush or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Smackover to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com