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 Walnut residence and not find Stamps and Coins, Snowglobes or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Walnut baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting things. The tendency these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Hummels, Books or Pooh collectibles?
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, creating appealing 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. 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 significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Walnut Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s well cared-for collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Walnut kids place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandmother 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 approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Collectibles.
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 Walnut 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 collection along with mine. I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 plush or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Walnut to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633