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 Ada County residence and not find Precious Moments, Cookie Jars or a Pooh Bear collection.
Ada County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting items. The trend today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing enticing 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. Grandmother may have paid $60 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 lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Ada County Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Ada County kids place. However, many places only want 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 emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept 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 Ada County 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 donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their collection 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or book but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Ada County to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Bear Items to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633
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