Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection

It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Brocton home and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Trading Cards or a Pooh Bear collection.

Brocton baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative passes away where do you go with their Precious Moments, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear items?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out appealing listing descriptions, figuring out 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 $80 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 Winnie the Pooh Collection

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

You could donate any plush to a Brocton 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 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. 

Donate Your Grandmother’s Pooh Bear Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Collectibles. 

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 Brocton  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 collectibles 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 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Collectibles 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 collectibles when traveling from Brocton to WI. 

If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to reach out to 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