Donating Your Grandmother’s Pooh Bear 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 visit someone’s Algonquin place and not find Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or a Pooh collection.

Algonquin baby-boomers were obsessed collecting items.  The craze these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Hummels, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Bear Collection

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online.  Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up enticing 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.  Grandmother 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 lot of time.

Donate Pooh Bear Items

You can give it to a place like a Algonquin thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s cherished collection being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Algonquin kids place.  However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Mother 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 Great Aunt’s Pooh 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 Pooh Bear 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 Algonquin  collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection.  Their collectibles 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 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 received 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 Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Algonquin to Wisconsin. 

If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com