Donating Your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Wilson place and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Wilson baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things.  The movement these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Precious Moments, Vinyl Records or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?

Selling Pooh Collectibles

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating attractive 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.  Great Aunt may have paid $90 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 Items

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

You could donate any plush to a Wilson 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 Grandma’s Pooh Items 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 Collection. 

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 Wilson  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 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or statue 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 owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Wilson to WI. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com