It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Encalade residence and not find Art, Cookie Jars or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Encalade baby-boomers loved collecting things. The trend these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Precious Moments, Trading Cards or Pooh collection?
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, writing inviting 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. Grandmother may have paid $40 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 Encalade thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s cherished collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Encalade 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.
Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear 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 Encalade 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 donated items along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or poster but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Encalade to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633