It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Hatfield residence and not find Precious Moments, Vinyl Records or a Pooh Bear collection.
Hatfield baby-boomers loved collecting things. The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing appealing 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. Grandma 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 Hatfield Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s adored collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Hatfield 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 Mom 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 take Pooh Bear 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 Hatfield 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh Items 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 items when traveling from Hatfield to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633