Donating Your Grandma’s Pooh Bear Collection

It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Hastings residence and not find Hummels, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Hastings baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting things.  The trend today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or Pooh items?

Selling Pooh Collectibles

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out attractive 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 $30 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 Pooh Collection

You can give it to a place like a Hastings Salvation Army.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s treasured collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Hastings 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 Grandma 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 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 Collectibles. 

My answer is absolutely!  I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”. 

If I am talking to the Hastings  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 collection along with mine.  I consider their items 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 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 collection.  You can put a price tag on a mug or statue 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 collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Hastings to Wisconsin. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com