Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection

It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Hughesville place and not find Stamps and Coins, Books or a Pooh collection.

Hughesville baby-boomers took seriously collecting things.  The movement these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member dies where do you go with their Comic Books, Cookie Jars or Pooh Bear items?

Selling Pooh Bear Items

You could try to sell the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out inviting 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.  Mother may have paid $70 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 Bear Collectibles

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

You could donate any plush to a Hughesville 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 Mom’s Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear Items. 

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 Hughesville  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 collection along with mine.  I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates 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 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 mug or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Hughesville to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Bear Items to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com