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 Carson City city County house and not find Hummels, Paper Weights or a Pooh Bear collection.
Carson City city County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting items. The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Items online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up enticing 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. Great Aunt may have paid $50 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.
You can give it to a place like a Carson City city County Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s cherished collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Carson City city County 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 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.
Many times I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept 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 Carson City city County 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 donation of collectibles 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or toy but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Items 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 Carson City city County to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Bear Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633