It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Gratis house and not find Stamps and Coins, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.
Gratis baby-boomers took seriously collecting things. The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative dies where do you go with their Art, Books or Pooh Bear items?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing appealing listing descriptions, figuring out postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Grandma may have paid $90 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 plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a Gratis Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s much-loved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Gratis children’s 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 approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh 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 Gratis 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 collection 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 stuffie or pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Gratis to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633