It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Charity Rotch house and not find Precious Moments, Books or a Pooh collection.
Charity Rotch baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The trend today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Hummels, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles 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, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Great Aunt 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 lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Charity Rotch thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s adored items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Charity Rotch 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 Great Aunt 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 contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear Collection.
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 Charity Rotch collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their items 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 collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the Pooh Collectibles 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a mug or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Charity Rotch to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633