It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Kane home and not find Stamps and Coins, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.
Kane baby-boomers were obsessed collecting items. The tendency today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Comic Books, Vinyl Records or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online. Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up inviting 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 $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 plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a Kane Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s beloved collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Kane 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.
Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Collectibles.
My answer is yes! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Kane 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 items along with mine. I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 T-Shirt or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Kane to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633