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 Sabine Pass home and not find Art, Cookie Jars or a Pooh Bear collection.
Sabine Pass baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting stuff. The trend these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Precious Moments, Trading Cards or Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out inviting 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. Mom may have paid $40 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.
You can give it to a place like a Sabine Pass thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s cherished collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Sabine Pass 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 Grandma 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 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 Sabine Pass 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 items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the 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 stuffed animal or poster but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Sabine Pass to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633