It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Finn Hill house and not find Art, Trading Cards or a Pooh Bear collection.
Finn Hill baby-boomers loved collecting things. The craze these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Art, Paper Weights or Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online. Some of the issues 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 $100 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 Finn Hill Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Finn Hill kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mom 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 Items.
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 Finn Hill 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 donated collection along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles 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 collectibles when traveling from Finn Hill to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633