Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Tibbets house and not find Hummels, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Tibbets baby-boomers took seriously collecting items.  The tendency these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Collectibles

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing appealing 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.  Mom may have paid $60 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.

Donate Pooh Bear Items

You can give it to a place like a Tibbets thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s well cared-for items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Tibbets kids place.  However, many places only want 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. 

Donate Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Collectibles. 

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 Tibbets  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 donation of collectibles along with mine.  I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 purchased 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 collection.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or toy but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Tibbets to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com