Donating Your Grandmother’s Pooh Bear Collection

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Gorham residence and not find Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Gorham baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff.  The movement today 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 Comic Books, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating 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.  Mother 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.

Donate Pooh Bear Items

You can give it to a place like a Gorham thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s beloved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Gorham children’s place.  However, many places only want 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. 

Donate Your Grandma’s Pooh Collectibles 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 accept Pooh 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 Gorham  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 donation of collectibles along with mine.  I consider their items 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 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 plush or pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles 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 items when traveling from Gorham to WI. 

If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Bear Items to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com