What are the signs for a true Disney pin?

[mla1977]

I would be interested to know how I tell a real Disney pin from a fake. Is there a way to tell? I have one that I got off Ebay that has a gold back, but the one I just got at the Disney store that has a black back. Is the Ebay one good?

[Figment2]

Disney pins originally came with the gold back. The backing has no relevance as to whether it is a "real" Disney pin. What's printed on the back is more important and even then you sometimes can't be sure.

Cyn

[mla1977]

good to know. The one with a gold back is from a few years ago. Another concern that I noticed last night: What about the Mickey ears backers? Mine doesn't have the Disney copyright on it. I wouldn't think that it is that important since the back can be swapped with another one, but I am still concerned about it.

[Parkhopper]

The small piece that holds a pin on has absolutely no bearing on whether a pin is a legitimate Disney pin or not. The ONLY thing that you need to be worried about is whether the actual pin itself has the Disney copyright on the back.

Suzi

[Brian_WDW74]

Another good way to tell is to check PinPics (http://www.pinpics.com). It has a searchable database and the people there are very good at keeping track of which pins are legitimate and which are fakes.

*Brian*

http://www.mst3k.com/images/logo.gif

TheBlackPearl on PinPics and DizPins

[~Kathie]

This post from a short time ago discussed this very thing.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1373122

:bitelip:

[mla1977]

Thanks for the link. I was more concerned about the pin itself, but I was curious about the pin backs. I'll look for the ebay pin on pinpics. I have a few more coming in soon, but I'm trying to control myself.

[~Kathie]

Thanks for the link. I was more concerned about the pin itself, but I was curious about the pin backs. I'll look for the ebay pin on pinpics.

Pinpics is the place to look. :thumbsup2

I have a few more coming in soon, but I'm trying to control myself.

Oh boy!! Good luck with that. This hobby can be very addicting!!!

[pbnjrockette]

I'd like to know more about the BACK of the pin, not the pinbacks. Some are silver colored -- others gold or even black. Some are smooth, others have lines or designs on them. Could a "fake" have the nice looking front pin design(as pictured on pinpics) and be made of a different metal?

[~Kathie]

I'd like to know more about the BACK of the pin, not the pinbacks. Some are silver colored -- others gold or even black. Some are smooth, others have lines or designs on them. Could a "fake" have the nice looking front pin design(as pictured on pinpics) and be made of a different metal?

Some of the pins on Pin Pics list the finish of the pins, which as you have stated varies. There is no one finish that is "official".

Many of the Disney Store Millenium Pins have black/dark silver backs with texture. I have gold backed pins, black, silver and the black/ dark silver finished pins in my collection. They have come from Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), Japan DS, UK DS, USA DS, Disney Auctions, DisneyShopping, Disneyland Paris and EuroDisney. I do have some Bertoni pins (made in Italy) which have very black backs and are a heavy metal, to some plastic like pins from the UK.

Pins from Europe and Japan have a whole different range of finishes both front and back.

Newer pins (2003 and on??) from the USA have the Pin Trading Logo.

Best bet is to look it up on Pin Pics, if it doesn't specify and you really want to know, you might try posting here or on Dizpins BB and ask if anyone has the pin. You can compare backs and find out that way. Compare the Copyright mark listed on the pin on Pin Pics with the one on the back of the pin. That is really the only sure way to tell if the pin is legit.

Hope that helps a little.

[Melora]

One thing I have recently discovered is that "scrapper" pins (pins that are bootleg or counterfeit) most often have "The Disney Store" logo written on the back in a square. That logo is most often used for pins that are purchased from the Japan Disney stores and would not be on the common rack pins that are being bottlegged. The most common of these pins are regular character pins (Buzz Lightyear in a red, white and blue space suit, Cinderella kneeling in her old dress, Wendy from Peter Pan flying etc). These are basic rack pins that were never offered through Japan Disney.

If someone is interested in buying larger quantities of trader pins you can write to me directly and I can let you which sellers on ebay provide good quality pins that I have dealt with before.

We sell pins (800+ in our store right now) but we don't sell grab bags of traders.

[blue_eyes5212]

Thanks for the link. I was more concerned about the pin itself, but I was curious about the pin backs. I'll look for the ebay pin on pinpics. I have a few more coming in soon, but I'm trying to control myself.

I know what you mean, I just started buying Disney pins so I only have 10-15but I could go crazy with it!