Your Pin Trading Style?

[SupernaturalMommy]

Don't get into it for financial reasons. Do it for fun. I buy and sell, but I only sell off my duplicates that I haven't been able to trade away, or pins I decide I don't want anymore. I buy WAY TOO MANY PINS because it is ADDICTING. There was a solid year straight I bought EVERY pin DisneyShopping produced and Disneyland put out in multiples. I was on-line every morning when Disney released the pins, and had a friend in Cali at the time who went to the park and got them for me each week. I could afford it that year and was obsessed and wasn't able to trade away many of them, even after all this time, so they go to eBay for much less than what I paid even though pin prices have skyrocketed since then.

My other problem is mystery sets. I am obsessed with them, but won't buy them from eBay. I want sure fire legit sets not at jacked up prices. So, I buy tons of the boxes and my duplicates that I can't trade go to eBay. I only know a few people who collect the mystery sets so we usually trade with each other to try to complete our collections without buying more boxes and pouches.

When trading, I have my show-off lanyard, usually either my Maleficent purple lanyard, or a pirate lanyard. I put medallions on those and use them to attract people to ask questions about pin trading and get them into the hobby. I usually give away a couple pins to get people started as well. Then I have my trader lanyard. If I see a little kid I'll let them pick anything they want. If an adult wants to trade, then I am open and easy about it because I figure it is my trader lanyard. But, if I suspect a shark I won't trade. When I see something I REALLY want to keep it goes in my pocket or purse so I don't lose it or trade it back accidentally. I'm lucky enough to have a local trade meet that meets monthly and a lot of those people go to the parks much more frequently than I do so it is a lot of fun. When I see kids and teens at the pin racks (or adults for that matter) looking at fancy expensive pins and complaining how expensive they are to just trade away, I usually steer them toward the booster packs or pin with purchase promotions as the most economical pins to trade and tell them buy them if they want to keep them. Lord knows I buy a lot in the parks. But I keep them on the card and bring them home to my pin books. A lot of people don't know the cast members have to trade. A lot are worried that if they don't have a nice pin they won't be able to trade.

[Sundancer UK]

I find the idea of trading pins so exciting We've only been to WDW once before and in preparation I bought my kids a lanyard each and some pins from ebay. I hoped they might get in to trading but I guess maybe they were too young and shy. If we go back I might have to just get myself a lanyard

[Foxxie52]

I collect Peter Pan pins. Not Tink or Wendy or Hook, just Peter. Sometimes one will have another character on it as well as Peter but he's the main focus. I don't collect for any reason other than I enjoy it. The only trouble is Peter isn't that popular so I've had the same 60 pins for ages.

I also have a small collection of event pins. You know, ones with dates that I was there for.

I never thought I'd be a pin collector.

[KMarston]

I bought some starter packs for my son several years ago just to introduce pin trading to take the place of standing in lines for autographs! I really had no idea how much he would love it! It was a great way to meet CMs and others. There was not much rhyme or reason to his trading! He'd choose one then trade for it the next time. He did end up scouring the parks for one that would complete his set! My avatar is his first trade with a custodian who was so interested in showing off all of his pins. We even ran into a group of employees in suits and ties who stopped to trade and speak! Going back a few weeks shy of 16 and he's already brought his lanyard with the tradable pins on it, two months out!

Not sure how well my 6'1", over 200 lb gentle giant will be received this time but he is even more enthusiastic about it this time around.

[pixiewings71]

Originally Posted by SupernaturalMommy

Don't get into it for financial reasons. Do it for fun. I buy and sell, but I only sell off my duplicates that I haven't been able to trade away, or pins I decide I don't want anymore. I buy WAY TOO MANY PINS because it is ADDICTING. There was a solid year straight I bought EVERY pin DisneyShopping produced and Disneyland put out in multiples. I was on-line every morning when Disney released the pins, and had a friend in Cali at the time who went to the park and got them for me each week. I could afford it that year and was obsessed and wasn't able to trade away many of them, even after all this time, so they go to eBay for much less than what I paid even though pin prices have skyrocketed since then.

My other problem is mystery sets. I am obsessed with them, but won't buy them from eBay. I want sure fire legit sets not at jacked up prices. So, I buy tons of the boxes and my duplicates that I can't trade go to eBay. I only know a few people who collect the mystery sets so we usually trade with each other to try to complete our collections without buying more boxes and pouches.

When trading, I have my show-off lanyard, usually either my Maleficent purple lanyard, or a pirate lanyard. I put medallions on those and use them to attract people to ask questions about pin trading and get them into the hobby. I usually give away a couple pins to get people started as well. Then I have my trader lanyard. If I see a little kid I'll let them pick anything they want. If an adult wants to trade, then I am open and easy about it because I figure it is my trader lanyard. But, if I suspect a shark I won't trade. When I see something I REALLY want to keep it goes in my pocket or purse so I don't lose it or trade it back accidentally. I'm lucky enough to have a local trade meet that meets monthly and a lot of those people go to the parks much more frequently than I do so it is a lot of fun. When I see kids and teens at the pin racks (or adults for that matter) looking at fancy expensive pins and complaining how expensive they are to just trade away, I usually steer them toward the booster packs or pin with purchase promotions as the most economical pins to trade and tell them buy them if they want to keep them. Lord knows I buy a lot in the parks. But I keep them on the card and bring them home to my pin books. A lot of people don't know the cast members have to trade. A lot are worried that if they don't have a nice pin they won't be able to trade.

I would love to see some of your Maleficent pins! She is my favorite, I love her.

Originally Posted by Sundancer UK

I find the idea of trading pins so exciting We've only been to WDW once before and in preparation I bought my kids a lanyard each and some pins from ebay. I hoped they might get in to trading but I guess maybe they were too young and shy. If we go back I might have to just get myself a lanyard

Get yourself one, and don't discount the kids on the next trip, they may really love it.

Originally Posted by Foxxie52

I collect Peter Pan pins. Not Tink or Wendy or Hook, just Peter. Sometimes one will have another character on it as well as Peter but he's the main focus. I don't collect for any reason other than I enjoy it. The only trouble is Peter isn't that popular so I've had the same 60 pins for ages.

I also have a small collection of event pins. You know, ones with dates that I was there for.

I never thought I'd be a pin collector.

DBF collects Alice, she's very hard to find. lol I never thought I'd be a collector either, I thought it wouldn't be that much fun but man, I do enjoy it!

[SupernaturalMommy]

Originally Posted by pixiewings71

I would love to see some of your Maleficent pins! She is my favorite, I love her.

There are so many great pins of her. She is hard to trade for, at least around here. I have some really nice Disney Auctions pins of her, and some Soda Fountain pins (I think). On the rare occasion I find someone with pins of her, they want an arm and a leg for it. It's like they see how bad I want it and want to take advantage. I feel like I am on a used car lot. That is not in the spirit of good trading in my book, so I don't have as many of her as I would like, but every time I go to the park, I wear a Maleficent lanyard, and a great t-shirt I got of her at the Disney Store a few years back that is all black and she is done in gold foil. And, I try to trade for pins of her, or buy them when I can find them.

I love female villains (well a few in particular). But a few of my favorites of her are: #73, 22663, 26616, 28984, 33098, 33968, 35980. 35982, 39276, 44950, 48075, 48203, 48959, 46972, 50881, 50925, 51052, 52610, 55493, 55955, 56256, 63552, 92203. I need to figure out a display case. My favorite shirt is getting a little small but still looks new. I should use it to wrap cork board and then push the pins into the black fabric with her gold silhouette in the center. Hmmm, now I am thinking...

[pixiewings71]

Originally Posted by SupernaturalMommy

There are so many great pins of her. She is hard to trade for, at least around here. I have some really nice Disney Auctions pins of her, and some Soda Fountain pins (I think). On the rare occasion I find someone with pins of her, they want an arm and a leg for it. It's like they see how bad I want it and want to take advantage. I feel like I am on a used car lot. That is not in the spirit of good trading in my book, so I don't have as many of her as I would like, but every time I go to the park, I wear a Maleficent lanyard, and a great t-shirt I got of her at the Disney Store a few years back that is all black and she is done in gold foil. And, I try to trade for pins of her, or buy them when I can find them.

I love female villains (well a few in particular). But a few of my favorites of her are: #73, 22663, 26616, 28984, 33098, 33968, 35980. 35982, 39276, 44950, 48075, 48203, 48959, 46972, 50881, 50925, 51052, 52610, 55493, 55955, 56256, 63552, 92203. I need to figure out a display case. My favorite shirt is getting a little small but still looks new. I should use it to wrap cork board and then push the pins into the black fabric with her gold silhouette in the center. Hmmm, now I am thinking...

I have some really great ones as well. I try to trade for her when I can but you're right, people are just really unreasonable when it comes to her, same for Jessica Rabbit, Megara and Pocahontas, also pins I try to get when I see them. Do you have an actual Maleficent lanyard?? I haven't seen one of those yet. I'll go look at those numbers, we may have some that are the same.

[SupernaturalMommy]

Originally Posted by pixiewings71

I have some really great ones as well. I try to trade for her when I can but you're right, people are just really unreasonable when it comes to her, same for Jessica Rabbit, Megara and Pocahontas, also pins I try to get when I see them. Do you have an actual Maleficent lanyard?? I haven't seen one of those yet. I'll go look at those numbers, we may have some that are the same.

Yes, Jessica is hard as well. I trade for her only occasionally (because it is my name irl), and I LOVE Hercules (which is really hard to find). I talked to a Disney Cast Memeber about him once and she said pins from that film are very rare. It is the only thing she collects. I had traded for one on her lanyard that she had been hoping wouldn't get chosen because she wanted it. I would assume Megara is even harder to find. I have a few of her.

Yes, I have an actual Maleficent lanyard. It is purple and has little Maleficent heads all over it. It would be considered child size, but it fits me just fine. It is just a little shorter. I found it on eBay at least 6 years ago. It came in a Disney package with UPC, but I don't remember if it was Disney Store or Disney Parks. I remember buying it along with two Tinker Bell lanyards for my daughter. I kept Maleficent, and gave Tink to my then little girl (now she is almost as tall as I am). Now I want to go dig out my Maleficent book and see what I have. I just did a search on pinpics last night by her name and scanned by memory. I am sure I have a lot of better ones that I didn't even list. I just wish she weren't so tough. At this one pin trading meet I go to, someone has an amazing Disney Auctions pin of her that they always bring but they won't part with her for less than $300.00 Not gonna happen for me.

[pixiewings71]

I looked at your list, I have 35980, 63552 and 52610. I love 22663, 26616, 48075 & 48203. Very cool.
I would love to find a Maleficent lanyard.....I may have to look on eBay and see if I can find any. lol Probably not but you never know. I have quite a few on my Maleficent page in my pin book but don't know the pinpics numbers, I'll see if I can take a picture tonight and upload it for you.
I tend to like the harder to find pins but it makes it difficult because people will ask for something crazy in trade. I have quite a few from the Auctions, I got them on eBay before people realized how rare they are, now those pins on eBay are crazily priced, I keep telling DBF that if things get really bad I'll start listing my Maleficent pins for crazy prices. LOL

[SupernaturalMommy]

Originally Posted by pixiewings71

I looked at your list, I have 35980, 63552 and 52610. I love 22663, 26616, 48075 & 48203. Very cool.
I would love to find a Maleficent lanyard.....I may have to look on eBay and see if I can find any. lol Probably not but you never know. I have quite a few on my Maleficent page in my pin book but don't know the pinpics numbers, I'll see if I can take a picture tonight and upload it for you.
I tend to like the harder to find pins but it makes it difficult because people will ask for something crazy in trade. I have quite a few from the Auctions, I got them on eBay before people realized how rare they are, now those pins on eBay are crazily priced, I keep telling DBF that if things get really bad I'll start listing my Maleficent pins for crazy prices. LOL

Lol... I can't even seem to sell pins at cheap prices... hopefully it won't come to that for you. Yes, people do like to take advantage of tough to find characters, and popular characters alike. I have a lot of DA pins and Disneyshopping pins as well. I wish I hadn't stopped buying those because now they don't make them but financially I had to. Now people always try to jack me on them when trading. No thanks... Looking forward to seeing your Maleficent pins.

[ftwildernessEASTER08]

I buy a lanyard for each trip ( I have 4 now)- I tend to have a theme that I try to collect (usually holiday pins)- I have an Easter lanyard filled with all the pins I could find that were Easter themed that year. I also did that for Halloween. And then if I really liked an attraction on a particular trip I buy it that trip and it keep the memory of that time. I will collect pins that have hearts this time, as I will be there for Valentines day. One trip I didn't do holidays but filled my lanyard with my kids favorite rides. We trade and collect the hidden mickey sets with cast members and others as well. This year we are looking for the friendship boat series

[caa1277]

I collect Jiminy Cricket and Grumpy pins and anything else that catches my eye. I first got my kids started and then one year to show my teenaged son (who thought he was to old for it and didn't think it was cool anymore) I bought a lanyard to wear and bought some pins. Now I am OBSESSED with the pins and trading. The good thing is that my kids are still interested in it, even my older teenaged son.

Right now, I'm trying to collect all of the One Hundred Mickeys pins, but some are priced ridiculously on ebay.

[pixiewings71]

We tried to collect the 101 Mickeys but gave up when we realized prices on eBay were so crazy. We traded quite a few away but I did some that I really liked. I wonder if I have any you need.

I forgot to take pics of my Maleficent pins...I need to remember to do that!