Disney pin quality control measures?

[scuba]

I've been doing some research regarding scrappers and bootleg pins. Scrappers apparently are pins that somehow thrown out in the QC process however some of the very experienced collectors have indicated that scrappers look off, color not as bright, dull in appearance, sometimes more shiny. Is it possible that some pins accused of being scrappers actually are real pins purchased from Disney that somehow got through the QC process?

 

[pixiewings71]

Of course it's possible. There are error pins all over the place, we have a few ourselves.

 

[scuba]

Of course it's possible. There are error pins all over the place, we have a few ourselves.

Then how in the world can someone be an expert at spotting scrappers? It makes even CM unable to spot scrappers. Counterfeit pins...no problem but it appears to me that scrappers seem to be a part of the hobby.

I would imagine that sometime in the pin trading hobby world a trade went bad because someone felt that a pin that was part of a trade was a scrapper. Anyone ever know for 100% proof positive they bought the pin at Disney yet another pintrader felt it was a scrapper?

 

[pixiewings71]

Yes, I have purchased a pin at DLR and someone told me it was fake. LOL I said, "really? I have the receipt right here" because I had purchased the pin earlier that day. The pin in question was for my collection but it was an LE and I think the "professional trader" in question wanted it for HER collection. She said to me "I like that pin" and pointed to it on my lanyard, I said "oh thanks, that one isn't for trade, I'm adding it to my collection" and then she said "oh, well I'm thinking it's a scrapper, but I like it so I was going to offer to trade you for this one" and she pointed to a rack pin that I didn't like. I then said "what makes you say that?" and she pointed out something like a color difference or a divet in the paint, something small that I did notice when I bought it but it didn't bother me, I then said "really, well I have the receipt right here" and she actually said I should return it because it was obviously defective. LOL I just shook my head and did not do any trades with her.

FTR I truly believe that NO ONE is any type of expert in telling what's a scrapper or not a scrapper. I think some people know some things and others know other things but NO ONE is an expert.

As a quick example there is a pin that was a GWP in DLR last year, it's Mickey Mouse in a Matterhorn Bobsled, it's supposed to say "Bobsleds" but instead it says "Bobleds" the s was dropped. This pin passed QC and shipped to the DLR where it was given out free to many many people (we have 2), the defect was discovered, DLR stopped giving the pin out and destroyed them, this is an error pin and not a scrapper and some people consider them quite valuable. We have 1 in our set and 1 extra, no one wanted it. LOL There was an error pin I saw on eBay, it was Pongo and Lucky, Pongo's collar was red, it was supposed to be blue, it was an error pin because it was distributed by Disney. I think that's the main difference, if the pin was never distributed by Disney it's a scrapper, if it was it's an error pin.

 

[Susie*Q]

What I noticed yesterday is that quality in general seems to have gone down.

I had a Mickey stylized head pin that I bought last year. Nice chrome. Good shine. It popped off yesterday at Goofy's Sky School. I could see it below the load-in platform but there was no way to retrieve it. I went to get another one and looked at 4 different pin shops at Disneyland and DCA. All examples of that pin were dull metal. Rough edges. No where near the weight.

I looked at a couple of other pins that I had and compared them to what they are now selling. The quality of a year ago isn't even there. I'd rather pay more for same quality than the same price for inferior workmanship.