Disney Trading Pins - Anyone bought off Ebay

[Portugal1000]

My two nieces are coming with us again this year. They loved the pin trading a couple of years ago. We let them swap some of my sons old pins and they really want to do it again this year but said they cant bear to swap the ones they have (all Princesses) as it took so long to find them. Saw that there are lots on Ebay but have ready reports about faxke pins so wondered if anyone has bought any before.
I have bought some from the Disney Store in Premium Outlets before which were much cheaper but just thought it might be nice to give them some before we go so they can start swapping straight away.
Thanks

 

[LizEN]

The pins off Ebay that you buy in lots of 25-100 are generally knock offs with a few genuine pins thrown in. Collectors lose their minds if they end up with a counterfeit pin and really, IMO it isn't fair to trade them with folks who have paid for real Disney pins to trade. Some of the Ebay pins look great, some will look awful right when you get them and others will pit, discolor or fall apart after the fact. That said MANY people buy off Ebay and trade them in the parks.

 

[BudgieMama]

As PP said, many of the large lots are fakes. They are difficult to verify- I bought a single pin that I was assured was real, and when it arrived, it was definitely fake. It took a week of arguing with the seller to get a refund. That said, I found someone who had just come back from WDW, and was selling a random selection at 99p each, and they were all genuine. They didn't have regular lots of pins, and listed their visit dates on the listing. I bought a random selection of 20 from them, and they were perfect to trade with (although I ended up keeping a few as they were a nice selection!) Mainly pins from the starter sets and genuine hidden Mickey pins

I sometimes end up with fake pins from eBay, which if I've paid less than £1 for, I keep in my collection if I like... but I wouldn't trade them. Other people definitely do, as I ended up with a few fakes through trades in the summer.

 

[Donald Ducks wife]

please don't buy those lots on ebay, me being a pin trader/collector its so annoying trading pins that ive paid good money for, for a pin that's cost someone 20p and its a fake! There is pin trading/pin sale pages on facebook where you can grab some good bargains. I started off with a handful of pins about 3 years ago, and with buying in the parks, and trading ive got a nice collection now. Its a nice hobby, but an expensive one when done right.

 

[Zeebs]

I didn't want to spend a lot of money on pins but wanted to give the kids going with us a go at it. I also didn't want to buy fake ones. I did end up buying from Ebay and hopefully they aren't fake, I bought from someone selling off their collection, they are all stamped and come with the little black Mickey backing thingy. I then made some lanyards out of ribbon so the whole thing has cost me a fraction of the cost starter packs would have cost.

 

[chmurf]

Lots of fakes on ebay and most cast members who trade can tell a fake from a genuine one

Don't bother if it's for trading
If it's just for your personnal collection, then it's up to you