Hobby Pin Collectors: What 'themes' of pin do you collect?

[sayshelen]

Phew! Though still a newbie, I've read a ton over the last hour about pin collecting; pros, cons, happy moments and horror stories.

So, for those who do collect (and of course it's all personal preference): do you try to go for a theme? If so, what?

Or are you going for rare ones with the intent of leveraging them later?

How do you tend to choose which non-theme pins you'll buy?

 

[daber]

For me it was more of a migration from collecting other Disney things into pins. I have been collecting items with Fantasia for a while, when in 1999 they moved pin collecting from just employees to the public. There was a set of Fantasia photomosaic pins that when all 30 pins were assembled formed Spaceship Earth. So I went down that month to get them. I got there in the middle of the month and a good number of the pins were gone. I was disappointed and walked away saying "if I can't get the whole set, then I'm not buying any." However, I did see a single pin with the Chernabog on it. As the vacation progressed, I thought "ok I can buy the one Fantasia pin rather than the set and save about $200".

12 years and about 2,000 pins later my collection includes my other Disney favorites: Maleficent, Figment, and Mary Poppins (penguins).

 

[alizesmom]

I started out just buying pins that suited my fancy but gradually moved to a duck theme. I love my ducks and use the other pins in my collection as traders.

 

[debranator]

I mainly collect Hanukkah and rarer pins...
I collect a lot of CM service awards.
i was collecting rarer pins..of everything....lol...
but,I am getting rid of em all now..and sticking to my core stuff.
As an above poster said...I had thousands..and..I started less than a year ago.
this thread is..a GREAT idea!

 

[figment_jii]

I collect Figment pins! At WDW that's pretty easy - at DLR, it's a bit more of a challenge, but still lots of fun.

I also collect Stitch pins and Chip & Dale pins.

 

[pixiewings71]

I collect Tink, Maleficent as herself and as the dragon, but I'm extremely picky about my Maleficent pins and walk away from those I simply do not like, Jessica Rabbit, Aurora, I prefer her in her blue dress but have some with her in pink as well and that's mainly it. I don't care if it's a LE as long as I like the pin.

Edited to add, I also collect mini pins, the smaller the better. I have loads of tiny little pins in my pin book. lol

 

[PatMcDuck]

I have gotten rid of most of my pins, but I kept the Disney cast member name tag replica pins...... they are smaller than the regular name tags cast members wear. They have characters names on them, like Mickey, donald, minnie, etc.

 

[Sosai X]

I collect cast member nametags and badges. You can see my collection at the link in my sig.

 

[collegejunkie]

dbf and i collect holiday pins, limited editions, ones you can't "buy" (ie, special moments, wedding ones, dvc, etc) as a normal guest, and for me, winnie the poohs lol

 

[greengeen]

I like resort pins, and that's pretty much all I buy. Every once in a while I buy a "passholder only" pin. But the resort pins are a lovely remembrance of all the resorts we've been to - ALL of them, except those in California and Vero Beach, at this point.

 

[nym4588]

I specifically collet Pirates of the Caribbean pins but I'll also buy anything that catches my eye. I spend at least a couple hundred bucks on the pins each time I'm at Disney. It's so addicting...and so fun!

 

[BebopBaloo]

I used to buy one pin per trip ::gasp:: as a way of picking out just one that really represented that particular visit. Then last time I bought two and my daughter started trading and now..I'm ready to start trading. I used to collect mugs, but the type that I collected are no longer being made. So now it's pins. I don't have a theme yet, but I'm considering Disney dogs.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I think its safer to say what I dont collect...

My main collection is "Memories" things I've done, seen and experienced
Then comes:
Minnie Mouse
Patriotic (Flag,Space,Trains,Americana etc)
Summer themed (Beach,Cruise, Surf)
Wilderness Lodge/Fort Wilderness
Lilo (Not stitch)
Monorail
Tarzan
Small World

and my newest collections:
California Adventure
Adventureland

That doesn't include any completed collections like Pirate and Princess Parties, Bear in the Big Blue House etc.

-em

 

[luv2cruisedisney]

Cruise Line. Have almost 400 now and still working on the collection.
It is hard to trade for them in the parks, or on the ship for that matter, but PP and going on as many cruises as possible keeps the collection growing

 

[TinkandGoofy'sMom]

I just started collecting on our most recent trip in January. I decided to collect Muppets. I also plan to buy one pin for each year we go (which will be every year), and one from each resort we stay at. I'm also collecting the PWP key pins (I've got 5 so far), and I like any pin in the shape of Mickey's head. I'm officially addicted!!

 

[PatMcDuck]

I collect cast member nametags and badges. You can see my collection at the link in my sig.

WOW, I love the nametag museum! And I HAVE one you are missing! I will email a photo soon.......

 

[Sosai X]

WOW, I love the nametag museum! And I HAVE one you are missing! I will email a photo soon.......

Nice! Did you work for Disney in any capacity? I am curious to see what you have.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Yes, I am a Disneystore cast member, one and off for 12 years. I worked for them when we were re-opened as a concept store....

 

[Sosai X]

Yes, I am a Disneystore cast member, one and off for 12 years. I worked for them when we were re-opened as a concept store....

 

[famsen]

I collect mostly Haunted Mansion/Halloween pins.
I have them displayed in the center of a large framed cork board and I love them all!

I also go into the DeeBees pins and I love the fact they they release cast lanyard Deebee pins this year.