looking for recommendations - where to buy "lots" of trading pins?

[triplejen]

We're leaving in a month, and I want to be able to give my 2 boys a bunch of pins for trading that we won't care too much about losing. On our last trip we spent WAY too much on pins. The problem is, my sons love the pins they buy, and don't want to trade them away. But they still want to be able to participate in the trading process.

I found myself specifically buying sets of pins that I figured they WOULDN'T like (princess pins, for example) just so they could bear to part with them. But then there's just something so galling about spending $8 apiece (or slightly less if you buy a boxed set) on brand new items for the sole purpose of immediately exchanging them for something old/used/etc. - you know?

So what I want to do before this trip is buy a bunch of used pins for the sole purpose of trading. I have seen a variety of sites recommended here in the past, but I had also heard about certain pins (something called "sedesma?") that are in fact not tradable in the parks. I am not looking for counterfeit pins -- I don't want to give something lesser in the hopes of receiving something better back in trade. I just want used pins for my sons to be able to trade for other used pins.

One site I've seen recommended is mousepinsonline.com -- does anyone have any feedback on them? It seems their pin grab bags run about $1.75 a pin. Is this the general rate? Are their pins "real?" Are there other sites people have been happy with?

I would LOVE some help with this -- thank you in advance for any and all you can offer!

-Jen

 

[jazz0007]

I just bought a lot of 25 of them on Ebay for 1.50 each. There are tons of sellers with different size lots on there. Mine came in 2 days!! There were a couple cute ones in there...none super ugly but I got 'em for the kids to trade anyway....so I didn't care!!

 

[Surr]

I recently purchased 100 on eBay for $129 total. We were very pleased with the pins and seller. We received no more than three of any one pin, and probably 50 different pins. There was only one unique pin in the lot though (it was an LE pin). We were fine with the duplicates though as my daughter wanted to keep many of them.

 

[melnry]

I just bought some and actually exchanged some repeats without a problem. Very fast and very trustworthy.

Home >
eBay Stores >
Miami Disney Pins (this is the seller store)

 

[frazzledrazz]

A few weeks ago I bid on ebay three separate times for pin lots from Shells7Pak (two lots of 50 and one lot of 30). The pins arrived super fast and they are quality pins... Most of them are hidden mickey CM pins, and most of them I wouldn't mind trading (I like princess pins too ) She also sells individual lots for $1.59 a pin, but I bid on a lot of 50 pins and I won at $48 so it was less expensive that way, but it can get competitive. The other lot of 50 I won sold for $64, but in the end it was still less expensive than picking your own amount. Last year I bought some on ebay from DisneyPinMad and they sell pick your own lot for $1.49. Again, really fast shipping and good pins, but I wanted to keep them all!

 

[FigmentChick]

Can you say eBay? I have found it an absolutely wonderful place to purchase pins. I get ones I want to collect (like Figment) and then I usually purchase a huge lot before we go so that my children have ones to trade. I just bought a lot of 74 (had to be even in number) for $1.25 each. There are so duplicates....but what does it matter? They're going to be traded anyway. They were in perfect condition and shipping was fast!

If you'd like the name of the person I bought them from, send me an email and I will provide you with everything, including a link to the auction.

Have a great day!!!!

 

[Tomh]

The thing with Ebay, and most of the places that are selling big lots of pins is that many of the pins are not authentic Disney pins. That said, just in the small sampling of people who posted here, there were several responses from people who have purchased their pins from Ebay. Indeed, I purchase mine online last year, so no matter where you buy your pins, you'll be going to the parks, and trading for pins, half of which are likely counterfeit, so I say go ahead and buy from Ebay, or one of the online pin sites that sell them cheap, and let the kids trade them. There may be a pin here and there that the CM's won't accept, but the vast majority of them will be traded with no questions asked, and the kids will be happy. anyone who is SERIOUS about trading pins will request the pin card, and sales receipt, and anyone who doesn't request those knows that there is a chance they might get a counterfeit pin in trade.

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I have to admit....I buy them on ebay and trade them in the parks. Of course, there are always special ones in the park that you just want to buy and keep, but for trading----definitely ebay!

 

[remark44]

One site I've seen recommended is mousepinsonline.com -- does anyone have any feedback on them? It seems their pin grab bags run about $1.75 a pin. Is this the general rate? Are their pins "real?" Are there other sites people have been happy with?

Ok, I'll answer your question. I just purchased from mousepinsonline.com (as a recommendation from my sister). I am extremely pleased with this site. I purchased 25 for about $1.75 each. I got them within a few days. All pins are official Disney pins and in excellent condition.

The only problem was I ended up getting about 10 pins we want to keep. (We got a Jedi Mickey ). So much for having pins to trade. But we are only in the parks for 2 days and my girls are not huge trading fans.

Have fun.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

Since this thread isn't about buying pins at the theme parks, I've moved it to the Collectors board.

 

[pixiewings71]

Ok, here comes the dreaded reply. Shells7pak sells fake pins, she buys seconds from China and that's how she can sell them for so cheap on eBay, she's making money by selling scrappers to those who don't know what they are. Then those pins get traded in the parks and people who DO pay more for "legit" pins end up getting them. Yes, I've traded for more scrappers than I care to admit. Now before anyone jumps on me and calls me the scrapper police I am NOT, I simply don't like to flood the "market" (so to speak) with fake pins, I don't like getting them, I don't like hearing "your pins are all fake" from traders so I try to avoid them. I DO absolutely buy my pins on eBay or from mousepins but I find sellers I can trust to send me legit pins and buy from them. If you scroll down a bit here on the Collector's Board you will find a thread all about "good and bad ebay sellers", that will help you find good traders at decent prices, not $1.29 a pin but around $3 or $4 tops! I never spend more than $5 on a pin unless I'm keeping it, and park prices are at least that. Anyway, for a lot of 50 you can buy from Pinderellas_Castle, you'll get 2 free lanyards and 50 GREAT traders!!! You can also find MickeysTreasure, he's got pins for $3.00 each build your own lot size. Both of these sellers come highly recommended from my own personal experiences.

OP whatever you decide to do have FUN trading!! And Mousepins does have decent pins for sale, get a grab bag and you'll be good.

 

[MountNittany]

PLEASE read this thread: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2213419 and PLEASE don't buy from red sellers like Shells!

 

[iheartdisney]

Why not plan a visit to one of the Character Warehouse outlets? My last visit I found Hannah Montana and HSM booster packs for 8.99- hardly more than 2 a pin! I swiped up several packs to stock our lanyards with.

 

[triplejen]

Thank you all for your responses! Melissa and Kerri, thank you for your specific feedback about mousepins, too (and Kerri, for all your other advice as well),

I can see that there is waayyy more to pin trading than I had originally realized. I really appreciate everyone's good help and advice!

-Jen

 

[pixiewings71]

You're welcome Jen, if you have any other questions please let us know, we will do our best to help you out. There is a lot to learn but it's still a lot of fun to do it, we've met some really nice people pin trading.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

And if you're going to be on a Disney cruise any time soon, keep an eye out for the $2 Castaway Cay pins -- there are 3 to a set (so $6 for 3 pins) and they are adorable! We bought a bunch of these onboard to use as traders.