Need cheap traders for my little cousin!

[GEM]

Hi everybody! I haven't been around here much lately because I've been pretty busy planning a wedding, getting married, and going on a honeymoon! Anyway, my new husband and I are planning a trip to WDW in early December. We are going to be taking along my seven year old cousin as a special Christmas/Birthday treat for him. He has mild Down's Syndrome, but he is very sweet, generous, and patient. He also loves the chance to talk to people. So, I thought pin trading would be something that he would absolutely love. He has always loved looking at my big collection! I want to get him a little lanyard of his own so he can trade with cast members or other kids, etc. So . . .

I am looking to buy (at or below cost) some "common" pins (probably around 30 or so) that he can use as traders. I don't really care what they are as long they are cheap and eligible for trading with CMs. If anybody has any for sale, please e-mail me! Thank you!!!!

 

[Humpbacks1962]

You can get nice, economical and pretty ones at cheappins.com! If he'll just carry them on a lanyard and walk around the parks, you might as well not place anything too valuable on it. They could get lost, sharks could come by, etc...
Even spending $5 or $6 on many pins adds up, when you could spend only $2 or $3.


Wanda

 

[GEM]

Thanks! I definately don't want him to have anything valuable. He won't care what they are anyway. He will just be into trading and meeting people. But, I thought the kind they sell on that website weren't eligible for trading with CMs anymore. I had a few of them refused by CMs on our last trip. Does anybody know for sure?

 

[Humpbacks1962]

Go to the "Disney pins" section and find a sublink titled "Disneyland" or something like that.
As far as I know, most of those pins trade very well indeed. They used to have a lot of crappy, uglier pins before, but their stock is very interesting this week. In fact, you'll recognize several pins selling at the parks for at least $6.50, in there for less than $4.00!

Good luck and hope the boy has a blast! With such a fun cousin that spoils him, I am sure he will!

Wanda

 

[poohsfriend]

I have several rack pins you can have at cost. I have sent you a PM with a list.
Dana

 

[GEM]

Thanks! We are going to be there for 10 days, buy my cousin will only be with us for three days, so we really want to make it special for him!

 

[lovingthemouse]

Gem - it is great to see you back on the boards. Congratulations on your marriage.
Caroline and Roger

 

[JudithM]

My local Hallmark Stores still have Disney pin pairs & the classic Pooh series of pins. They cost less than WDW pins.

 

[n2mm]

We just took my grandson on his first pin trading trip and I too had to find some cheap pins. I bought him pins from hallmark. They are called Pin Pairs. Not all Hallmark stores sell them, usually if a mall has 2 stores, one will have the pins. They are Pooh and Piglet in a set and a bronze Mickey and Minnie in a set. They are $4.95 for the card. My GS had no problem trading them at all, but did go through about 30 pins very quickly. I had to make him look at the pins each night and decide what he was keeping and what he wanted to re-trade. I thought this was a good deal at about $2.50 per pin. The Disney Outlets in Orlando also still have the 101 countdown pins. Though they will probably be gone by the time you get there, but is a thought in case you know someone going down this summer. They are 3.99 each and are also great traders. Unfortunately every time I picked them up for my GS, he wanted to keep them. Some folks said that the bronze Mickey and Minnie could not be traded, but my GS never got turned down, maybe because the trade was from a kid. I did have to explain all of the rules and had to check his manners alot. He was taken aback that many CMs had different rules of trading (some would let you trade only once, while others would let you trade more than once; I told him they would not trade if the pin he had was on their lanyard, then he would see lots of the same pins on some CMs' lanyard and ask me about that rule, and, of course, it's tough to get through to him about trading with CMs vs other guests (I tried to keep him away from the other guest so that he wouldn't get his feelings hurt--I usually took care of trading with guest for him.) I think he had fun. I got him the pin binder and he is looking forward to going to the Pin Celebration this week with us. Luckily his mom is going too, so we can do some serious trading also!

 

[CarolA]

Be sure and post when you will be there. I am sure that there are DIS members who would love to trade with your cousin to make it a special visit for him!

 

[jaross]

I needed traders for my sons. We are going down in November. So, I would lurk on ebay and wait for groups of pins to go very cheap. I often found them, three pins for about $10. I would buy a few sets a month. That way, I spent all my pin money slowly and before WDW. I averaged about $3 a pin. I didn't really care what the pins were, I knew they could at least trade with a CM. I figure I'll give them each a few new pins each day. They can also retrade. After all, the thrill is in the trade.

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[GEM]

Thanks so much for all the advice and good wishes!!