okay, what is fair

[Duckfan]

I might have one of the harder to find state pins for trade. Please note I said might and am not doing a trade right now. But as I ponder this, what is considered a fair trade request for this pin? It is apparently a limited edition with a low number so is it fair to ask for a rarer pin? Is is still like a rack pin? Can you wonderful people give me an idea of what you would accept in trade for the rarer state pins?

 

[NHMickey]

My sugestion would be to strike while the iron is hot if your looking for a great trade for this pin. My guess is that once people realize that getting all these pins is not an easy task most will stop. Plus when you also factor in the cost. at face value it is over 200 bucks just to get all the pins (including the province's and the holdings). Just my opinion but this pin is hot now... In a few weeks it will slow. So I would try and trade now.

 

[JudySue]

I agree with Nat on when to look for a trade.

But as for what to look for? First of all - it's not an run-of-the-mill rack pin. It's sold out - you can't buy it anymore at retail. (some of the most wanted pins now were once rack pins and sold on action sites not 2 years ago at prices you wouldn't beleave now. (Those times are referred to as the "good old 'normal'" days of pin collecting - don't get me started <G>)

If it really is one of the very hard to find pins - small edition - ie PR, AK, HI, RI, NH for example - I would look for anoter hard to find state pin or a pin that you've been looking for for a long time. Just ask yourself "what pin would I give just about any pin in my collection for?". That should give you an idea of what to look for. But again, as Nat said - strike while the iron is hot - this won't go on forever.

If you don't want to keep the state pin you have - you should end up with something really good.

 

[hopemax]

I wondered the same thing. The big question is whether or not the pins will be restocked. If they aren't, then that makes the "one store" state pins LE 72! I'm not sure how anyone could call them "rack" pins at that point. That uncertainty, would have me wary to enter any trade deals right now, because it would suck to trade something really good and then find out they will be restocked and restocked and restocked. But at the same time, the way the prices are and the real possibility that they won't be restocked, I wouldn't begrudge anyone who was looking to trade the rare states for rare pins.

Would I trade a HM Dangle for an Alaska? No, because the HM is so darn cute, but then again if someone were to trade a HM Dangle for Alaska I don't think that's out of line either. Ebay prices are in that range, the dangle pin is an even larger edition, maybe the person went to the convention and bought extras and thus only paid retail. I would definetely trade the WS banner mystery pin because I think it's ugly, especially if I only needed one or two more flags for the set.

I've heard the "it's only a $4 pin" argument, but if that's valid, then I have a couple of $10 high LE pins I would like to trade for a Mickey for President, or a Wet Paint pin. Retail price being the #1 factor, over LE size or demand.

But I'm still greatly annoyed at Disney for making it an issue in the first place. At this point, they need to state the final edition sizes for each flag (if they aren't making anymore) or say they are restocking in 2002. It depends what people are making the decisions though, today I saw cute non-Pooh adult T-shirts and wondered what store I was in. If it's those people, I tend to believe they will restock, or make a framed set of all 54 pins for purchase. If it's the people who came up with the brilliant idea to not limit all the pins in Week 1, who knows!

 

[catwho]

The numer one rule in the "fairness of trading" "What is the worth *to you* of the pin you are holding versus the worth of the pin you want?"

Since I'm not collecting the state pins, I have 2 Alabama and 2 Florida pins that are going with me to WDW as traders. I collect Cinderella pins. Hopefully I can trade my pins for Cindy's that I don't have yet. To me that is a trade worth it. Would I trade a state pin for any other pin other than a Cindy? Probably not as the "other pin" isn't worth as much to me.


28 days to WDW!!!!

 

[JudithM]

There are a lot of factors in pin trading. I initially set out to collect three state pins - where we currently live, where I grew up & where my husband grew up. When I finish, I will have about a dozen & a half state pins - most of which have some meaning in our lives. Some trades were state pin for state pin & some trades I traded away a non-state pin someone else really wanted for a state pin. Also, it depends on who wants the pin. I've gotten to the point over the past several weeks where I am mostly (but not always ) trading with people "I know." I've never met these people, but I feel comfortable trading with them.

Also, it depends, as others have said, on what you want & what the other pserson wants. For example there is a current pin limited to a specific geographic area that I am in the process of trading for. Sure it is a rack pin for the person who bought it, but I don't have access to it near me. Plus the person literally did the footwork to go to the local store to buy it. Since the person already has my state pin, I offered a LE pin that I was willing to trade for that pin. Voila - a trade in the works!

Just be sure you both feel comfortable with the trade. The final decision is yours!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I had NE, IA, SD and IN to trade -- at one point. I did hold back the SD for some of the other HTF states/Canada. I would just consider how HTF the state pin you have is and try to find another HTF pin that is comparable.
Unless the state pins are re-released, I think they almost all have gone beyond rack pin status.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

When it comes to collectibles, value is in the eye of the beholder.

Don't wait too long . . . we've all seen pin values plummet in weeks/months following the initial demand.

If you're not collecting state pins . . . try for one of your holy grails.

And, most important . . . super good luck in whatever trade you seek.