Parents of Children Pin Traders Beware

[M 'n C]

oh that sucks.

My bf and I were approached last Sept by a man and his kid not long after we entered AK wanting to look at our lanyards and see if there was anything his kid might want off of ours. He didn't even ask us if we were willing to trade - just drug his 7 or 8 yo over to check us out!!! We didn't feel comfortable trading with non-CMs as we had never pin traded before and such but with a kid involved bf didn't want to be mean either so he just covered the nicer ones and left our not so nice (but still disney pins) "available" for trade and the father/son left. I don't think they were trying to scam us as they only had nice pins but just a little rude and assuming you know.

So after that encounter since it was our first park we quickly decided CM's only and to put the ones we wanted to trade next at the bottom and show it when asked just to avoid uncomfortable situations like that. I think the locked pin backs are an excellent idea.

 

[Sk8Leigh]

I never trade with other guests in the parks. I don't even wear my lanyard, so I've never been approached. I keep the pins in my backpack and only pull one out when I'm ready to trade with a CM. I do trade with "civilians", but through the mail using the trade assistant on Pin Pics. I like to be able to study a trade to decide if I want to make it.

 

[pezpam]

DD(now 9) has a lanyard and loves to trade. However, knowing there are sharks out there, we have a couple of simple rules.

She can trade with any CM she sees. If anyone besides a CM approaches her to trade, I hover and watch. Her lanyard always contains only pins she's wanting to trade and that I'm ok with her trading.

Now, we don't collect for value. DD enjoys pin trading and I admit I enjoy it now, too. While I do hover with non-CMs to get a feel for whether things are on the up-and-up, DD has been known to hand CMs a perfectly good pin for one of those icky Sedesma pins. <shrug> I've explained them to her, but she just falls in love with one every now and then. I try not to spend more than I'm comfortable with on pins to begin with so if she does find a Sedesma 'treasure' on a CM lanyard every now and then, I don't go ballistic about it.

We have had several wonderful trading experiences with non-CMs, both adults and children, but there are people out there who are just looking to give you a random pin for something they know is worth a lot. Just on principle, that bugs me, so I try to steer clear.

One CM we chatted with said that while we all know about Pin Sharks, many people are less aware of what they call Pin Guppies - kids whose parents have taught them the routine.


ETA: Thanks to all CMs who enjoy pin trading or at least pretend to. You've added a lot to my daughter's WDW experience and helped draw her out of her shell at the same time. How cool is that? <grin>

 

[bytheblood]

oh that sucks.

My bf and I were approached last Sept by a man and his kid not long after we entered AK wanting to look at our lanyards and see if there was anything his kid might want off of ours. He didn't even ask us if we were willing to trade - just drug his 7 or 8 yo over to check us out!!! We didn't feel comfortable trading with non-CMs as we had never pin traded before and such but with a kid involved bf didn't want to be mean either so he just covered the nicer ones and left our not so nice (but still disney pins) "available" for trade and the father/son left. I don't think they were trying to scam us as they only had nice pins but just a little rude and assuming you know.

So after that encounter since it was our first park we quickly decided CM's only and to put the ones we wanted to trade next at the bottom and show it when asked just to avoid uncomfortable situations like that. I think the locked pin backs are an excellent idea.

Wow - that is a little presumptious!! People should approach you assuming you are not aware of pin trading unless you have that card attached to your lanyard stating so.


My MIL did the same thing several times when we were in Disney with them last summer. We were in a resort shop, the CM was ringing somebody up and as soon as that guest walked away, my MIL walked over to the CM and grabbed her lanyard and started looking at it and literally pulled this nearly 6 foot tall woman down a bit so she could see her pins. I must have looked like this ...and then this ....and then this .

I was embarassed that she did that and I walked away.

 

[Cruisin]

They sell them at most of the pin stores. I think I have gotten 1-2 bags, and lock on pins that my kids are working on. (example I have one son that is just missing Mrs. Incredible...he has all the other cut outs) I think a bag of locks is $9 ish...but it was 2 years ago and might have been less(I can remember)

thanks for the information.

I will look next week when I am there.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Thanks for the warning---my boys have not traded a single pin so far. They want to keep the ones they picked out and purchased!

I hope you had a wonderful trip otherwise, Terri. That is so awful for your boys to have experiences such un-Disney-like behavior

 

[canwegosoon]

Thanks for the warning---my boys have not traded a single pin so far. They want to keep the ones they picked out and purchased!

I hope you had a wonderful trip otherwise, Terri. That is so awful for your boys to have experiences such un-Disney-like behavior

See you in March...I will be pin trading!!!! Just swiched my ressie to BCV/BWV DH doesn't want to stay atVWL...we have to meet up this year!!! Pin trading in my room at BWV and the kids can watch the fireworks from the balcony. I am getting Baseball tickets tomorrow too!!!

 

[blsx3]

Am I missing something here? How is this a "scam"? Your sons traded the pins. If the other kids stole the pins that is different but your sons made a fair trade one pin for another. The "disney only pin" is only applicable for trading with CM's. Yes, it makes sense for guest trading to be Disney pin to Disney pin but guest trading is not mandatory like it is for CMs.

If your sons made the trade because they liked the pins they traded for then who cares and if the value of the pins is what is important to you, then you should not allow your kids to trade pins...

We had several other kids come up to our 6 and 9 year old trying to trade pins with them and if they did not like what they saw, they said no thanks. And this happened several times in reverse when they approached other kids.

1

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

See you in March...I will be pin trading!!!! Just swiched my ressie to BCV/BWV DH doesn't want to stay atVWL...we have to meet up this year!!! Pin trading in my room at BWV and the kids can watch the fireworks from the balcony. I am getting Baseball tickets tomorrow too!!!

Sent you a PM

 

[Dan Murphy]

Dan you are already nice, so you have to trade like the rest of us!!!!

I have pins, but never trade, LOL, most were given to me over the years, too sentimental.

Anything for you Dan!

When will you be there!

Hi Carol. I am looking at May 5-May 12.

And now, Terri, back to your thread.

 

[MyZoeJane]

That's really a shame that that happened to your kids... The first thing that crosses my mind, however, is... why were two kids unsupervised at such a young age? When your kids are that young, aren't you standing by them and watching their actions at all times? So, how is it that your kids gave up their pins so freely without seeing what they were getting in return? If I was standing by my children at that age, I would be watching the process?

I'm not trying to be judgemental... but I don't understand how that could happen to two kids if they were being supervised?

My DD is only 3... but she already had a lanyard full of pins. Most were purchased on Ebay because I/she liked the looks of them. We know NOTHING about pin value. The only thing I look for is a Disney copyright so I know I can confidently trade them with others. We've only traded a few times... In fact, I have given away more pins that have been traded. When there are kids in line, I like to give them away sometimes.... mostly to kids with birthday buttons on. My point is... pin trading should be an exercise in fairness. Teach your child a proper procedure, maybe? No pins should exchange hands until it is perfectly clear what is being traded for what. Sounds like your poor little munchkin learned that the hard way. I'm sorry.

 

[stashf]

This is a very interesting thread, on this last (our 4th) trip to WDW I finally let my daughter start the pin thing! Up until then I had bought several pins but more for a souvenier. She turned 7 this Dec and thought this was all pretty neat, but she actually only traded one pin with a CM. I will be sure to keep in check who she trades with in the future, I was sure to tell her only trade pins she wanted to, she didnt have to trade any pin she really liked. I fixed this situation by buying those locking pin backs. They are 9.95 for a bag and you can lock all the pins to the lanyard you don't want to trade. My reason for this was actually because we lost a pin and I just felt those rubber backs dont stay on too well, but upon reading this post this also ensures that no one tries to take a pin that is meaningful or special to us. I keep the thing that opens the lock so it also gives me an element of control over their good pins. I leave the ones she is willing to trade with rubber backs on - just an idea! It's too bad this kids are being dishonest but with a father like that what do you expect? No example. Sorry for your boys!

Stacey

 

[canwegosoon]

That's really a shame that that happened to your kids... The first thing that crosses my mind, however, is... why were two kids unsupervised at such a young age? When your kids are that young, aren't you standing by them and watching their actions at all times? So, how is it that your kids gave up their pins so freely without seeing what they were getting in return? If I was standing by my children at that age, I would be watching the process?

I'm not trying to be judgemental... but I don't understand how that could happen to two kids if they were being supervised?

My DD is only 3... but she already had a lanyard full of pins. Most were purchased on Ebay because I/she liked the looks of them. We know NOTHING about pin value. The only thing I look for is a Disney copyright so I know I can confidently trade them with others. We've only traded a few times... In fact, I have given away more pins that have been traded. When there are kids in line, I like to give them away sometimes.... mostly to kids with birthday buttons on. My point is... pin trading should be an exercise in fairness. Teach your child a proper procedure, maybe? No pins should exchange hands until it is perfectly clear what is being traded for what. Sounds like your poor little munchkin learned that the hard way. I'm sorry.

Ali I was literally 3 -4 feet away, in line on BUZZ with them, I saw what was going on and they showed me the pins, and the minute the kid got the pins he ran...I found them 1-2 minutes later and that when I spoke to the child and the father stepped in(I thought the child did not know about the rules of trading...shows how trusting I am).

Plus my boys are 8yo...not 3 and need a little independence. They do know the proper procedure to trade, but 95% of the time they trade with CM(now it will be 100%) Hey this guy and his kids are good, they have the whole thing down cold....but telling me to watch my kids, and teach them the proper rules of trading is a little nieve for me.

I wish you the best, you sound like me 3-4 years ago, but you will learn that you can not control everything
I'm just trying to tell people that are going soon this is what I have recently encountered...be aware. I have never seen this before.

 

[huskies90]

A- I am not overreacting(and yes you are being rude)...I am informing other parents of children that like to trade there is a scam out there...and it is a money making scam. If this had been an honest child trading child with GOOD intent, then I would have not confronted the father. The father's response was the nail on to coffin that this was a bonafide scam. "oh I didn't know, the boy didn't realize, etc would have indicated a response that the kids just like to trade"...Stating "My boys will not trade their pins back"...is the intent to scam..they are preying on children and using children to do it.

B-If this doesnt affect you...why tell me I am over reacting and that it is not a big deal?(sounds like you like being a ) My kids have over $100 in pins around their necks at any given time(Yes I also do lock them, but leave 2-3 unlocked for trading)...if someone came along and tried to offer you 10 cents on the dollar for any item you had (jewlery, car, etc) you would not take it(unless you had a financial motive to take it). The difference is these are children(they should not be preyed on) and cannot make financial decisions on their own. Hence the new rule...no trading with anyone but CM's(who have no vested intrest in their pins either)

To everyone else out there...We really enjoy pin trading, and my kids love it. I hope you all love it too, just a heads up!!!

Sorry I rubbed you the wrong way but this is a message board and I think it is OK for me to give my opinion and I am certainly not trying to "stir the pot." Obviously I am waaaaaay in the minority here so I will say two things.

First I am sorry that this happened to you and your kids. It obviously was a big deal to you and I should be sentitive to that, so again I really am sorry that it happened.

Second, I do appreciate you informing everyone about these type of people and thanks to your post, I will actually watch my daughters a little closer next time.

Finally, in this particular case, I probably would not have done anything (heck my youngest daughter lost at least 3 pins that fell off her lanyard on our last trip alone) but if I was ever in a situation like yours and really felt my kids were ripped off "scammed" like that, when I caught up to the kid after confronting him and the "dad", I would have grabbed the kid by the ear, dragged him over to CM and let the CM watch as I ripped the pin out his greedy little hand and I could care less what the tough guy "dad" had to say about it...When it comes to my two girls, I am the proverbial protective father (wait 'til they start dating ) .

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

So, in essence, you are buying the pin you seek for $30-$40. Thanks for answering!

Actually, that would be $180 at the very least! (30 pins @$6) I can't believe anyone would actually say "Sure! Let me go buy those 30 pins for ya, be right back!" I wonder if the guy walking over with the big bag of pins was a setup? ("Okay, Earl, when someone comes over here and talks to me about trading, you come over carrying the bag of pins, and act like you're getting a great deal!") I checked e-bay, and the highest price for a single pin was about $120, and that was for a 20 year CM pin. I can't imagine one pin being worth about $200 worth of pins!

It makes me really sad that someone would try to scam people like the OP posted I know that a lot of kids like to trade just for the fun of trading itself (ie they don't really care what they get), but they should at least be able to re-trade the pin they recieve!

I have some pins, but I've never traded- I usually just buy the ones I really like, or get them from doing tours, etc. I am tempted to pick up one or two for trading in case I come across one that's not sold anymore that I really want, though.

 

[rubberband1293]

My sons love Disney pins so I buy them the ones they want. Their lanyards stay in the hotel room and they are not allowed to trade. If they see a pin they want, and if they have not already gotten all the pins they are allowed to purchase during the trip (usually 15), then we will search until we find it - but no trading. My sons are still young and naive (7 and 8) and trust everyone - I do not however. In a few years if they want to trade they can, but they are perfectly happy getting brand new pins and we all enjoy the search for the pins they want. I suspect though, in a few years they will not want to trade their pins because the ones they have mean something to them - they can tell you today where they bought them (the park anyway) and how they finally made their decisions to get the ones they got. Just my two cents worth.

 

[asianway]

If you only saw one pin over $120 on ebay, you were not looking hard enough. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of pins worth over $100.

 

[Todd&Copper]

I have a set of 10 cloissene (sp?) pins I got as a special promotion when the Disney Channel celebrated its 10th anniversary (1990? 1991? not sure). They all have the copyright "Disney Channel" on the back of them. Are these official pins? I was going to sell the set on Ebay, and I'd like to aniticpate any questions from potential buyers regarding their tradability (don't want to say they are and have people feel gypped).
Thanks!

Also, when I was at Epcot in August, there was a guy with a ton of pins who sort of set up camp in Future World. He had a smelly green vest with pins all over it, along with a bunch of display cases with more pins. I couldn't help but wonder - is he for real?

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I have a set of 10 cloissene (sp?) pins I got as a special promotion when the Disney Channel celebrated its 10th anniversary (1990? 1991? not sure). They all have the copyright "Disney Channel" on the back of them. Are these official pins? I was going to sell the set on Ebay, and I'd like to aniticpate any questions from potential buyers regarding their tradability (don't want to say they are and have people feel gypped).
Thanks!

Also, when I was at Epcot in August, there was a guy with a ton of pins who sort of set up camp in Future World. He had a smelly green vest with pins all over it, along with a bunch of display cases with more pins. I couldn't help but wonder - is he for real?

If they have Disney Channel stamped on them they should be OK to trade.

The Guy doing trading there are tables set up in front of the pin shop for trading or displaying their pins.

Even though they are not sanctioned Disney trading events (they use to have them)they do allow you to trade in those areas.They have the same thing at DTD as well.


Please Don't let a few bad apples discourage you from trading with CM's. DD is shy by nature and this is a real good way to break that down . She looks forward to trading and has quite a collection that is about 80% from CM trading.
Here's part of what she has mostly from trading

 

[jeankeri]

My question for those of you who have a 'CM only' rule- if the CM's have to trade when approached, isn't it fair to assume that a good amount of their pins will be cheap or knock-off pins that they have received in a trade? It was my understanding that they only receive a certain amount of pins from disney to add to their lanyard. I do not know that this is ensuring (sp?) fair trades for your kids, especially since many CM's aren't traders themselves.
About the locking pin-backs- I *think* we bought these the last trip, but I don't recall any key coming in the bag to unlock them. Anyone have a pic to post or a link they can share. My DS10 is a master pin 'loser'- at least 4 pins dropped from his lanyard last trip. We recovered all but 1, but he now will not wear his lanyard. I would love to be able to lock the pins on.