Pin Traders and Collectors UNITE!

[airman]

I have been pin collecting since 2000 (big fan). I always get a pin from the resort I am staying at and get pins for any special events that might be going on while we are there (Summer Nightastic, Christmas, etc.). I really like the vinylmation pins and am always on the look out for CM's that have one on their lanyard.
I had the opportunity to go to Disneyland Paris last summer and I was ready to get some unique pins and was pretty disappointed. Nobody in the parks wore lanyards and only a few CM's had them on, I felt a little out of place. Most of the pins were the same as CM traders at WDW. I did get one DLP CM exclusive of Boo that was pretty cool.
Anyone have any tips on wearing a pin lanyard and not have the rubber backs pill your shirts? I can tell what shirts I have worn to the parks from the rub lines down the front. Maybe I need to wear a better quality of shirt.

 

[kaligal]

Someone once asked how much I spent on my collection. I changed the subject.

I say, "Oh, I don't know. I got most of them as cheapos on ebay, so it's hard to tell..."

I'd die of shame if I admitted how much I spend on my stupid pins.

But I can tell you the story behind about 70% of them. I like my pins.

I don't trade much. I don't buy pins that I don't want, KWIM?

 

[daneenm]

I collect pins somewhat. I usually just get pins on ebay and trade for nicer ones at the parks. It's a great way to meet the cast members.

We do the same for our children. Currently DD13 is completely in to Tink and DS9 has what we think are all of the monorail pins and is moving on to Pirates.

 

[disneym2m]

It is always interesting to see what people collect with the Disney theme.

I started when I was in high school and the PVC figures where in the boxes of cereal to promote Disney Afternoon cartoons. And with every movie there are new ones, so that was my first collection.

Then I started with the Barbie type Disney dolls but that started getting expensive and then where do I put all these dolls. I still have four plastic containers full and trying to get rid of them....LOL!!!

Then came the Disney beanies...geez. I kept telling myself I am NOT going to collect these. While I was in the hospital my mom bought me Flounder to cheer me up and then the collection began. Six plastic containers later, I was done. I had this dream I would display them in bookcases in a room. Yeah, not going to happen, not enough rooms in the house, so I kept a few and donated the rest (400+ to GKTW).

My true love was always pins, but trying to find any was hard until Pin Trading and the Disney Store starting carrying them. I bought my first few at WDW in 1997. And now 13 years later I have 1, 257 pins. I enjoy the pins because certain ones remind me of certain events, you know what I am talking about.

I really like Vinylmation, BUT refuse to collect something new. I still collect the PVC figures and the pins and I think that is enough....

Of course I will be at the Downtown Disney D-Street store in December and will have to just take a look at the Vinylmation. Maybe buy just 1 and look at the others... I guess we will see what happens.

 

[dismichael]

I have been trading for about 3 years now and collecting for about 5 years. I try not breaking the bank on my yearly trips by buying pins and so i only have around 90 pins in my collection. My top 6 favs are:

1.2007 Disney Visa Steamboat Willie,
2.2006 Cast Member Participant pin W/ dumbo on it (traded for it),
3.the epcot spinner pin with all the flags on the back and the mickey heads on the front (first pin)
4.2005 Happy Times at Walt Disney World (surprise pin LE 1500)
5.2009 DVC Exclusive with goofy and pluto in the dvc car (first year as dvc)
6. Disney Cruise line Castaway Club with mickey at the helm

 

[kaligal]

I think my favorite pin is one of the castle that has a door that slides up and you can see Mickey's shape standing in the door. I think it was a CM-only pin.

It's #25757 on pinpics.

 

[mommyceratops]

Not to hijack...

We LOVE LOVE Trading pins. I usually buy my pins off ebay to trade down at the parks. My sons love it and would spend all day trading.

I noticed some of them had feedback that pins they bought were fake. Anyone know how to avoid this? Or what to look for? Thanks!

 

[tink576]

Not to hijack...

We LOVE LOVE Trading pins. I usually buy my pins off ebay to trade down at the parks. My sons love it and would spend all day trading.

I noticed some of them had feedback that pins they bought were fake. Anyone know how to avoid this? Or what to look for? Thanks!

I think they have threads with more information about this on the collectors board

 

[EPCOT66bye]

Hi gang, I like to trade too! I'm also on pinpics if anyone wants to trade vinylmation pins.

I was a cm in the 1990's so I have some oldies and hundreds of buttons or pin-backs which were popular (cheap!) before pins got started.

 

[stitchlover]

My husband and daughter both like to trade. I buy a bunch of them off of ebay before we go and they trade with the cast members. I have a really pretty Cinderella Cameo looking one in my home office, which is my Disney room. I would LOVE the find the Tinkerbell cameo.

 

[chaoscent]

It is always interesting to see what people collect with the Disney theme.

I started when I was in high school and the PVC figures where in the boxes of cereal to promote Disney Afternoon cartoons. And with every movie there are new ones, so that was my first collection.

Then I started with the Barbie type Disney dolls but that started getting expensive and then where do I put all these dolls. I still have four plastic containers full and trying to get rid of them....LOL!!!

Then came the Disney beanies...geez. I kept telling myself I am NOT going to collect these. While I was in the hospital my mom bought me Flounder to cheer me up and then the collection began. Six plastic containers later, I was done. I had this dream I would display them in bookcases in a room. Yeah, not going to happen, not enough rooms in the house, so I kept a few and donated the rest (400+ to GKTW).

My true love was always pins, but trying to find any was hard until Pin Trading and the Disney Store starting carrying them. I bought my first few at WDW in 1997. And now 13 years later I have 1, 257 pins. I enjoy the pins because certain ones remind me of certain events, you know what I am talking about.

I really like Vinylmation, BUT refuse to collect something new. I still collect the PVC figures and the pins and I think that is enough....

Of course I will be at the Downtown Disney D-Street store in December and will have to just take a look at the Vinylmation. Maybe buy just 1 and look at the others... I guess we will see what happens.

You sound like me but I also did the trading cards. I have abouit 8 books of Disney & Star Trek cards sitting in the junk room. I see you live in Chesterfield. My niece lives in Chester, not sure if that's near you? We will be there the first week of December, maybe we will run into you. Penny

My husband and daughter both like to trade. I buy a bunch of them off of ebay before we go and they trade with the cast members. I have a really pretty Cinderella Cameo looking one in my home office, which is my Disney room. I would LOVE the find the Tinkerbell cameo.

Wow, I just traded the Tinkerbell Cameo. Sorry, Wierd story about this Cameo. I used to collect Tink but stopped because I had so many. I keep a listing of my pins and their trading worth (via pinpics). According to my listing I had 2 Tink Cameos. The person I traded with pointed out to me that while it was a Tink cameo, it had Cinderella's name under her picture. I am assuming this is worth a little bit more than the one that has Tink's name? First time I picked up a true error pin that wasn't a scrapper Penny

 

[mommyceratops]

I think they have threads with more information about this on the collectors board

Thanks! I never thought to look there...

 

[stitchlover]

Wow, I just traded the Tinkerbell

Bummer! Would have loved to trade or purchase it from you.

 

[one90proof]

A week ago I decided to start collecting pins and now I have 9. I'm concentrating on POTC at the moment but will probably branch out a little as I go. I figured this would be a cool way to build excitement for our next WDW trip (fall 2011). It's also one of the few things I've found that interests me, my mom, and my DD19. Any activity that can be shared across 3 generations of family members is pretty awesome. Disney Magic hard at work!

 

[astrodrummergirl]

Not to hijack...

We LOVE LOVE Trading pins. I usually buy my pins off ebay to trade down at the parks. My sons love it and would spend all day trading.

I noticed some of them had feedback that pins they bought were fake. Anyone know how to avoid this? Or what to look for? Thanks!

Heres the guide to seller that I use: LINK

A week ago I decided to start collecting pins and now I have 9. I'm concentrating on POTC at the moment but will probably branch out a little as I go. I figured this would be a cool way to build excitement for our next WDW trip (fall 2011). It's also one of the few things I've found that interests me, my mom, and my DD19. Any activity that can be shared across 3 generations of family members is pretty awesome. Disney Magic hard at work!

9 will soon turn into 90 Also, I like that it is an activity my family get to join in on. It was actually my sister that got me into pin trading, and usually trips to the parks consist of my mum, sister and myself, and my mum usually will help spot pins I didn't!

 

[Cherinva]

I started collecting and trading in 2008, dont know how many I have so far. I also buy pins from Ebay, keep the ones that I want, and trade the rest. I got a lot of nice ones from trade in May of this year. With 2 more trips coming up, I have high hopes of snagging a few more and the one tinkerbell that I am missing from a set.

I was lucky enough many years ago, to get a pin that has all 4 parks on it, with my name also...I have several rare pins, that stay at home.

 

[tink576]

The person I traded with pointed out to me that while it was a Tink cameo, it had Cinderella's name under her picture. I am assuming this is worth a little bit more than the one that has Tink's name? First time I picked up a true error pin that wasn't a scrapper Penny

The error pins can be funny. My dad has an error pin from New Years...Somebody forgot to use spell check as January was spelled wrong on the pin...

 

[chaoscent]

Just booked my room for CJPT & hoping I pick up some Holy Grails from there. My luck has been good this past year. I am going to 10/10/10 and the next weekend Central Jersey so I will be traded out by the middle of October.
Penny

 

[one90proof]

I just purchased 6 more pins from a person on another site yesterday. When those come in I'll be up to 15! I also bought a cork board for displaying my pins. It is mostly empty now so of course I want to buy more pins which will eventually require more cork boards which will mean buying more pins and....ARGH!

Tis a slippery slope I've found myself on, I do believe.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I enjoy collecting pins but I've only be doing it for 4 years.

I collect 1 from each resort I stay at. I also have 1 of each princess except for Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Those I've got quite a few each. I also like to get the special pins at MVMCP and MNSSHP.

My primary focus has been Haunted Mansion Pins. That's my favorite attraction.

All of my pins are displayed on 3 - 18 x 24 canvases that I've covered with fabric. I'm almost ready to start a 4th.

I've never pin traded though. I usually just buy what I like.