Pin Trading for a total newbie

[WDW in Pearls]

Hi everyone! I wanted to find out some of the basic pin trading etiquette before I do it for the first time. I've accumulated some pins as a combination of people bringing home some for me from WDW, older ones from 2000 I recently uncovered, and a few from eBay (thank you DISboards for the education on scrappers!)

I've never traded at WDW before. I'm assuming there are special places to go?

I have three lanyards full. I know I'd look a little foolish wearing 3 lanyards. Should I just carry them in my bag and take them out when I want to trade?

Also, should I only bring pins I'm willing to trade? There are some I really love and probably wouldn't want to trade with anyone. Will people be offended if I say no?

Sorry for the probably stupid questions. I know I will be dealing with some pin "pros" so I want to make sure I'm following the rules and don't look like a total idiot thanks!

 

[roannamb]

Hi! I think I remember your user name from the September Dessert Party stalking!

I have been pin trading since I was bitten by the bug about 5 years ago. Hopefully I can answer some of your questions.

I have a ton of pins for my family. Each of us has a hip lanyard (except DS that prefers a neck lanyard). We each put about four pins on the lanyard at a time that we want to trade. I also keep a ziplock bag with the extras in our backpack. Once a trade is done, we put the "keeper" away and replace a "tradable" on the lanyard.

We also keep two of our favorite "keepers" on the lanyard (so, grand total of six at a time). But for those, we make sure we use the locking backs. The regular Mickey backs come off way too easily. You can find the locking backs at almost any place that sells pins in WDW.

Here are some of the rules:
- You can do up to two trades per CM
- You can't trade a CM for a pin they already have on their lanyard
- CMs with green lanyards only trade with kids
- There are a lot of counterfeit pins out there. If the CM thinks it is counterfeit, they won't trade with you. (I have never been refused a trade. People may not know they have a fake but they are so widely circulated, it's very possible to have one without knowing it. I've looked up some of mine I've gotten in trade and they have the signs of a "scrapper" pin even though they came from a CM's lanyard!)

Here are some tips:
- Try to pick a theme. My DS likes Chip and Dale, Pluto and Donald. DH likes the villains and Muppets.
- The large pin shops have "pin boards" which are cork boards with LOTS of pins. You can ask if they have one. Most resort shops have one too.

If there are any other questions I can answer, let me know!

 

[roannamb]

Also, should I only bring pins I'm willing to trade? There are some I really love and probably wouldn't want to trade with anyone. Will people be offended if I say no?!

I realized I didn't answer this question. I like showing off my favorites, so I say, wear them! You should do most of your trading with CMs. Only on occasion would you trade with another guest.

CMs will take any pin you have, as long as you adhere to the rules I listed before. They won't care what you give them as long as they don't already have one or as long as it's not a scrapper.

I've only traded with other guests a handful of times. If you saw how many pins I have, that probably puts it in a fraction of a percentile of my total trades (maybe 0.1%). Most of the time, guests just like to look at other people's lanyards and admire their finds. They'll ask if you bought them or got them from a trade.

Again, I can't emphasize the importance of the locking backs for the keepers!

 

[WDW in Pearls]

Roannamb, thank you so much for your replies! Yes, I'm the one in the dessert party thread. So glad that reservation is booked and I can relax!

I'd never heard of the locking backs before. I'll definitely grab some shortly after we check in. We're staying at Wilderness Lodge so maybe they'll have them at the stand where they sell pins? If not I'll look around the parks.

I like the idea of picking a theme. I'm a big Stitch fan and my mom was able to track down a little Stitch plush backpack for me. I don't care how nerdy that makes me, it's so much easier than a regular purse and its Stitch! I was thinking about adding some of my Stitch pins to the straps but was worried they'd pop off without me knowing. The locking backs should prevent that.

I've never seen anything but the neck lanyards. Do you have any pics/links of the ones you're referring to?

 

[Piper23]

Having a theme is fun, and can be less overwhelming than looking at alllll the fabulous pins you see.

CMs will take what you give them (except duplicates/fakes), so you won't have to worry about saying no. And a guest who tries to trade won't be offended... As you shouldn't be if you asked someone for a particular pin.

 

[Piper23]

Oh, and you can wear all three. I guarantee no one will think you look foolish.... But those things get HEAVY!

 

[WDW in Pearls]

Oh, and you can wear all three. I guarantee no one will think you look foolish.... But those things get HEAVY!

Omg they so do get heavy! I have some larger ones too and that doesn't help. My mom got me a bunch from her DCL trip that are enormous! But you're right...if its acceptable to be a complete Disney nerd anywhere, it's WDW! I think I'll wear them all if there are any trading events when I'm there but otherwise, for the sake of my neck, I'll pass.

Anybody know how I can find out about pin trading events? I know they exist, but that's all I know!

 

[roannamb]

I've never seen anything but the neck lanyards. Do you have any pics/links of the ones you're referring to?

If your pins are heavy, the hip lanyard is NOT the way to go. It can hold, at most, six smallish sized pins. I tried to post a picture, but I couldn't get it to work. If you search "hip lanyard" on eBay, it will bring up several examples.

 

[WDW in Pearls]

If your pins are heavy, the hip lanyard is NOT the way to go. It can hold, at most, six smallish sized pins. I tried to post a picture, but I couldn't get it to work. If you search "hip lanyard" on eBay, it will bring up several examples.

Good point. I do think I'd like one to clip to my regular purse (not the backpack).

Also, what's a fair price for the locking backs? I saw a few on eBay that seemed pricey but honestly I have no idea what price range they normally run! Thanks

 

[roannamb]

Also, what's a fair price for the locking backs? I saw a few on eBay that seemed pricey but honestly I have no idea what price range they normally run! Thanks

Wow - good question. I bought a set of 25 maybe 5 years ago and I'm guessing I paid about $5. We found we don't need one for every single pin - just the keepers we want to display. I keep reusing them over and over. We have a family of four and 25 is plenty for us.

Since you are looking on eBay, be aware there are a few types of locking backs now. When I bought mine, it required a little teeny Allen wrench to unlock the backs (which comes in each package of the old locking backs). Now they don't require a tool. You may be able to get the old ones cheaper.

The Allen wrench never bothered me. I just kept it in my lanyard pouch and used it as necessary. But I can see how it would be troublesome since it is so tiny and could be easily misplaced.