Pin trading: how to spot fakes?

[Cherinva]

After reading all these threads about scrapper pins, I'm sure I have some that I've traded with CMs....really, I don't care because I'm not trading to gain any monitary value....I have loved collecting pins my whole life (various types of pins...and long before Disney started the pin trading) I get such enjoyment from my pin collection and love adding to it each trip.

I keep my eye out for obvious fakes, but if I see a pin that I really like, then I trade for it.

 

[t_catt11]

After reading all these threads about scrapper pins, I'm sure I have some that I've traded with CMs....really, I don't care because I'm not trading to gain any monitary value....I have loved collecting pins my whole life (various types of pins...and long before Disney started the pin trading) I get such enjoyment from my pin collection and love adding to it each trip.

I keep my eye out for obvious fakes, but if I see a pin that I really like, then I trade for it.

Agreed 100%.

 

[EMHDad]

We bought some pins in prep for our last trip. The boys had a ball trading with CMs. They didnt care if the pins were fake or not. They just loved picking out characters and pins they wanted.

 

[DisneyFamily123]

I had the same concern about fake pins... but DS6 and I had a LOT of fun trading pins in 2011... because our goal was ONLY to trade pins for fun and interact with cast members.... not to get pins I really wanted to keep. It was fun to ask cast members questions and DS enjoyed doing something different. And we did get some fun pins.

Another thing we liked to do is... DS would trade pins with other children while waiting in line, or on the bus, etc. I did that too... sometimes on the bus or in line for a ride, if I saw a child with a pin necklace, I'd ask them if they would like to pick a pin for free (not a trade). Just a small way to share some magic.

The really nice pins -- the bigger pins sold in WDW stores... I buy to keep. Most are pins for resorts we stayed at, and our favorite rides and attractions... I'm putting them in a framed display board to hang on the wall in our home.

I did buy pins on ebay from a few reputable sellers. I did not want to buy fakes although I'm sure many traded in the parks are fakes bought in huge lots from China or wherever. Many ebay sellers had the pin sets that come with 5 or so pins that are still in original packaging, some of the sellers I bought from were located in Orlando so I assume they buy these at discount places in that area and then resell. These sell for about $30-50 at WDW but I got many for about $10 so figure about $1.50 to $2 a pin on average.

Sometimes, it was clear the seller was just getting rid of a pin collection. I'd look at the other items the seller had listed on ebay... If it was not multiple huge lots of pins... I'd assume this was just a seller getting rid of their collection or kids collection.

 

[nellyru]

http://mousepinsonline.com/tp40/Default.asp?ID=18157

I've ordered from here a few times and have been very happy each time.

I order the 25 grab bags.

I've never gotten duplicates and there is always a really great selection.

We bought thinking we would trade most of them, but actually like most of them!

Great service, fast and super prices!

 

[disneydad78]

BUY the pins you want to keep at the parks/resorts. We never trade those. For the kids, they have no idea what is fake or not. Its about interactions with a CM. Learning trading and communication skills for later in life. More important its about having some FUN! There are so many fakes out roaming the parks now, it doesnt matter anymore. The value is what YOU place on your pins. I enjoy seeing my kids interact with CMs, not the $$ on a pin. Have fun with it. Buying the fake pins on ebay, well thats pretty much all your going to be able to trade and see on CMs anyway.

Like one poster said, make a shadow box with the ride pins and resort pins you buy at WDW. The rest,,trade and play!

 

[scouthawkk]

http://mousepinsonline.com/tp40/Default.asp?ID=18157

I've ordered from here a few times and have been very happy each time.

I order the 25 grab bags.

I've never gotten duplicates and there is always a really great selection.

We bought thinking we would trade most of them, but actually like most of them!

Great service, fast and super prices!

This is where I get my pins from, too. Bought my first grab bag from them for a trip on 2008, and have purchased from them at least once a year since (even with no trip planned-I use the pins as Pixie Dust for Big Gives). I have had duplicates, but that was ONLY when I was buying the larger 100 plus grab bags. The smaller 25 & 50 ones I have purchased did not have duplicates. But honestly, if I am buying them to trade, or for DS to trade, I don't care about the duplicates. It actually kind of makes it easier to convince DS to trade one away that he really likes if he has another he can hang on to.

 

[nellyru]

What a great idea- to buy and give in gift bags or just a little something special!

 

[molitva]

I've never collected/traded pins but I'm semi-interested in it. I don't care if I have fakes, however I would feel pretty bad trading with another guest and giving them a fake that I unknowingly picked up somewhere. Especially if I'm trading for a pin that they paid full price on and I got a fake out of an ebay sale for pennies on the dollar. Ugh maybe I'm not cut out for this!

I guess I'd feel less bad if it's a CM. :

 

[budafam]

My kids did the pin trading on our last trip. I bought a lot off of Ebay and no, I did not care if they were scrappers or not. I know most (if not all) were. They could care less and to be honest, you would have to know a LOT about pins to be able to pick out real ones from fake ones. There are just so many out there. If you're a serious trader/collector, then I would study up on it but if it's just your kid doing it for interaction/fun... who cares?

 

[mountdew1]

Has anyone thought of looking for a Disney seal on the back?

I always thought that the way you can figure out if a pin was fake or not is by the Disney Trading seal on the back of the pin. If they have it then it is legit, if not then it is a fake. So from what I am reading, I guess this isn't always the case? I have bought a lot of pins off of ebay, once, and some of them had the Disney Trading seal on them and others didn't. I still have the ones that don't because I didn't want to trade a non-legit Disney pin.

On the other hand, I have bought pins from our local Disney Store (back when they used to sell them) and they don't have the Disney Trading seal on them, just wondering if those would be considered fake or not.

Scrappers will usually have the seal on the back. The year may be wrong (or the real pin was made in multiple years) or some may have it that shouldn't (fakes of older LE pins). The seal may not be as clean as it should be (see my earlier comments about the Mickey pattern on the back, some his ears look like they have stems holding on the ears), but others are perfect copies.

Odds are, if you see a given pin or pin series on many CM lanyards, its been faked. Especially if it is one of the hidden mickey series pins. Those tend to be simpler designs, and much easier and more affordable to fake. Some of the more complex pins, pin on pin, attached elements etc are being faked as well, but those are much fewer in number. The exception to this is if Disney has a deal on a certain pin style. For instance, a year or two ago they did a gift with purchase pin lanyard, for like 15 bucks, that had I think 6 pins. So those pins ended up on every single CM lanyard because they were cheap. Or some of the pin sets they sell, same deal. I think the cute character faces (little stylized heads ala Japanese characters) were sold 8 to a card for like $20, and once again, every lanyard had those on them as they were cheap traders.

Many people who trade from the CM lanyards don't care too much (or even know) that pins are scrapped/fakes, but most pin collectors do care, and will only trade for the hidden mickeys right as they are released to attempt to avoid getting scrappers.