Pin trading question

[akdeputydog]

I have not traded pins yet but we have been buying some on ebay most of which are quite nice and still on the cards. I did also buy a "lot" of 12 pins off ebay which weren't as nice in my opinion although had the Disney stamp. So that started me thinking - are the pins the CMs walk out with to trade "nice" quality like the ones I'm buying. I know there will be some folks like me might trade for but just trying to get a feel of what types of pins the CMs will have so my expectations aren't too high and I can get a feel for how many of these pins I've bought I would really want to trade. I know some I've bought are keepers - I just love some of them. Any info would be helpful for this new to pin trading trader. Thanks.

 

[World Bouncer]

It is hard to say exactly which ones you have bought so I cannot compare quality and values with the CM ones.

There will be a large variety of pins on the CM lanyards, they will range from really junky pins to hard to find limited editions.

The key to pin trading is to collect the ones you like. By doing that you will never be unhappy with the pins you end up with.

I always sort my pins and trade away ones that i have duplicates of, and/or don't really like. I save my really good extras to trade with others traders who have good ones that I might like. Sometimes though, my extra limited editions just get traded to the cast members.

There are many many people trading who really have no idea about edition sizes, quality, and values. They just enjoy trading for the ones that look neat to them. This helps keep the variety on the CM lanyards balanced at times. Then there are those who know exactly what they're doing and buy the junkiest pins they can find at the least expensive cost and trade them with every CM.

As you begin trading, it won't take long to figure out what I am talking about.

I hope you really enjoy pin trading, have lots of fun and don't worry too much, get the pins you like!!!

 

[Me-A-Mom]

Here's my advice -- You are buying ones you really like....STOP!!! If you really want to trade, buy some on sale that you could care less if you own. That way you won't feel bad when you trade them. If you are buying to collect, choose the ones you really like. If you are buying to trade, choose the ones that cost the least amount of money. In my town there is a Character Premiere (which is like a Disney outlet). I often will buy 5 or so pins before I leave for only $3.95 each. Those are my pins to trade on the trip. I sometimes will end up with a really great pin from a CM for my trade. This makes a pintrader happy.

 

[missj1975]

I just got back from a great week at WDW. We were constantly checking out lanyards and I saw very few crappy pins. I saw lots of cutie pins but I don't consider those crappy, just not everyone's cup of tea. I saw lots of Hidden Mickeys and 2008 pins. Overall, I thought the selection was much better then past trips. I was able to trade for lots of limited edition pins and several artist proof pins.

My tip is just to trade for pins that you like. If you worry about the monetary value of the pin, you will lose the fun of trading (just my opinion). Remember one persons junk is another persons treasure.

I did trade for two pins that were broken and missing a dangle piece which I didn't realize until the CM handed me the pin. Once I saw the pin was broken, I just pointed it out to the CM and they took it back.