Pin Trading

[jothp]

Hi
I think my girls would quite enjoy trading so I have a few questions for the traders out there:

Do you buy pins in the parks to trade with or do you get a supply of cheap pins before you go?
Are there a lots of opportunities to trade in the parks?

Thanks for your help

 

[Dobbycog]

We did some trading in march, littlie enjoyed it. Think cast members we met were happy, they encouraged it when we were in shops looking at pins. I don't think it's massively popular over there.
We bought some from Facebook groups and ebay not large lots and mainly pins we wanted, but then got some cheap after Xmas online from disneystore. Watch out for "scrapers" on eBay, fake ones, sadly we got some in trades. But lo picked ones she liked, so never mind!

 

[jothp]

thanks for the info. We have a few pins already but wouldn't really want them to trade with those as they are mainly special pins from our previous trips with a few stocking fillers thrown in. How do we tell if pins are fake?

 

[Dobbycog]

Errr tough one, generally the image is less clear, has wrong colours or missing details (eyes etc), the edges are a little rougher and often the pin is thinner.
I know you can buy trading sets/ starter sets which have 2 of 2 different pins- one to keep, one to trade. Next time disney store has a sale I will buy all the pins, simply to trade for ones we like!!

 

[Jules1212]

thanks for the info. We have a few pins already but wouldn't really want them to trade with those as they are mainly special pins from our previous trips with a few stocking fillers thrown in. How do we tell if pins are fake?

To be honest, it is getting hard to either spot fakes/scrappers or avoid them! I have to confess that I am trading less and less with CM's as they don't mind what they get from trades and end up with lots of rubbish on their lanyards now.

My best and most favourite trade was in February when I was having a cup of hot choc opposite BTM whilst waiting for DS and DD and a young French girl approached and indicated that she would like to trade with me. She had a brand new princess lanyard on and 3 beautiful princess pins on it. I chose Cinderella and as it was so lovely, I told her she could have any 2 of mine. Her face lit up and her Mum stepped in to thank me. I would have hated for her to have given up her lovely pins for some nasty old scrap and I have kept her pin even though I don't collect princesses.

An easy way to spot scrappers is to avoid the sellers on ebay selling lots of 25/50/100 pins cheaply. Sadly, I keep seeing all the same pins on CM lanyards over and over now.

For the first 2 years I was trading, I mostly traded with CM's and rarely saw other park visitors with lanyards on. Now I see more amd more and I have had some lovely interaction and chats with my fellow pin traders in the last year.

All four of us collect pins and we all collect something different to each other - my kids will spend hours going from shop to shop finding CM's to trade with. DD's Tinkerbell collection is fab now! DH collects Muppets and Jessica. DS collects Star Wars and vinylmation pins. I have less self control and collect Minnie, Mickey, DLP attractions, Christmas, Jack Skellington and Frozen pins!

Despite what I have said about scrappers, I do have a few as I liked the pins and they were for my personal collection - I would never trade them knowing they were scrappers though.

Beware - it is enjoyable and VERY addictive!!!!!

 

[jothp]

Thank you both for your replies. I will avoid buying large lots on ebay. I think I will pick up a lanyard each for the girls and a couple of pins so we can see how we get on.
Do you just go up to a CM and ask them to trade?

 

[Dobbycog]

Yes, any cm with pins on a lanyard. There was also an amazing stall at bottom of Main Street. As I said, in the hotel shop when I looked at pins, the cm's were really keen to stress they would trade.
We also saw few other guests around the resort with them. And yes it's hugely addictive!!

 

[Jules1212]

Thank you both for your replies. I will avoid buying large lots on ebay. I think I will pick up a lanyard each for the girls and a couple of pins so we can see how we get on.
Do you just go up to a CM and ask them to trade?

Yes, we find that by wearing a lanyard and standing in a shop looking a bit awkward lets the CM know! LOL

We wait until they are not serving or looking busy and I can honestly say that I have never had a CM being in any way 'off' about trading - I am sure with children they would be great.

Harringtons usually put a board up with trading pins on and a CM overseeing it. And just by the Plaza Gdns restaurant they have pin traders with tables on (I think!) Saturday mornings and perhaps Fridays too - I can't remember exactly. They also have pin trading events at the Pueblo Trading post from time to time.

Pinpics is a good site for looking on to try to detect scrappers and fakes.

 

[dhidra]

The disney store website has some good value pins that are good for starting up a collection to trade. I got some 'Dublin' pins for €3 each. They also have paris, London, Rome.

 

[Vala]

Warning though: CMs in Paris interpret the officiel pin trading rules a little different.

Officially they have to trade with you. Any pin you offer for any pin on their lanyard.

In Paris they often insist they choose. So don't wear anything in sight that you don't want to give up. Also sometimes they'll refuse a trade saying you only trade Minnie for Minnie or the pin is too small or stuff like that. This goes completely against anything in the official rules, but nobody cares in Paris.

If this happens to you just shake your head and walk away. I tried complaining about it, but everyone will side with the CMs only. It went that far that someone in City Hall told me this was in the official rules and when I pointed to their flyer and asked "where?" they walked away and left me standing there. Pin trading can still be fun in Paris. But be prepared that it doesn't always work like it's supposed to.

The covered area at Plaza Gardens has pin traders on Friday mostly. If Pueblo is open the pin traders meet there. Also when Pueblo is open the board will be out there. There's lots of nice people at Pueblo, but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. Unfortunately there's some not so nice people there too and that can lead to very bad experiences. Two friends of mine had bad experiences there lately, so I advise any newbie to be cautious there.

 

[jothp]

Yes, any cm with pins on a lanyard. There was also an amazing stall at bottom of Main Street. As I said, in the hotel shop when I looked at pins, the cm's were really keen to stress they would trade.
We also saw few other guests around the resort with them. And yes it's hugely addictive!!

Yes, we find that by wearing a lanyard and standing in a shop looking a bit awkward lets the CM know! LOL

We wait until they are not serving or looking busy and I can honestly say that I have never had a CM being in any way 'off' about trading - I am sure with children they would be great.

Harringtons usually put a board up with trading pins on and a CM overseeing it. And just by the Plaza Gdns restaurant they have pin traders with tables on (I think!) Saturday mornings and perhaps Fridays too - I can't remember exactly. They also have pin trading events at the Pueblo Trading post from time to time.

Pinpics is a good site for looking on to try to detect scrappers and fakes.

Warning though: CMs in Paris interpret the officiel pin trading rules a little different.

Officially they have to trade with you. Any pin you offer for any pin on their lanyard.

In Paris they often insist they choose. So don't wear anything in sight that you don't want to give up. Also sometimes they'll refuse a trade saying you only trade Minnie for Minnie or the pin is too small or stuff like that. This goes completely against anything in the official rules, but nobody cares in Paris.

If this happens to you just shake your head and walk away. I tried complaining about it, but everyone will side with the CMs only. It went that far that someone in City Hall told me this was in the official rules and when I pointed to their flyer and asked "where?" they walked away and left me standing there. Pin trading can still be fun in Paris. But be prepared that it doesn't always work like it's supposed to.

The covered area at Plaza Gardens has pin traders on Friday mostly. If Pueblo is open the pin traders meet there. Also when Pueblo is open the board will be out there. There's lots of nice people at Pueblo, but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. Unfortunately there's some not so nice people there too and that can lead to very bad experiences. Two friends of mine had bad experiences there lately, so I advise any newbie to be cautious there.

We will be there on a Friday and a Saturday this time so we can try at the top of main street. I think we will keep the lanyards just for the pins that we plan to trade.

We have never traded before so don't really know any better about the rules. I think the girls will be enjoy it as long as they only wear pins they are happy to get rid of and get a pin they like better in return. I think maybe we will avoid Pueblo though until another trip - thanks Vala. I think it is going to be good fun and it will be great to have something new that we can enjoy this trip.

 

[jothp]

The disney store website has some good value pins that are good for starting up a collection to trade. I got some 'Dublin' pins for €3 each. They also have paris, London, Rome.

Thanks - those pins are a real bargain aren't they. I might pick some up as traders.

 

[maburke]

Thanks for all the info! We trade a lot in the US parks, but about to embark on first DLP trip. I buy pins ahead of time to trade, but scrupulously avoid scrappers to put into circulation.

Here's a question: any suggestions of what we should bring to trade? I'd like to put desirables into the mix. So, are the pins specific to other parks (hidden mickeys, etc) popular, or just generic starter sets?

Thanks!

 

[Vala]

Thanks for all the info! We trade a lot in the US parks, but about to embark on first DLP trip. I buy pins ahead of time to trade, but scrupulously avoid scrappers to put into circulation.

Here's a question: any suggestions of what we should bring to trade? I'd like to put desirables into the mix. So, are the pins specific to other parks (hidden mickeys, etc) popular, or just generic starter sets?

Thanks!

Are you talking CM trading, or are you planning to trade with other guests too?

The CMs (if they care) seem to get a kick of any park specific pins. Unfortunately the Hidden Mickey are widely available in Paris (mostly scrappers). If you have DLR/DCA exclusive pins, those are usually very popular. I got a couple of cheap $ 1 pins from an outlet (AAA Turtle Talk with Crush) and those were scooped up from my trade satchel first. Most French traders go to WDW and not DLR. But the PWP lanyard series and stuff like that is usually well received too. Just don't be disappointed. You'll often see Puffles and scrappers only.

 

[maburke]

Are you talking CM trading, or are you planning to trade with other guests too?

The CMs (if they care) seem to get a kick of any park specific pins. Unfortunately the Hidden Mickey are widely available in Paris (mostly scrappers). If you have DLR/DCA exclusive pins, those are usually very popular. I got a couple of cheap $ 1 pins from an outlet (AAA Turtle Talk with Crush) and those were scooped up from my trade satchel first. Most French traders go to WDW and not DLR. But the PWP lanyard series and stuff like that is usually well received too. Just don't be disappointed. You'll often see Puffles and scrappers only.

Thanks for the tips. We brought our PWP lanyards, and the cast members seemed happy with those. We didn't do a lot of trading, because we only had one day in the parks, and we honestly didn't see a lot that we had not seen before. But what we did do was fun.

Thanks again, all.