Pins on a Budget

[nunzia]

Geez, I never knew, before coming to the DIS boards, that trading pins would require a serious commitment and lots of research.

I wouldn't know if my pins are scrappers or not, without looking up lots of information or carrying around guidebooks, if they exist, or carrying a computer so I can look up each pin online, and frankly, I can't be bothered. That's so not fun.

I've probably made some great trades without realizing it, and likewise made some "bad" ones. I just don't care.

I don't want to spend hours and hours researching pins before I trade them. I trade pins for the sheer joy of trading, without worrying about fake or real pins.

I agree with this..I have probably bought/traded scrappers..if there is a way to tell them apart easily, it sure hasn't been shared because I've asked. I've heard they are lightweight or may have rough edges..I've found some pretty lightweight ones on cards in the park, rough edges I could see as being fake and easily identifiable. I've never seen a CM NOT trade with a kid (or adult for that matter) There are 2 types of traders..folks who do it for fun and those who do it seriously, probably with a goal of selling valuable pins. Disney clearly doesn't care enough to really crack down on this..I did see one report of someone being prosecuted. If Disney wants better control of this they could simply make the pins the US and find a way to ensure they aren't faked so easliy as they do in China using the same molds, Disney stamp, etc.

 

[duffy]

I agree with this..I have probably bought/traded scrappers..if there is a way to tell them apart easily, it sure hasn't been shared because I've asked. I've heard they are lightweight or may have rough edges..I've found some pretty lightweight ones on cards in the park, rough edges I could see as being fake and easily identifiable. I've never seen a CM NOT trade with a kid (or adult for that matter) There are 2 types of traders..folks who do it for fun and those who do it seriously, probably with a goal of selling valuable pins. Disney clearly doesn't care enough to really crack down on this..I did see one report of someone being prosecuted. If Disney wants better control of this they could simply make the pins the US and find a way to ensure they aren't faked so easliy as they do in China using the same molds, Disney stamp, etc.

Here's what I would consider to be a great trade:

I'm in line for, oh, let's say a bus. Kids in front of me are looking at my pins. They keep looking, but don't say anything, probably too shy. Trading is very new to them.

I ask, kind of loudly, so as to get their parents' attention: "Would you like to look at my pins?" I make sure the parents are watching the entire transaction, and hopefully, they don't interfere, telling the kids what to do. I think it's a good lesson for kids to do their own trading, if they're old enough.

I'm careful to keep my distance, I don't want to be perceived as coming too close to the kids. One child may say something like, "I like that one," pointing to a pin that I don't care about, which is most of the ones I'm displaying. (The ones I want to keep are in my room. I may have just picked up one I want to keep, though.)

I say, "Do you want to trade?" Child says yes, and I ask which one of theirs they would like to trade for mine. Just for fun, I might say, "well, how about that one?" and point to a different one of theirs. If they shake their heads no, they want to keep that one, then I say, "Ok, I guess I'll take the one you want to trade," without caring.

We each take off the pin, and drop it in the hand of the other. I have no idea if I got a "scrapper" or not. The point is, the child got the pin he/she wanted. And I exchanged a pin that I don't really want, for probably another one that I don't really want. Win-win!!

I'm not about to whip out a magnifying glass to look over the child's pin, or dig out a guide book. Take my pin from Cars-I'm not much of a fan of that movie-and I'll take your Mickey Mouse pin, which is always something I'd like! Did I exchange my scrapper for his non-scrapper?

Child is all excited. "Look, Mom! Look at the pin I just got!!"

It's about the trade, not the pin, for me. I've made a child happy, and that's what counts.

I'm going to get a lot more pins from Ebay for our next trip, just to trade.

 

[DizFan101]

Last year I traded with a kid for the first time. I traded her a minnie mouse hat pin for a stitch flag pin. she didnt care bout the pin i asked for. she collected minnie's and i collect stitch.. all was well.

A few years ago i had found a yoda stitch on a Soarin' Castmember and after we got back to the hotel some kid wanted to trade, but since i'm a huge stitch fan i reluctant to trade. I think the yoda stitch is a rare pin in the series and probably the most liked. lol.

When I was at Epcot last year there was this couple with a few pin books loaded with pins to trade. If they didn't like pins on my lanyard they brought me over to the kiosk pin stand to say which one is worth the same amount. I know some people do this as a hobby, but in my mind, if you don't know the value of the pin in the book, and the other person shows you a pin to buy in order to get the pin, i would be a little wary of them. i found it strange.

I also collect chip and dale and hope to find a few this upcoming trip.