Please help me understand trading pins

[ncbyrne]

Last May after the Backstage Magic tour, everyone was given a commemorative pin of the event. The next day we signed up for the Disney Visa at a kiosk in DD and we were given another pin with Mickey Walt Disney World on it. And that's how our pin collection started. On the back of both of these pins it says, "Official pin trading 2004" w/ ©Disney China. For my upcoming trip with DGDs, I purchased 8 pins on eBay. Five have the same black Mickey head pin back and I'm sure are ok for trading. But, I question the other three. 1. Pimba and Timon, plain round black pin back w/ ©Disney Made in China. 2. Hercules, plain round black pin back w/ ©Disneyland Resort - China. 3. Sword in the Stone, backing is silvertone (all the others are goldtone), with silvertone pin back, ©Disney Fotoball, Made in China Pin #61 of 101.
Will my DGDs be able to trade these at WDW?

 

[Minderbinder5]

We got started pin trading in a similar way. We got to the park and received a pin for booking with the Walt Disney Travel Co. Never knew that it could turn into such a fun obsession! Now we have a quickly growing pin collection. To answer your question, though, usually (and there are probably pin experts who can better answer this) the (C) Disney symbol means that it's official and you can trade it. However, many people trade pins for their emotional value, not their $$ value, so even unofficial pins can mean something to someone. All of our pins are official Disney pins, but I can't imagine your DGD will have any trouble trading...or not! Maybe she will just love the pins too much to part with them--a frequent "problem" of mine!

 

[safetymom]

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=37

I suggest you post on the Disney Collectors board. They will have more answers for you.

 

[seashoreCM]

As far as I know, you can trade any pin at all. Just depends on who wants it. However cast members do not have to take your non=Disney pins for trade.

Don't bring, show, or carry pins you want to keep. It helps if you have enough duplicates or pins you don't mind parting with to show.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

The type of pin back doesn't matter. What matters is the (C) Disney printed on the back. I believe Disneyland pins are also OK. Haven't seen one that says Disney Fotoball, so I don't know.

CMs who are wearing pin lanyards are generally happy to trade (if we're in the middle of something, we might ask you to wait for a minute or two). We're not allowed to accept non-disney pins, or the big round pins you get for birthdays, or donating to the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund.

 

[Figment2]

The Sword in the Stone pin sounds like it came from the 101 pins issued by the Disney Store, I believe, in 2000 or 2001.

Syracuse is right about the back. When pin trading started metal backs were used. Then they went to plain rubber and then to the Mickey rubber backs. Tradeable pins are those that say Disney (with the copyright c) on the back.

Buttons are not tradeable.

Have fun!

Cyn

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

One other thing about pin backs ... if the CM you're trading with offers you a pin with a metal back, and you've got a pin with a rubber back, keep the rubber backing. They work a bit better than the metal backs.