Question about backs for pins

[CapnJacksGirl]

Let me start this by asking that I please not get jumped on my the professional pin traders in asking this question. I know not to buy lots of pins on eBay and am not even thinking of doing so. We have not done any pin trading and are only considering a dabbling for this trip.

That being said, here's my situation....I bought the pin starter set that was a purchase-with-a-purchase promo when we were at WDW last May. I don't want to make a huge investment in buying pins prior to our upcoming trip because I don't know if my DSs will enjoy it or be bored with it. I figured I'd like them trade the pins we bought last time with the CMs and see if they like it. My problem is that the starter set came with the black rubber backs on them and they don't stay on securely at all. I'm sure we'll end up losing either the pins or the backs while trying to carry them that way.

That brings me to my question....do I have to have official Disney pin backs in order to trade? I've looked on eBay and found packs of Disney lockable pin backs but I've also found lockable ones that don't require the key to get them off. Can I use those or will I become a pin pariah by doing so? I'm not trying to get around any rules and am just asking what I believe is a legitimate question. I'll do whatever is appropriate but if I can get pins that don't require the key to remove (and/or save a few bucks), I'll go that route.

TIA for the advice and help!

 

[jrtoastyman]

I don't have an answer, but I can at least validate your question by pointing out that I've wondered this exact same thing. Those rubber pins are totally unreliable, and no matter how awesome your pin is, it's tough to trade it if it's sitting on a sidewalk 200 yards behind you. If that original rubber backing was a prerequisite to being able to trade it, it would be quite a catch 22.

 

[tony609]

I carry a ziplock baggy of my tradeable pins in my pocket or bag only a few each day. I find the pin backs do fall off and very uncomfortable to wear around my neck all day. I like a pin free lanyard. Anyway for me if I want a pin I just want the pin.

 

[kaligal]

First of all...I always say this...don't get your kids into pins. Don't encourage the trading. Don't steer them toward it.

Pin collecting is an expensive hobby. It gets very expensive very quickly. It also gets very time consuming in the parks. A kid in a candy store is nothing compared to a kid in a pin store. And there are pins everywhere at WDW.

Wait until your kids are dying to buy pins before you cave and go down this road.

But you won't listen. Nobody does, lol.

The rubber backs will fall off. If you want the kids to wear their pins, get the backs that lock. They cost more, but they work.

You can get a bag of the rubber ones for just a couple bucks. They're sold all over WDW. I'd bet you can find them on eBay, too.

Have fun!

 

[Selket]

Buy whatever type of locking backs you want and keep some of the black rubber Disney backs in a pocket or bag to stick on the pin when you trade it.

We also keep our traders sometimes in a pocket or a different lanyard which goes in a bag. My son also has one of the pin bags with pages that is small enough to carry and that works well.

He has LOVED pin trading and we usually buy a couple of sets every time we go down to trade around. He trades and trades and retrades and trades those same pins until he gets 5-10 he really likes. This works for us so far.

 

[lucyem]

After a trip of chasing pins and pin backs all over the place we stopped using lanyards. My oldest has a little WDW pin trading bag that uses. It zips up and holds pins more securely. My youngest has a baggie in my pocketbook.

If you want to keep your non trading collection of pins out on a lanyard or hat or whatever use the locks. But keep the ones you want to trade in an easy to get to place, like a pocket or baggie.

 

[erincon23]

No, you don't have to have the Mickey black pin back to trade the pin. Sometimes the pin you're trading for won't have a Mickey pin back and if the one you have to trade does have a Mickey back, the CM will tell you to keep your (good) pin back and he'll keep the generic one. The locking backs will keep them on your lanyard longer, but can be a pain if you want to do a quick trade. I try to remember to push up my pin backs every 1/2 hour or so, or while I'm standing in a line, etc. If your kids are young, you may want to keep their lanyards for them or have them keep them in a fanny pack rather than around their necks -- kids like to jump around, and that's a quick way to either lose something or have a flying lanyard hit them in the eye.

And just something to look out for -- Disney used to (don't think they still do) sell packages of fun non-Mickey pin backs -- a Mickey glove, Goofy hat, etc. If you see a pin on a CM's lanyard with one of those (sometimes the lanyards are turned around so you can see the backs), trade for that just for the back! Then remember to switch it and put it on one of your keepers.

 

[redheadx3]

We have some of the locking, no key, backs. I haven't had any trouble trading just the front of the pin, you keep your back, they keep their pin back.

 

[CapnJacksGirl]

Thanks for all the responses! Sounds like whatever back I use isn't a big deal and won't send me to DIS exile like scrapper pins. My kids won't be using a lanyard. I planned to keep them in my bag but was more concerned about what happened to the pin when it's traded. Didn't want to be passing off junkie, non-usable backs. I think we'll give it a go with the six pins I have. I kind of doubt my kids will get into it that much but it'll be fun to talk with the CMs. If nothing else, I'll trade the six myself and get some I really like to put on my park bag!

 

[chartle]

First of all...I always say this...don't get your kids into pins. Don't encourage the trading. Don't steer them toward it.

Pin collecting is an expensive hobby. It gets very expensive very quickly. It also gets very time consuming in the parks. A kid in a candy store is nothing compared to a kid in a pin store. And there are pins everywhere at WDW.

Wait until your kids are dying to buy pins before you cave and go down this road.

But you won't listen. Nobody does, lol.

The rubber backs will fall off. If you want the kids to wear their pins, get the backs that lock. They cost more, but they work.

You can get a bag of the rubber ones for just a couple bucks. They're sold all over WDW. I'd bet you can find them on eBay, too.

Have fun!

YES YES YES My wife found pin trading starting last trip and I don't want to know how much she spent on pins.

This quote I heard about Lego Brick Collecting may apply. Start a heron addiction it will be cheaper.

I just get pins for things I like, like have a pin for each of my favorite rides in each park and favorite shows. Still want a CoP pin.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We have some of the locking, no key, backs. I haven't had any trouble trading just the front of the pin, you keep your back, they keep their pin back.

This is what we do. We trade the pin front and keep the back. I bought some no key locking backs off and we haven't lost any pins while using them.

This quote I heard about Lego Brick Collecting may apply. Start a heron addiction it will be cheaper.

So true. I had no idea what I was in for when some CMs got my DD addicted to pin trading. It was her 5th birthday and we were headed into the MK. I wasn't planning on introducing her to pin trading. At the turnstiles, DD was announcing to everyone that it was her birthday, because wearing the birthday button wasn't enough. A CM took a special Tinkerbell pin off his lanyard and handed it to her. That was the first of 3 pins that were outright given to her that day. By the next morning, we were invested in a lanyard and and by the end of the week, we'd purchased 4 more pins. Those CMs that gave her pins knew exactly how to produce yet another pin trading addict. And Disney has profited considerably from her addiction over the past 4 years.

 

[stargazertechie]

Buy whatever type of locking backs you want and keep some of the black rubber Disney backs in a pocket or bag to stick on the pin when you trade it..

That would be my suggestion as well

 

[maj42169]

You could buy whatever backs you feel comfortable with. No need to have the black rubber backs, just simply have the cm keep the back that is on the pin that you are trading for. Many cm's prefer this anyway.

 

[angiejg]

Can I ask (please don't get mad at me!) why you shouldn't buy the pins on ebay? I've heard that this is ok if they are official Disney pins. Just wondering.

 

[stargazertechie]

Can I ask (please don't get mad at me!) why you shouldn't buy the pins on ebay? I've heard that this is ok if they are official Disney pins. Just wondering.

Read the link in my sig if you want the long form answer

The short answer is that many people claim their pins are "100% authentic" and "official Disney pins" but the vast majority of large lots are "scrappers" from China- either factory overruns, or the majority these days are actually illegal reproductions made with inferior quality materials. These shady dealers are selling them to shrewd individuals at $.25-$.35 cents a pin, who then turn around and sell them on ebay to unsuspecting park guests. These crappy pins then get traded in the parks, ruining the experience for those of us who actually buy authentic disney pins and end up trading for these cut rate crappy reproductions.

The lowest price I've ever seen for a pin from Disney is $1.50 a pin... so ask yourself how someone could obtain and sell thousands of pins for $.70-$.80 a piece and make a profit. The answer is they can't.

 

[angiejg]

Read the link in my sig if you want the long form answer

The short answer is that many people claim their pins are "100% authentic" and "official Disney pins" but the vast majority of large lots are "scrappers" from China- either factory overruns, or the majority these days are actually illegal reproductions made with inferior quality materials. These shady dealers are selling them to shrewd individuals at $.25-$.35 cents a pin, who then turn around and sell them on ebay to unsuspecting park guests. These crappy pins then get traded in the parks, ruining the experience for those of us who actually buy authentic disney pins and end up trading for these cut rate crappy reproductions.

The lowest price I've ever seen for a pin from Disney is $1.50 a pin... so ask yourself how someone could obtain and sell thousands of pins for $.70-$.80 a piece and make a profit. The answer is they can't.

Thanks for your response! (Not meaning to hijack here!) We have bought pins on ebay, especially when we get home and find that DS still didn't get the LAST one he needed, etc. Or when we lost our EE pin. I hope we haven't been ripped off!

My kids love pin trading, but it is a very expensive hobby. NEVER add up what you spent on pins!

 

[tndisneyfan]

I have noticed when DH trades, he keeps his back and the CM keeps his/hers. They just trade the pin. So I would get whatever back I thought would stay on. I carry a few to help DH out and I have lost a couple because of those black backs falling off.

 

[t_catt11]

CMs typically tell you to keep your back - they often have the old metal ones that aren't as reliable. Pin backs won't matter at all for trading.