Scrappers killing pin trading in the parks?

[Christinagizzy!]

I always love to bring nice pins to trade w cast members and fellow pin traders. However, the last few times... I've notice lots of scrappers on the board. I'm losing enthusiasm for this hobby. It use to be a great way to break the ice w people and the thrill of the hunt was exciting. Another thing... I needed to bring scrappers that people gave me just in case.... due to parents allowing their children to ask to trade w me for one of my expensive pins with a very well known scrapper. Look? I love making magic happen for well behaved children that are not mine. However, I don't appreciate the entitled types that think I owe their child something. Teach their child Fair trade! So I carry a section of scrappers just for them inorder to not disappoint a child and not experince any more rude parents.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

I believe scrappers killed pin trading in the 2010s.

My thoughts on this will not be popular, but here goes....

I have been going to Disney and trading pins for almost 25 years. I have over 2500 pins on my office wall framed in over 56 decorated shadow boxes of various sizes. I have spent a lot of money on pins, mostly Christmas. I purchase what I like, with zero intention to trade.

I have a ton that I traded for. Almost 500 of them are from traders. I purchased scrappers before I knew what scrappers were and I traded for scrappers, even for some that looked very "off". Today I can spot a scrapper very easily. If I like it, I will trade for it.

Disney is not doing diddly about scrappers. They never will. CMs will even trade with kids who offer a pin from Universal or something else non-Disney or their own flag pin from another country. Plain and simple, they do not care. They have made zero effort to get the scrappers of the pin boards, off the lanyards or stop the thieves in China from mass producing them. Until Disney makes a real effort to stop the scrappers, the boards and lanyards of CMs will be full of them. Who in their right mind would spend $4 - $15 to trade for a 50-cent scrapper?

Is it ethical? No, not really. Is it stealing? No, it is not because you are essentially trading a scrapper for a scrapper. It is very rare to get a real pin from a lanyard or pin board anymore.

Do what you want with your pins. Even if 100 of us say we will make sure we are not going to trade scrappers, it will not make a difference. The only thing we will be doing is trading legit pins for junk pins.

 

[Brian Noble]

Scrappers have been on boards/lanyards for at least ten years, and probably longer.

 

[pooch]

Sorry, what’s a scrapper?

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

Sorry, what’s a scrapper?

This is a copy and paste from a simple Google search

A "scrapper" Disney pin is a low-quality, often counterfeit, Disney pin that is produced without Disney's authorization. They are typically made from the same molds as legitimate Disney pins, but the quality control is often lacking, resulting in defects.





IS MY PIN A SCRAPPER??

• Jagged Edges
• Outside of edges not cut clean
• Lines in surface of pin
• Dull/matte finish
• Coloring is overly bright and glossy
• Dips in surface of pin
• Incorrect coloring
• Uneven coloring
• Back of pin is very hard to read
• Pin colors have yellowing or too much green, which are clearly not something yellow or green
Faces may be grey-scales, light blues, etc.
Pluto has a green tint
Goofy has a green or yellow tint
• Pin feels very light
• Pins from 2012 and forward should have serial numbers
• Should have prongs on back (so do some scrappers)
• Small holes (pin holes) in surface of pins
• Mickey heads do not run off back and sometimes raised
• **Most Hidden Mickey and Cast Lanyard Pins Have Been Scrapped
o Mickey Ears are not defined on Hidden Mickey series pins