so excited about disney pins from ebay!

[thelionqueen]

..and as I said..repeatedly..that is all fine and good and I DO buy from Disney, but when that first pin is traded there is no way of knowing what you traded FOR and then continue to trade WITH are legitimate pins or not.

I agree with this statement..but if people would stop buying pins from ebay scrapper sellers, this would NOT be an issue! I've been trading since day 1 and I FONDLY remember the times when ALL pins were authentic and the trade was somewhat of a "treasure hunt" Nowadays, it's more of a "scrapper avoidance" exercise which is NOT how Disney intended this hobby to be.

I get SO ANGRY when people say.."oh it's just a trading fun activity for my kids..don't care if they're scrappers." It is buying and trading STOLEN merchandise and it is damaging to EVERY OTHER SINGLE PERSON that comes in contact with that pin..which could be hundreds! So your child who "innocently" trades scrappers who isn't hurting anybody and have a fun time..TRULY is damaging the experience for EVERY SINGLE PERSON that pin comes in contact with. It is NOT ok to save $ and take away the magic for hundreds of people just because to you or your child..it "doesn't matter" It matters!

 

[nunzia]

I agree with this statement..but if people would stop buying pins from ebay scrapper sellers, this would NOT be an issue! I've been trading since day 1 and I FONDLY remember the times when ALL pins were authentic and the trade was somewhat of a "treasure hunt" Nowadays, it's more of a "scrapper avoidance" exercise which is NOT how Disney intended this hobby to be.

I get SO ANGRY when people say.."oh it's just a trading fun activity for my kids..don't care if they're scrappers." It is buying and trading STOLEN merchandise and it is damaging to EVERY OTHER SINGLE PERSON that comes in contact with that pin..which could be hundreds! So your child who "innocently" trades scrappers who isn't hurting anybody and have a fun time..TRULY is damaging the experience for EVERY SINGLE PERSON that pin comes in contact with. It is NOT ok to save $ and take away the magic for hundreds of people just because to you or your child..it "doesn't matter" It matters!

I agree with this statement. I am sure Disney could SHUT DOWN the Ebay scrappers easily and wish they would do so.

 

[pixiewings71]

I agree with this statement. I am sure Disney could SHUT DOWN the Ebay scrappers easily and wish they would do so.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, they DO shut down scrappers sellers, but it is NOT easy. There are rules that Disney has to follow to get this accomplished and that takes time.

 

[wed100105]

IMO (please note, I am no expert nor do I pretend to be ) these are legit.

Thanks! I hope so!

 

[EMAW_KSU]

The majority of people that purchase scrappers have no idea. They think they are getting a good deal.

If Disney wanted to minimize the problem they would quit making them in China.

 

[pixiewings71]

The majority of people that purchase scrappers have no idea. They think they are getting a good deal.

If Disney wanted to minimize the problem they would quit making them in China.

I agree with this 100%, when I first started trading I had no idea scrappers even existed. I found out when a very rude trader told me in the nastiest of ways. I almost stopped trading completely but instead I learned all I could and now I try to do what I can to keep the trading hobby alive, active and legit.
I wish Disney would make their pins in the US, it would make jobs and it would help with the scrapper issue.

 

[DizzyStitch]

I had a number of pins that had been purchased at the Disney Store years ago. Some cast members did not want to take them. I also got a fake pin once from a cast member. One of my kids did it. They were not very nice when I tried to trade it back.

 

[tenaseewalker]

We purchased all trading pins for our son from Disney World starting in 2000 and now my son has no interest in pin trading anymore. Since he has well over 7500 pins that he wants to sell, how does one sell them if no one should buy from anyone other then Disney World, Disneyland or The Disney Store?

 

[thelionqueen]

We purchased all trading pins for our son from Disney World starting in 2000 and now my son has no interest in pin trading anymore. Since he has well over 7500 pins that he wants to sell, how does one sell them if no one should buy from anyone other then Disney World, Disneyland or The Disney Store?

There are reputable sellers and collectors like yourself, who do sell on ebay. The purpose of educated people on scrappers is to avoid those who sell them. Between me and my boys we easily have 10,000 pins and I've sold several lots on ebay. The difference between a reputable seller and not is the authenticity of the pins which requires education.

No one is suggesting there are NO reputable sellers on ebay..but the vast majority are!

 

[thelionqueen]

I had a number of pins that had been purchased at the Disney Store years ago. Some cast members did not want to take them. I also got a fake pin once from a cast member. One of my kids did it. They were not very nice when I tried to trade it back.

This is a PERFECT example of how scrappers affect the entire hobby of pin trading! For those who think it's ok to buy scrappers just because their kids like the trade and THEY don't care...there are PLENTY of other people that do care..and suffer the consequences of trading scrappers.

PLEASE DON'T DO IT! If you can't afford the hobby, don't destroy it for those who spend the $ to enjoy it the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

 

[labdogs42]

The majority of people that purchase scrappers have no idea. They think they are getting a good deal.

If Disney wanted to minimize the problem they would quit making them in China.

This. Or they would keep tighter control over those molds. It can be done. Just like the refillable mug thing. If Disney cared, they certiainly could do something about it. But they choose not to.

I have read all those threads about identifying scrappers. I have purchased pin lots off eBay that may or may not have been scrappers, but when I read the info and looked at my pins, it seemed to me like I had legit pins. And a lot were hidden mickey or cast lanyard ones that you can't buy. So, to me, there's no way to tell if they are real or not. None of them were ever turned down by a CM.

 

[amykathleen2005]

Scrapper pins are not stolen themselves. Someone didn't go into Disney and steal the pins to sell them on Ebay.

They are a separate product for which the idea and the copyright was stolen. This is different then buying someone who stole milk from a farmer. Not the same kind of crime.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I love the statement that someone made earlier in this thread about making the pins in US to help control the scrapper issue!


I am against Ebay purchases because of the scrapper issue. One of our first forays into pin trading, my son traded his perfectly legit bought at Disney pin for a different pin entirely (can't remember what brand, but has a black back and does not say Disney on it)

He liked the pin and kept it, so no big deal, right?

Well, he is not into pin trading any more. What am I to do with this pin when I go to sell his collection? I won't get a dime for it, and yet I paid real legitimate money for the one he used to obtain it.

I realize that pins don't hold their value, and I certainly can't expect to get what we originally paid for the collection, but knowing that particular pin will just have to be pitched into the trash bugs me.

Maybe future pins will have some sort of RFID code to identify them as legit in the future?

 

[Granny square]

Good grief. Really?because all Chinese are scammers and crooks and all Americans are honest and upstanding? If they were there would not be American dealers or those so eager to buy and trade them. There isn't any difference.

 

[2disneyboys]

<snipped for space>, but wanted to tell you instead of buying locking backs, we only keep a few pins on our lanyards and they are all traders. Once a pin is a keeper, it goes in the backpack (or whatever bag we are carrying that day) and is left in the hotel room for the rest of the vacation.

This is what we do. Reason being is even sometimes the DISNEY locking backs don't lock very well and my youngest son has lost several pins that we paid full price for in the park and on special occasions And has "accidently" traded a pin he meant to keep, so as a result, we only carry trading pins with us in the parks. We also don't trade w/ anyone except a CM. Almost all of the retail shops and hotel shops have PIN Boards. some come out at specific times and others, you can see by request. my boys love trading on the PIN Boards.

We have bought a few off of ebay but I try to only go w/ sellars that have the positive feedback as having real pins, but between buying online and all of the trading that my boys have done over the past 5 years @ Downtown Disney, and the hotels and parks, there's no telling how many real pins we have vs fake. I hope the majority of them are real, but frankly, I don't lose any sleep over it either. My kids love it and thats what matters to me. I also love seeing the young kids get so excited to get the pin the way from the CM at the parks. It's just a little more magic!

On a side note, we have some of thier "collections" (the keepers) displayed in the playroom and family room in some interesting ways. We went to Walmart and got some of the painting canves (you know, the white canvas stretched over a plain wooden frame?) Then the boys (and DH cuz he's one of the boys, lol) sketched a Disney picture on it and then painted it. We then pined specific pins to the "pictures" and they are in the family room with some other Disney Art we have acquired over the years. Also, at Hollywood Studios, the drawing studio (I forget the name!) we have taken some of those drawings that the boys did, applied some color to some and left some black and white, put some pins on those, framed them & hang them. Looks really nice. Lastly, in the boys room, they have a double loft bed and underneath is thier desks. On the wall above the desk we mounted those cork boards and they display/use the disney pins there as well. Just some ideals to use the ones your kids end up keeping. I'm not one for a lot of "clutter" sitting around so I try to find creative ways to display without overwhelming.

 

[Granny square]

Scrapper pins are not stolen themselves. Someone didn't go into Disney and steal the pins to sell them on Ebay.

They are a separate product for which the idea and the copyright was stolen. This is different then buying someone who stole milk from a farmer. Not the same kind of crime.

So if you make a product and someone takes those with imperfections or run extras you wouldn't consider the products stolen? Really? Were the marerials paid for by the person selling them?

 

[pixiewings71]

Scrapper pins are not stolen themselves. Someone didn't go into Disney and steal the pins to sell them on Ebay.

They are a separate product for which the idea and the copyright was stolen. This is different then buying someone who stole milk from a farmer. Not the same kind of crime.

No, they didn't go into Disney and steal the pins, instead they stole the molds or the "scrapped" pins that were not approved and were discarded by Disney and sold them. So actually, yes, they are stolen, either the mold or the pins themselves are stolen.

I love the statement that someone made earlier in this thread about making the pins in US to help control the scrapper issue!


I am against Ebay purchases because of the scrapper issue. One of our first forays into pin trading, my son traded his perfectly legit bought at Disney pin for a different pin entirely (can't remember what brand, but has a black back and does not say Disney on it)

He liked the pin and kept it, so no big deal, right?

Well, he is not into pin trading any more. What am I to do with this pin when I go to sell his collection? I won't get a dime for it, and yet I paid real legitimate money for the one he used to obtain it.

I realize that pins don't hold their value, and I certainly can't expect to get what we originally paid for the collection, but knowing that particular pin will just have to be pitched into the trash bugs me.

Maybe future pins will have some sort of RFID code to identify them as legit in the future?

That doesn't mean it has no value, I've traded ProPins in the parks with no issues and I've had several traders who collect a certain character really want certain Pro Pins I've had, same with Bertoni pins. Now, no one wants the Sedesma pins but that's understandable, they are really poorly made!

For those wondering how to find out info on scrappers go to pinpics.com and use their search function, type in "scrappers" and you'll find a ton of hits, also you can simply do a search on Google for scrapper pins and again, you'll get hits. Also, there is a thread on the Collector's Board that gives tips on scrappers and how to tell if you have one, good info can be found on this subject, you just have to look.