I got interested in pins & buttons years ago just to have something relaxing and inexpensive to do while collecting the "serious" stuff. They were pritty, and you could meet interesting people discussing and trading them. (Important to shy people.)
The figuriens and stuff havent raally stopped, but I am running out of room!
Nat - what kind of buttons are you looking for? Most of my traders are boxed, awaiting the move, but I do have some I can get my hands on. They are nove, and becoming harder to get.