Tell me about lanyards & pins

[gmi3804]

I agree with Mike, though I totally get the real vs. scrapper realities. But if someone likes and wants a pin classified as a "scrapper," isn't the point moot?

 

[skiingfast]

I agree with Mike, though I totally get the real vs. scrapper realities. But if someone likes and wants a pin classified as a "scrapper," isn't the point moot?

I respect your opinion, but it is just that an opinion. Plus, how am I fleeced by paying 60¢ for pins that I am happy with and happy to trade and collect? The fact of the matter is, that pin trading would not exist if people had to pay $6+ for each pin. Ebay pins in bulk are a much better and economical way to acquire pins for trading.

Mike

Since you guys think stealing is legitimate. Please put all of your assets in my name. I'll take care of them for you.


Scrappers are not acceptable in many ways. They violate trademarks and agreements with Disney. They also contribute to raising the price of real Disney pins.

By the way mike, your logic is wrong.

The fact of the matter is, that pin trading would not exist if people had to pay $6+ for each pin.

If Disney pins didn't exist, scrappers wouldn't.

 

[aurorae]

News story on one of the recent Dis podcasts was about a guy who got caught importing (smuggling) large quantities of fake (copies of originals) pins from China. Disney pressed charges and he is going to prison.

 

[MeganAnne]

The fact of the matter is, that pin trading would not exist if people had to pay $6+ for each pin.

And I respectfully disagree on this point. I am a full time college student who works only 16 hours a week, yet I still find ways to buy my trading pins in the park.

 

[abbie13_15]

I ordered all of mine off ebay and they were all traders with the disney pin trading logo on the back. I will be buying more from the same seller for our summer trip.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I respect your opinion,

Why do I think you're going to blow off my opinion next sentence?

but it is just that an opinion.

Yup. You blew it off. Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But not all opinions are equal. Some are well thought out and based upon a solid foundation of facts and/or experience. Others are not. As for your opinion, well this is what you gave us to go on.

Originally Posted by MND View Post
No, I got traders!!!

Not much there.
And I cannot help but notice, the usage of a well known red flag. Traders, able to be traded, etc.

Plus, how am I fleeced by paying 60¢ for pins that I am happy with and happy to trade and collect?

Anyone that thinks they are getting legit pins that is actually getting scrappers has indeed been deceived and fleeced whether they know it or not and whether they like em or not. Most would be angry at finding that out. Yet, not only are you not angry, you go on to defend the practice. This would lead me to believe you are engaging in it. If that is the case, then we can agree that you weren't fleeced.

The fact of the matter is, that pin trading would not exist if people had to pay $6+ for each pin.

As I said above, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But they are not entitled to their own facts. You haven't even made a statement of fact. It's conjecture. And that Disney still sells pins for more than $6 (a genuine fact) refutes said conjecture.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

News story on one of the recent Dis podcasts was about a guy who got caught importing (smuggling) large quantities of fake (copies of originals) pins from China. Disney pressed charges and he is going to prison.

If it is the case I'm thinking of, one of em got a year and turned. The other is facing 30 to life on a three strikes law.

 

[SFMommy]

Wow! I had no idea when I started this post that it would be so controversial! Interesting things about pins...I had no idea.

So I won't have time to order trading pins online before we go. Are there any stores that I could go to that sell pins? Do they sell them in the Disney stores? Target?

If not, I guess I'll just get them when we arrive.

Thanks for all the tips!

 

[pixiewings71]

No, I got traders!!!

Same here. I don't buy traders/scrapers from eBay to add to my collection. I buy them so I can trade them.

Lanyards are easy to find. If you want the wide one (there's only one design available) you'll have to look a bit harder.

No, you both got scrappers, which you feel are OK to trade so when I get there and trade my good for your scrapper I'm the one getting fleeced not you. Your attitudes are understandable but in the end they are wrong. I try very hard to not trade scrappers but I can't tell you how many I've received, so I pay more for my traders and get scrappers in return, totally not cool.

Wow! I had no idea when I started this post that it would be so controversial! Interesting things about pins...I had no idea.

So I won't have time to order trading pins online before we go. Are there any stores that I could go to that sell pins? Do they sell them in the Disney stores? Target?

If not, I guess I'll just get them when we arrive.

Thanks for all the tips!

Pin trading can be quite controversial. Because of the scrapper issue, but it's OK it's fun!! You might try the character warehouse but the stock is always hit or miss, so are the prices to be honest. Our Disney Store sells a few pins but not many, and honestly, the ones I find in the store I usually want to keep because they are more unique. Target, I've never seen them at Target or WM. You can always buy the starter packs in the parks, they are usually $4 a pin or so, when I buy from trusted sellers on eBay (and yes, I've received scrappers from my trusted sellers) I tend to pay around $3 per pin, so the park pins in starter packs are about the same price. The super thread that skiing fast posted can be quite helpful, I suggest reading the first few pages and then the last few. The thread itself is huge and a lot is like this thread, "arguing" the right and wrong of scrappers vs legit pins. Good luck and enjoy yourself!!

 

[MonsterMouse]

Incredible that there's this much controversy around this subject. I would have never known...

But to confirm, are the cast members "required" to trade their pins with anyone who approaches them and ask's to trade? Would they turn down a trade if they knew that the pin was a fake? This certainly would seem to "encourage" the dishonest behavior of some people.... :-(

Such a shame this type of thing goes on...

 

[Terkina]

Wow! I had no idea when I started this post that it would be so controversial! Interesting things about pins...I had no idea.

So I won't have time to order trading pins online before we go. Are there any stores that I could go to that sell pins? Do they sell them in the Disney stores? Target?

If not, I guess I'll just get them when we arrive.

Thanks for all the tips!

You can find pins in a local Disney Store and in the Parks. Have a great trip

 

[skiingfast]

But to confirm, are the cast members "required" to trade their pins with anyone who approaches them and ask's to trade? Would they turn down a trade if they knew that the pin was a fake? This certainly would seem to "encourage" the dishonest behavior of some people.... :-(

Such a shame this type of thing goes on...

Most CM's will trade but some only trade with children. I forget the color codings on their lanyards that distinguishes this difference.

They can not trade fakes.

Some people think if it says Disney it must be ok or real. Counterfits exist.

I can draw a stick figure and write Andy Warhol on it just as easy as anyone else. I could also make pins that have Disney stamped on it. It doesn't make my drawing an Andy Warhol piece or my pin a Disney collectors pin. They will be counterfits and nothing more. Most counterfits come from China like Disney Pins sold on Ebay. A country known for making counterfits, such as purses, medicines, computer software, car parts, sunglasses.........and the list goes on for a mile.

 

[MND]

Most CM's will trade but some only trade with children. I forget the color codings on their lanyards that distinguishes this difference.

They can not trade fakes.

Some people think if it says Disney it must be ok or real. Counterfits exist.

I can draw a stick figure and write Andy Warhol on it just as easy as anyone else. I could also make pins that have Disney stamped on it. It doesn't make my drawing an Andy Warhol piece or my pin a Disney collectors pin. They will be counterfits and nothing more. Most counterfits come from China like Disney Pins sold on Ebay. A country known for making counterfits, such as purses, medicines, computer software, car parts, sunglasses.........and the list goes on for a mile.

The Disney pins sold at the parks come from China, does that mean they are fakes?

The Disney pins I bought on ebay in bulk for 60¢ were traded with CMs at WDW and DLR w/o problems - ever. Therefore, they must not have been fakes.

Mike

 

[skiingfast]

The Disney pins sold at the parks come from China, does that mean they are fakes?

The Disney pins I bought on ebay in bulk for 60¢ were traded with CMs at WDW and DLR w/o problems - ever. Therefore, they must not have been fakes.

Not everything from China is counterfit. If it comes from officialy sources and is sold at official locations the chances are much lower.

CM's may not be able to tell, just like you can't. They may not want to argue with you either. They may be trying to provide customer service.

 

[MND]

Not everything from China is counterfit. If it comes from officialy sources and is sold at official locations the chances are much lower.

CM's may not be able to tell, just like you can't. They may not want to argue with you either. They may be trying to provide customer service.

What I don't get is that you're bashing the pins that I buy on ebay as being fakes because they come from China, when ALL Disney pins are made in China.

Plus now you're saying that CMs may know the pins are fake but they take them in trade because they don't want to argue with me.

I contend that my pins bought on ebay for 60¢ each are just as real (Disney stamp on the back & rubber backing) as anything purchased in the parks. I sense there is a snob aspect to some of these posts that contend paying $7 for something must make it better than paying 60¢ for something.

Mike

 

[abbie13_15]

I am even more confused now about these pins. I thought all disney "not fake" pins have that stamp on the back. How am I to know if they are fake or not before I trade???

 

[skiingfast]

I am even more confused now about these pins. I thought all disney "not fake" pins have that stamp on the back. How am I to know if they are fake or not before I trade???

Some people think if it says Disney it must be ok or real. Counterfits exist.

I can draw a stick figure and write Andy Warhol on it just as easy as anyone else. I could also make pins that have Disney stamped on it. It doesn't make my drawing an Andy Warhol piece or my pin a Disney collectors pin. They will be counterfits and nothing more.

You will know if they are real by buying them from Disney. To trust that they are real get them from a good source and don't expect them to be super cheap. To know they are fake will take some education.

 

[gmi3804]

You will know if they are real by buying them from Disney. To trust that they are real get them from a good source and don't expect them to be super cheap. To know they are fake will take some education.

I buy from sellers on eBay who advertise authentic pins. I check feedback of other buyers who report their receipt of authentic pins, and then receive pins with Disney stamps, all of which I can find in Disney-owned pin selling stores at retail prices. I'm not sure about what kind of additional education I can or need to take to complete the process of becoming a Certified Real Pin Identifier. Or do I just need to make sure I pay a lot after buying from a "good source" to ensure authenticity?

If Disney thinks it's losing at least $6 every time they take in a counterfeit pin because they then have to take that pin out of circulation you'd think that they'd go after these so-called unscrupulous sellers with their legal departments, no? Why go to the trouble of obtaining a copyright in the first place then? If there's one thing Disney is good at it's protecting their copyrighted materials.

 

[miss.potatohead]

After reading up on fakes on this thread, I had a quick look at our pins - all have the Disney Pin Trading logo with a year on it (I assume the year it was made?) plus a copyright (all are ones we traded from ones we bought in a starter kit from DL). Except one! This one I thought was dodgy from the start (shared lanyard between our family, each of us picked one pin to trade).

To feel it is more thin and looks of a lower quality than the rest of the pins we have and all it says on the back is (C) Disney China. Fake? Who knows, but we traded it with a CM and she was telling us that there are plenty of fakes that get traded around but at the end of the day, if someone wants that pin, they'll take it.

Inequality will always exist in pin trading, pins are of differing value and it's difficult to know if your $12 pin is being traded for another $12 or in fact a $6 (unless you know the pins well). But trading is fun, I wish we did it earlier in our trip instead of starting on the last day! The CM who you can trade with are generally helpful and up for a good chat.

 

[AwkwardTurtle]

Most CM's will trade but some only trade with children. I forget the color codings on their lanyards that distinguishes this difference.

Teal. A CM with a teal lanyard will only trade with children 12 and younger.