Tell me about Pin Trading!

[Tweedles]

Hello, Dis-ers. We are counting down to our second trip to the World! My 10 year old son is a collector, and has already been talking about trading pins. I have read that I need to be careful about getting quality "real" pins. But how do I tell if they are authentic? Also, what does my son need to do to trade, with a CM, for example? Just ask?

Any tips or tricks you can offer to us? I know he will enjoy this!
TIA,
Christine

 

[tiggergal15]

First of all to pin trading. You will get lots of advice but here is my 2 cents. One way to quarentee the pins are real is to purchase them from Disney sources. Like in the parks and websites. They are heavier in guality and studier with good quality craftsmanship in make. Be real careful purchasing " cheeper" pins from sale sites as the imitation ones are all around and Disney frowns on trading " scrappers". Its against their rules.
OK the fun info.
Your son just needs a pin or two on a lanyard, vest or other way to display them when he is at the parks or resorts.
He just walks up to a CM with pins displayed in the same way and asks to trade. Then he and the CM make a trade and off your son goes ..my DD 7 loves this and we have a lanyard full.
Have fun!

 

[Tweedles]

Thank you! (Maybe I should become a trader myself...) And I'll gladly take your 2 cents. All those cents add up!
So really, no negotiation? If a CM has pins displayed he/she is willing to trade them? (Gee can you tell we're new at this)?
Do the Disney pins have some sort of hallmark on them to more easily identify the good ones from the scrappers? I'd like to get my son a set before we go so he can sort them.

 

[MN96]

He will love it, I did it my last few trips and it is a greats sun o interact with cms! When I did it though I didn't use a lanyard or pin them on, as I was afraid I would drop them. It wasn't a problem, I would just pull one from a bag when I wanted to trade. There's no negotiation to it, you can trade for anything in the lanyard one for one. The only possible reasons they'd decline are if you are trading a non-disney pin or one that is currently on the lanyard. They have like a seal on the back but I think the fakes do to. I think you can trade twice per cm per day but I could be wrong.

For tips: Many shops have a pin board or pin book that comes out at certain times or that you have to ask too see. The resort gift shops have the, at a time each day but a lot of the time will show you if you ask.
Also if you're looking for cheap legit pins and have a car down there the outlets have great deals sometimes like for 1-3 dollars per pin.
If you have any other questions I can do my best to answer them too.

 

[Rosebud123]

I've bought individual pins in the park and bought big, inexpensive lots on ebay, and I cannot tell the difference! Maybe some of the big lots are actual "real" pins that were purchased directly through a manufacturer? Not sure, but we've never had any issues trading them with CMs.

 

[MN96]

And it could be fun for you too, they're neat souvenirs and you get to talk to a lot of cms by trading. During my 2011 trip my brothers and I would go trade at the gift shop each morning and were down there for an hour one day talking the manager, Eddie, about the parks, strategies for high scores buzz and TSMM, and all kinds of disney stuff!

 

[tiggergal15]

Both myself and my DD love trading pins! We enjoy purchasing right at our resort or in the parks- more expensive yes...but they are part of our souvenir purchases and we don't really buy too much else. We look for multi packs that we can keep one out of for the souvenir with the year or other special memory of our trip and trade the rest. The ones we are not trading we keep in the room and love looking them all over each evening before bed.
Tip....there some with a small Mickey head on them...if you get one keep it. They are limited edition ...we have managed to get one and leave it home!

 

[Lavitz]

Here's my two cents.

When trading for pins don't worry about the whole scrappers thing. Just trade for what you want, if you kid is happy then you win.

Also, scrappers are very often just pins that the factory in China decided to keep building after Disney's order is finished. They make 1,000 to finish Disney's order and decide to make another 1,000 and sell it themselves. How will you tell the difference when they look exactly, absolutely 100% the same? You can't. So just enjoy trading and have fun.

If it bothers you that you may get scrappers then honestly don't trade, it's not worth the aggravation.

 

[scdak]

Tweedles - I sent you a PM - well I hope it sent

 

[Sir William]

So really, no negotiation? If a CM has pins displayed he/she is willing to trade them? (Gee can you tell we're new at this)?.

No negotiation, haggling, or heartache. Just ask the CM to look at their pins and if you see one you want, point it out and give them any one of yours in return - a one for one trade. Thank the CM when you're done, even if you don't do a trade.

There is usually a limit of 2 or sometimes 3 pins you can trade at a single time with a CM. I've sometimes received an extra trade for DW (Tink) or DD (Eeyore or Tangled). Since I usually tell the CM I'm looking for Villains, it's pretty obvious the extra pin isn't for me.

Of course you can trade with other traders, too. I've done it a few times on the ships but not at any of the parks (so far).

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Don't worry about the scrapper thing and just have fun! Honestly, 99% of the people who claim to know the difference really don't. They'll swear what they have is "real" because it has a Disney logo on it or Mickey ear backs to them. Not necessarily! And most of what you will receive in the parks will fall into this category anyway. So why spend $10 on a pin to trade it with a CM who has pins that were traded and cost 50 cents? Just silly.

We always pick out one or two at the parks to buy and keep as souvenirs. The kids know those are not to be traded. Then we get the large lots from eBay and let the kids have a blast! Honestly, most kids want to collect the villains or the animals or a favorite ride or just Donalds. They don't know a real pin from a scrapper. They're just happy to add to their collection. And that's where the real joy comes in!!!

We've never had a single issue with any of the pins we've traded. As a PP mentioned, many times they're the exact same pins as the "official" ones, just a matter of an overrun. But because it only cost me $1 on eBay some people will say it's not the same as the $10 one from Disney. To my kids, they're exactly the same. And even the CMs can't tell the difference.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Tip....there some with a small Mickey head on them...if you get one keep it. They are limited edition ...we have managed to get one and leave it home!

Are you talking about the "hidden Mickey" pins that have the little Mickey icon on the front somewhere? Just a note--there are TONS of these out there. Many, many, many different series with them.

And many of them come in those eBay lots that some people say are no-nos!

 

[tiggergal15]

I c..well if that's the case ours isnt so rare .we were told by a pin shop cashier that info ....so I guess use your own judgement...keep and trade and enjoy...

 

[MN96]

I c..well if that's the case ours isnt so rare .we were told by a pin shop cashier that info ....so I guess use your own judgement...keep and trade and enjoy...

They are more rare than normal pins, but probably not as rare as you were told. I was told by a cm that those are cast member only pins(like you can only get them by trading), but now they sell little mystery packs where you can get them. Besides, as long as you like it it doesn't matter how rare it is!

Edit: changed yu to you

 

[bookgirl]

I started buying some pins to use for a window decoration, and ended up with a couple repeats so I'm going to try trading them. And as far as scrappers/fakes. I bought a pin off Ebay, I bought it because it represented something I could not find at the parks/resorts. Pretty sure it's a fake (no Disney emblem embossing on the back) but I don't plan to trade it, it was one I liked (one pin that had a representation of both Disneyland and California Adventure) so I'm happy with it. I'm pretty sure most kids will feel the same.

 

[bbjunkie]

Hi! I hope these photos help a little. We bought 2 sets of pins from Amazon before we left. We didn't buy the giant grab-all bags, but instead went middle-of-the-road for about 1/2 price of what you would pay in the park. We bought a Frozen Set for $9.95 that was in our resort gift shop for $23.95, and a set of Disney character buggies for $8.95 that were in the gift shop for $21.95. We were really happy with these choices. My daughter kept a couple of each set that she wanted to keep and not trade, she also would not trade her Tomorrowland pin, although she was approached at least 5 times a day by people wanting it. She wore it on her shirt rather than her lanyard. She absolutely LOVED doing this, and honestly, I loved the pins, too. The pin shop in DTD is great!! Anyway, she trading multiple times and ended up with some that she treasures, including the Mickey head in the Soarin' uniform. My favorite souvenir from our trip is the Grape Soda pin my husband secretly bought for me. When he gave it to me he said, "Because we're just like Carl and Ellie, meant to be on this adventure together forever." I framed it. My daughter's remai. On her lanyard in her shadow box. (Please excuse the glare...but I hope it gives you an idea of how pin trading is fun while you are there, and the pins continue to be treasured souvenirs)

 

[Tweedles]

My favorite souvenir from our trip is the Grape Soda pin my husband secretly bought for me. When he gave it to me he said, "Because we're just like Carl and Ellie, meant to be on this adventure together forever." I framed it. My daughter's remai. On her lanyard in her shadow box. (Please excuse the glare...but I hope it gives you an idea of how pin trading is fun while you are there, and the pins continue to be treasured souvenirs)

View attachment 112100 View attachment 112101 View attachment 112102

I love the idea of the shadow box! What a great souvenir for ds (and maybe for me also) once we get home.

And EVERYONE! !! Thank you so much for your input. I am relieved to know that we won't need to worry about scrappers. I know that my son will want to trade pins based on character, or uniqueness, so if the CM's will accept all pins, then he will be a happy guy. Plus, I'm sure he will pick up a set or two in the gift shops also.

For tips: Many shops have a pin board or pin book that comes out at certain times or that you have to ask too see. The resort gift shops have the, at a time each day but a lot of the time will show you if you ask.
Also if you're looking for cheap legit pins and have a car down there the outlets have great deals sometimes like for 1-3 dollars per pin.
If you have any other questions I can do my best to answer them too.

This is such a great tip. We will be sure to ask about this. Its *almost* like having a little secret! DS will get a kick out of this.
Thank you guys!!

 

[staceywj]

Love the memory board you created. I'm looking to make one for dd and will use yours as a guide.

 

[eyeontheball]

Another question, where can you buy the lanyards? We are new to this too and I think my daughter would love to do this!

 

[Accident]

Every shop will have lanyards, starter sets, a variety of pins.. they are everywhere in WDW including the resorts.

My daughter also collects but doens't really pin trade. She likes getting the unknown pot lot pin sets. When she gets doubles she just offers them to someone that doens't have any displayed at the resort..