The Do's and Don't's of Pin Trading

[MickeyMousesGal]

Hi everyone! I'm pretty new to pin trading and I was wondering what some of the do's and don't's of pin trading were. I have about 27 pins to trade when I go in Jan./Feb.


Jessica

 

[seashoreCM]

You are not required to make trades with other guests who walk up to you.

You may make only one or two trades each time you walk up to a cast member.

You must offer an official Disney pin when trading with a cast member.

Officially only the pins on the cast member's lanyard are available for trade although some cast members may offer others.

Cast members with green lanyards reserve the right to trade only with children.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Kitty-chan]

Adding to that . . . the pin you offer has to be one that the CM doesn't already have on their lanyard.

 

[babybunrab]

Some CMs have lanyards that are half green, half some other color, so an adult can trade on the non-green half.

 

[hockey mom]

Hit the people in suits- they always have good traders.

 

[3disAddicts]

Watch our for the Sedesmas. These are made in Spain and are cheap. Some cast members will and some will not trade for them. I did see some on their lanyards when I was there in April. I can't remember what website to visit to educate yourself on these pins. Maybe someone else can help with that. If you go to Downtown Disney at the pin trading station, beware of pin sharks. They will pretend to be interested in trading, but then will act as though they don't see anything on your lanyard and will ask you to buy them a pin to trade for one of theirs. They then go back afterwards and return the pin for money. I personally prefer the rubber pin backs to the metal ones. They don't fall off as easy. Be careful you don't lose a beloved pin like DH did. Some of the resorts actually set aside a specific time period certain days of the week for pin trading with the kids. I think POR is one of them, in case you're interested.

 

[The Phantom Blot]

There are two types of counterfiet pins are sedemasa and fantasy. Fantasy pins normally look cheaply made, and sedamasa pins have really thick black lines. Also, look for pins with a small silvery mickey on them, they are CM exclusive.

 

[disgram]

Think it is commonly known but I find myself having to remind people(in a nice way) do not touch. Ask to see the pins. Then let the person take the pin off and hand it to you. Saves alot of embarassment and is just more polite.

 

[05ChristmasSurprise]

Our first trip with pin trading is coming up and I'm wondering -
can we trade the ones from the battery packs? What about the cereal boxes?

 

[MickeyMousesGal]

Thanks everyone for the do's and don't's! What do sedesma and fantasy pins look like? Thanks again!

 

[jan&theboys]

I think as long as it is an official Disney pin and it is stamped as such on the back, there should not be a problem. We actually liked the ones we received from the cereal companies so we kept those for ourselves instead of trading them.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Sedesma pins aren't fakes. And they are tradeable. They are crummy pins, but legal. We came home with 3 or 4 that my kids liked. I hate when they trade a "good pin" for a lesser pin, but their pins are their own.

Didn't know of "pin sharks..." Pretty sad!

 

[Goofy4]

what type of cereal have you gotten pins in.

I've never seen those, but what a great way to get them!!

 

[lovethattink]

The pins from the battery and the Kellogg's pins are great traders since they're "free". (Have to buy the pack of batteries or buy 3 boxes of specially marked Kellogg's cereal.)

The best site to look up pins is pinpics--- www.pinpics.com

The best site for information about pin trading is www.dizpins.com

Disney's pin trading website is www.officialdisneypintrading.com


Sadly, yes there are sharks at DTD, the parks, and the resorts. There are even guppies. The children of the sharks who are told to get specific pins for them.

There are official disney pin trading nights at some of the resorts.

Thursday night is the All Star Sport resort food court from 7pm to 10pm

Friday night is Contemporary 4th floor from 7-10pm

1st Saturday of the month is Pop Century food court in the afternoon, don't remember the specific time.

Pin trading can be lots of fun...and addictive. My son started when he was in kindergarten and a couple years ago, my husband and I started collecting.

 

[05ChristmasSurprise]

We'll be at All Star Sports on a pin trading night, I think -
is it just an opportunity for guests to trade with one another, or is it cast members with special pins?

 

[lovethattink]

We'll be at All Star Sports on a pin trading night, I think -
is it just an opportunity for guests to trade with one another, or is it cast members with special pins?

Great time to trade with fellow traders.

 

[Figment2]

Just a heads up on the pin trading nights such as All Star Sports. Most of the people there are hard core traders (meant in the nicest sense since I'm one of them). It can be very educational to go to these. You will see mostly limited editions from the Cruise line, Disney Auctions, DL, DLP, etc.). People with multiple pin bags and/or books. Do not be offended if you see something and the owner says no thanks to what you have. Some traders will be nicer than others.

You can admit to being new but know the value of what you have to trade. Visit Pinpics and look at the trading ratios. Check ebay.

When I'm down in October, I hope to hit DTD and the Contemporary PTN (pin trading night). I'll be bringing down a lot of Disney auction pins along with older Halloween & Christmas pins with a smattering of lanyard pins.

Trading with cast members is fun and easy. You give them a pin and they give you a pin. Trading with other guests is a lot harder and you need to be an informed collector.

Cyn

 

[CaseyJr]

Good list of sites, lovethattink!

We were at WDW a week or so ago, and while there, DS (10) decided to start collecting and trading pins (a CM commented on how polite he was while we were shopping, and offered him one of her pins -- his first one! -- even though he didn't have any to trade).

Fortunately, we were at the Dolphin which has HS internet (and we had the laptop with us), so that night I did a search for info on pin-trading etiquette (sp?), etc. Then I had DS go over it the next morning. It was very helpful, and he took the advice very seriously (which surprised me for a 10 yr. old boy...!).

DS really enjoyed pin-trading and I regret that we didn't start doing it sooner (we have several years of "freebie" lanyards & pins that came with our reservations pkgs.)

 

[buzz2400]

Also the pin cannot be broken. We found that many cm's now have the pins hooked to their pants on a gold 5X7 square. Very hard to see. Just remember to ask the cm if you could look at their pins and also thank them when you are through. As long as Disney is stamped on the back of the pin it is tradeable. You are also allowed to trade two pins per person per cm.

 

[MickeyMousesGal]

Has anyone been to any of the Pin Trading Days at the resorts? I'm just wondering what it would be like there. I'm going to go to the Pin Trading Day at POP next year on Feb. 4th. I'm so nervous but excited in the same way.


Jessica aw: