So...YOU like Pins?

[DisneyWood]

Pins?

I just don't understand what the hype is about. The last couple of times that we visited Disney World, we saw all kinds of tables, kiosks, etc set up to set and trade these pins. We didn't really know what they were doing, needless to say, we didn't purchase any of them.

When did this get started? Is this an expensive hobby? Is it kind of like collecting baseball cards?

I assume that these are going to be valuable collector items in the future, right? We will look more into this craze during our next trip next month.

24 days left :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[WDWScottieBoy]

DisneyWood, they are already becoming very valuable and have been quite popular since around 1999 if I remember correctly. Pins aren't something new to Disney as they have been selling pins since the opening of DL. Pin Trading on the other hand is newer (1999 as stated earlier). As far as an expensive hobby, it depends on how much of a hobby you want to make it. I realized last night that I've got a healthy collection that cost about $5000 but I don't go crazy over them. I just buy what I like and don't make it such a big deal as those in the parks who are addicts.

 

[CenterLine]

I'll buy a pin if it catches my eye. I don't buy pins just for the sake of having them. Usually there is some significance behind buying a pin, it means something to me and my wife.

 

[Stitch79]

I buy the ones I like and thats about it. I've tried to snag some of the LE's but I really get tired of the fanatics who buy a bunch of them and then sell them on Ebay. It takes the fun out of it for me.

 

[DisneyWood]

As far as an expensive hobby, it depends on how much of a hobby you want to make it. I realized last night that I've got a healthy collection that cost about $5000 but I don't go crazy over them. I just buy what I like and don't make it such a big deal as those in the parks who are addicts.

I would say based on your collection, if you are a casual buyer, that pin collecting is an expensive hobby. However, the same goes with baseball cards. It depends on who (or what) you want, and how much you are willing to spend to get it.

I didn't realize how popular this hobby has become. It really caught my eye the last couple of trips when we visited Downtown Disney. I think I may have 1 pin, celebrating the millenium, but I am not sure where it is.

We will probably purchase a few pins this visit, the ones that catch our eyes as well, depending how the cost of each. Thanks for the information.

 

[Wckd Queen]

Between my Disney and Olympic pins, I have a fairly sizeable collection :lookaroun

I don't really go all out for 'collecting' the pins, rather, I buy a handfull every trip to WDW just as souveniers. Mostly the mouse, or something distinguishing about the trip. Then, they sit in a WDW bag in the bottom drawer of my armoir with the rest of 'em :lol:

Since I am a Sorcerer collector, though, I will purchase just about any pin of him. Once, when the Disney stores were first opening here, they were giving out pins as part of a promotion. I had missed the Sorcerer pin, and had casually told the CM who was ringing up my Sorcerer sericell (it IS an addiction, I will be the first to admit it :lol: ) that I didn't know HOW I missed it. He was so nice, he actually took HIS Sorcerer pin off his sweater and gave it to me! :kiss:

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Don't start!!!

DisneyWood,
I agree with ScottieBoy (and with your baseball card analogy) that this is a very expensive hobby.

From a historical perspective, pins have been given at Disney for many years, mostly with CM's but also occasionally to commemorate park milestones, and like buttons today, were often given away.

Modern (Disney) pin trading was introduced as part of the Millennium Celebration (along with the Epcot tombstones/ LaL). But I don't think it really caught on for about another year. Now of course it is overwhelming...but moreso at WDW than DL.

There are a number of different levels this can be enjoyed? at. The simplest is by trading with CM's that have lanyards. They have pins from guests (sometimes you can get something special traded by an unknowing guest) or what are referred to as cast pins (not sold in stores, but made to populate lanyards for CM pin trading)...not to be confused with CM pins that are only sold to them at Company D and are not traded while on stage.
The rules of engagement are simple here, any one of your pins for one of their's.

Then you can trade with other guests. This gets a little shaky as they aren't necessarily prepared for the advance and proposition as are CM's. More often kids approach others. There are no rules here...you can trade 10 of your's for one of theirs etc.

The most difficult area are the "professional traders" that have their books set up on tables in designated trading areas. You have to know value and what you want to deal with these folks. They are not CM's so etiquette is not always at the forefront.

The other alternative is bidding on Ebay. This is sometimes best if you are looking for something specific. There are also trading websites, one of the most reputable is www.pinpics.com. But again the rule of engagement are more complex.

As for making money off of this, the only one's I know who consistently make money are those living near the parks that are present for releases of the various limited edition, special event, artist proof and surprise pins that turn right around and sell them on Ebay. A lot of time and effort, but some do well. [Other purists contend that these folks and practices are what is ruining pin trading for others *read amateurs*]

My advice is if you enjoy collecting and like them, fine, but I would not expect it to provide for your retirement.

 

[Number_6]

I have a fair number of pins. Actually, the first pins that I got were just before my trip in August of 2003. I bought a set of what I referred to as "sacrificial pins" because I was able to get a set of 8 for less than $20 and they weren't really ones that I wanted, but I knew that if I bought a pin in Orlando, odds were that it was one that I wanted to keep. I kept those on my lanyard and managed to get some pretty good pins in exchange, mostly with CMs but there was a kid that wanted to trade me and he actually asked for one of the pins that I was happy to trade. In exchange I got Daisy Duck flying an airplane, which was a nicer looking pin IMO than the one I traded away for it. I mostly only trade with CMs, but if a kid wants to trade me, then I'm fine with it. As far as other adults go, it depends on the individual. I've met some really nice people that had pins, but I've also met the totally rabid ones that scare me and I won't trade with. There are some pins that I just will never put on a lanyard, though, and those are the ones that I like most. Ones like the 20th Anniversary of Tron and the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea pins fall into that category. I have also gotten pins off of ebay, but mostly they've been pins from Disneyland California(which I have never been to) or Tokyo Disney(which it will be a long time before I can even think about going to).

 

[MKCP 1985]

I would be in the anti-pin crowd, believing the hype outweighs the real value, and tacking "collector's edition" or "limited edition" adds nothing really to the mix. I do not foresee a future Sotheby's estate auction of heirloom collectible Disney pins, but I could be wrong.

HOWEVER,

on my last trip, a family member had to wear an arm sling for a couple of days, and it was nice to be able to decorate the sling with a few pins . . .

BUT

it was disappointing to be unable to purchase a pin with the logo of our Disney resort, although there were pins for sale in the resort's gift shop.

For as many pin shops as there are, and as many Disney resorts as there are, it should not be an issue if a person wants to buy a pin with his/her resort logo. Every resort in the USA has tee shirts and whatever with their logo, so why hasn't WDW gotten that one figured out?

 

[stuart]

I dont have that many pins but i do tend to buy mayb five or 6 each year we are out there so i mayb have about between 30 to 50 pins. And i have a few DCL ones as well. The best pin i have is a Scotland flag pin that i got in 2000 when they had pins for all the countries in the millenium celebration thing. When im in WDW i dont usually wear a lot of pins but always wear the Scotland pin.

 

[Gucci65]

My daughter has a pretty good sized collection. She like to buy them but rarely trades them. When we go down in December my Dad & I have to wear one of her lanyards with her "possible" trades just in case there is something she can't live without.

What I can't stand is the grown men out there who try to cheat little girls out of expensive pins for crappy ones.

The pin we HAVE to get every year is from MVMCP.

 

[TheDisneyQueen]

LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!
Angie

 

[webmomom]

.

What I can't stand is the grown men out there who try to cheat little girls out of expensive pins for crappy ones.

The pin we HAVE to get every year is from MVMCP.

Believe me they all are not men.!

 

[MissM]

I have about 70 or so pins at this point. That I've collected over the last year. It all started with on cute Stitch-dressed-as-Elvis pin that was kind of a amusing joke between my Love and I (he is a major Elvis fan and we both love Lilo & Stitch so it just seemed like a fun thing to do.)

Boy I didn't realize how many amazing pins there are out there when I began, nor how many I'd want!

I'm very patient and smart about my pins though. I find good deals on ebay and trade with CM's for things I like. I don't trade with other guests because I'm not into the trading process as much as the collecting. So if I spend money on a pin, generally, it's because THAT'S the pin I want.

I don't buy pins just because they're limited edition or rare, or exclusive. If it happens that there's a pin I really want that's LE, I might buy it anyway, but not because of it's "rarity." I find moderation and some grounding in feasability helps when getting into collecting and/or trading pins.

Some people get second mortgages on their homes, max their credit cards, go to pin events where they spend hundreds of dollars just to walk in the door to buy pins, buy every single pin that comes out in duplicate to wrangle out trades - that's not me. And it won't ever be me. If you leave all the hype and utter insanity out of it, it's fun. I have my WDW backpack covered in pins and some on my Tink Sassy buckethat (the one in the pic) now since I ran out of space. I love wearing them when I go, people commenting on them and asking me about them and stuff. It's fun. And each trip, I pick up one or two and it reminds me of fun times at Disney.

So....in moderation, it's fun. Over time it adds up to a lot of money spent, but, if you're smart about it, it's in little bits at once, so it never feels like a lot. Keep an eye out for good deals but don't stress out over if it's rare or whatever. Who cares if it's super rare if you don't like it?
-m

ps: you can see my pin collection on pinpics

 

[nicholas]

I just have a question. Excuse the possibe ignorance of it as I know nothing of pins and pin trading. But how do you know the value and rarity of a pin? Isn't there some publication that lists values of baseball cards? Is this pin stuff the same? Are values listed somewhere? Or is it just one of those things that once you become a seasoned pin trader, you just know?

 

[JackSkellington]

I just have a question. Excuse the possibe ignorance of it as I know nothing of pins and pin trading. But how do you know the value and rarity of a pin? Isn't there some publication that lists values of baseball cards? Is this pin stuff the same? Are values listed somewhere? Or is it just one of those things that once you become a seasoned pin trader, you just know?

There are certain things that determine the rarity of a pin.
1. the edition size.
2. popularity/character (Ex. the NBC pins are very popular and usually sell out quickly, also logo pins for rides, shows, and pin events are hot items)
3. it is also something that you learn over time. When I first saw pins I had no clue if it was rare or not. Now I have a good idea of what pins are rare, and which are not.
Personally I enjoy pin trading. (PT) I have about 40 pins most of which are low LE pins. I find it fun to hunt down the rare or unique pins that were made. But I always will remember what a CM told me at WDW. "The rarest, and most valuable pin is the one you treasure the most"

 

[MissM]

I just have a question. Excuse the possibe ignorance of it as I know nothing of pins and pin trading. But how do you know the value and rarity of a pin? Isn't there some publication that lists values of baseball cards? Is this pin stuff the same? Are values listed somewhere? Or is it just one of those things that once you become a seasoned pin trader, you just know?

If you find out, let me know. I have no clue how people rate these things, though let me say that all those 5,000+ collection people have an assigned worth to each and every one of them. It's insane. I've attempted to trade a few pins in the past through the pinpics trade assistant thingy. And I always get back rude replies that I'm offering things that aren't worth enough. (What? How is on LE pin for another not fair?) I don't know, it's part of the reason I simply won't do trading with guests. CM's trade you anything on their landyard for anything you have (Disney official of course) and that's that. So, if they have something you think is cool, you don't have to worry about it.

Many people look to sale prices people are willing to pay on ebay. Some look at rarity and such. Honestly though, it's like higher math trying to grasp how much any one pin is worth at any moment in time!

There are guides to listing pins that exist, but as far as I know, none which assign value to them. Though I could be wrong.
-m

 

[peter11435]

I would be in the anti-pin crowd, believing the hype outweighs the real value, and tacking "collector's edition" or "limited edition" adds nothing really to the mix. I do not foresee a future Sotheby's estate auction of heirloom collectible Disney pins, but I could be wrong.

HOWEVER,

on my last trip, a family member had to wear an arm sling for a couple of days, and it was nice to be able to decorate the sling with a few pins . . .

BUT

it was disappointing to be unable to purchase a pin with the logo of our Disney resort, although there were pins for sale in the resort's gift shop.

For as many pin shops as there are, and as many Disney resorts as there are, it should not be an issue if a person wants to buy a pin with his/her resort logo. Every resort in the USA has tee shirts and whatever with their logo, so why hasn't WDW gotten that one figured out?

What resort were you staying at.

 

[JackSkellington]

If you find out, let me know. I have no clue how people rate these things, though let me say that all those 5,000+ collection people have an assigned worth to each and every one of them. It's insane. I've attempted to trade a few pins in the past through the pinpics trade assistant thingy. And I always get back rude replies that I'm offering things that aren't worth enough. (What? How is on LE pin for another not fair?) I don't know, it's part of the reason I simply won't do trading with guests. CM's trade you anything on their landyard for anything you have (Disney official of course) and that's that. So, if they have something you think is cool, you don't have to worry about it.-m

The reason poeple don't trade LE for and LE is because each LE is different. Trading a 3000 LE for a 500 LE is crazy to "Extreme" PT. I think perhaps doing some research on the pin you want to trade would help. Knowing when it was made, edition size, if it sold out or not will help you secure a trade. And the other thing is that you can look to see what people will trade for your pin on pinpics. Hope this helps.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

nicholas

I just have a question. Excuse the possibe ignorance of it as I know nothing of pins and pin trading. But how do you know the value and rarity of a pin? Isn't there some publication that lists values

Thats a good question nicholas...there are a number of way to determine prevailing price, but the "bible" of pin trading is a Tomart's guide. It is occasionally available in some of the indoor pin sites and of course on the web.

MKCP 1985, what resort? I'm sure as you say that there must be some available. There are precious few events, locations or characters that aren't captured many times over.

And Stuart, I think we discussed this before about your Millennium pin. If it is one of the cast pins of a multicolored balloon with a Scottish flag beneath, it is very exclusive and should be kept by you. If I remember you have no intention to sell, which is best. (I have one from Wales reflecting partial heritage) that I also have no desire to part with.