Trading Pins

[danyoung56]

As you pin traders know, a CM is required to trade with you if he/she is wearing a pin lanyard. My brother is a CM in DCA. I was standing there chatting with him one day when a guy with about 200 pins on his multiple sashes came up, positioned himself in between my brother and I, and yelled in his face "TRADE!" He then looked at the pins my brother had, and not seeing anything he liked, he left - no thank you, no I'm sorry, nothing. My brother said that that happens all the time.

There's a right way and a wrong way to do anything, pin trading included.

 

[BigRedDad]

There's a right way and a wrong way to do anything, pin trading included.

Yes, there is an etiquette to pin trading. I do not trade pins but my DD and DW do. My daughter was educated in pin trading by Scoop on Main Street. She had 1 pin at the time, she was about 4, and just stood by watching him and others interact. After things slow down, Scoop took his time with her. Introduced himself, talked with her, explained what pin trading was. When he asked if she wanted to trade, she said she only had 1 pin and couldn't trade. He asked her why and she said because it was her only pin. He then asked her if she really liked the pin she had and she said no. He then told her she could have any pin on his lanyard she wanted but she would have to give him the pin she had and didn't like. Literally, she looked for 5 minutes and Scoop gave her all the time she needed. When he guided her a bit and she decided, she said "may I please have 'that' one?" and she said thank you. After trading, he made an announcement that she had made her first ever pin trade, waited patiently, and used such good manners. He gave her a signed Scoop Pin Trader pin. She was even more excited and gave him a huge hug after. She had to do one more thing after though...and Scoop had her walk Licorice and Butterscotch down Main Street to where he exits.

She has learned that interacting with the CMs usually turns into better trade opportunities. Many CMs love talking about it and just chatting in general with guest who are cordial. She has received so many opportunities for better pins this way.

 

[danyoung56]

She had to do one more thing after though...and Scoop had her walk Licorice and Butterscotch down Main Street to where he exits.

I don't know what this means?

 

[Figments Friend]

I find a sure fire way to tell if you have a 'fake' Trading Pin is to look for two things -

Quality of the paint / enamel applied to the pin designs' front, and the luster of said paint / enamel.

Bootlegs, 'Scrappers' and 'fake' pins of questionable origin all either have paint / enamel that does not quite fill in level with the metal 'lines' of the pins design, and / or are not as shiney and 'finished' looking as a official pin.
Those two aspects are dead giveaways you have a 'fake'.
Official 'Pin Trading' Logos on the backsides mean nothing as those are often faked as well.
The quality of the paint application and smoothness of the surface are the two defining differences that can be seen in person.
Very difficult, next to impossible, to see via a photo online.

Official pins have a very full application of enamel /paint so there is rarely gaps or areas where it looks like the amount of paint is not flushed smooth with the metal design and edges of the pin.
Official pins also look buffed and the paint /enamel looks very smooth and shiny on the front surface.
'Fakes' typically lack these features, exspecially the smooth look on the surface.
Most I have come across have a rough looking surface when tilted in the light, thin grading lines being a common feature.
Compare one to a Official one and you will see the difference in the luster / shiny surface factor.
They are easy to spot when you look for these two things!

Happy Trading..!


-

 

[BigRedDad]

I don't know what this means?

Scoop has 2 toy dogs on a leash, Licorice and Butterscotch. He walks them on Main Street. He had her walk them back for him.

 

[E-ticket Princess]

My 18 yo and 16 yo daughters LOVE to do it!!! We're talking about Disney World, where EVERYONE, no matter how old you are, is a kid....SO, ENJOY IT!!!

I will give you a piece of advice...rather than paying for a starter set, go on ebay, and buy several collections of pins, no matter how cheesy they might be. There are plenty of collections that can be bought for less than $20 bucks, and might contain 15- 20 pins in the collection. You can then use those to trade for the ones you want...

We were there the week after Easter this year with friends and their 10 YO twin daughters that never experienced trading...I spent $40 bucks before we left for about 75 pins, and also bought them 2 lanyards on ebay as well for $5.00 each...they are VERY shy...once they saw my 2 girls trading, they were bitten by the bug, and absolutely LOVED it!!! Just make sure when you buy them on ebay that they are OFFICIAL Disney pins...all WDW pins will have Mickey ear pin backs and should also have a Mickey ear somewhere on the front of the pin. Also, if you have the Chase/Disney credit card, about 4 times a year, when you get their booklet, not the bills, there are usually offers for limited edition pins available for purchase that are exclusive to card holders...

ENJOY IT, and have a MAGICAL trip!!!

All Official genuine Disney pins do not have Mickey ear pin backs. Those were only created in the mid 2000s after pin trading was well establihed. There are hundreds of rare and valuable older pins that were sold with brass or round rubber or plastic pin backs so it is not a good defining critera for authenticity. Ultimately if you aren't selling or re-trading the pin and aren't keeping it so the value appreciates if you like it enough to keep it then it doesn't really matter at all. Have fun and don't get turned off by "scrapper paranoia" Happy Trading!

 

[EngineerMom]

Its for fun. Like a treasure hunt.
We have bought the lots on ebay. They are real.
Then we keep an eye out. We (kids and I) trade at the hotel. Sometimes with cast members.
We would never be rude to someone and SCREAM trade.
We aren't WASTING money because it is for FUN
We never worry about the VALUE of the pins we get. We trade for what we like.
We have gotten some fun ones.
We put them on our bulletin board.....
its just fun people!

 

[Phonedave]

All Official genuine Disney pins do not have Mickey ear pin backs. Those were only created in the mid 2000s after pin trading was well establihed. There are hundreds of rare and valuable older pins that were sold with brass or round rubber or plastic pin backs so it is not a good defining critera for authenticity. Ultimately if you aren't selling or re-trading the pin and aren't keeping it so the value appreciates if you like it enough to keep it then it doesn't really matter at all. Have fun and don't get turned off by "scrapper paranoia" Happy Trading!

Not to mention, sometimes the backs fall off of genuine pins, and are replaced with whatever is around.

Also, not all genuine disney pins have a mickey head on the front. The Hidden Mickey pins (and they really are not hidden) used to be called Lanyard Pins, and are issued to CM's for use on trading laynards

I collect pins - specific pins. Donald, and Limited Edition and XXX Only (Passholder only or DVC only) pins, but only if I like them.

I keep my eye open for Donald pins I don't have on lanyards, but other than that, I buy them off the rack (or from a drawer in the case of DVC and AP pins). I also keep them on on the cards they came on.

-dave