Disney Pin Trading Tips
Pin trading is a popular thing to do at Walt Disney World. It’s a fun way for kids to interact with Cast Members, collect souvenirs of favorite characters, rides, and more. This guide offers money-saving tips & tricks, offering a great entry point to trade without breaking the bank. (Updated March 22, 2024.)
Let’s start with a bit of background. Disney Pin Trading began during the Millennium Celebration. Since then, Disney Pins have become easily the most popular merchandise and collectibles in all of Walt Disney World (and beyond–pin trading is also now popular at Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, etc.) with the possible exception of Vinylmations, which are now rising in popularity.
While some fervent Disney fans scorn Pin Trading (presumably because they oppose good, clean fun), there is no doubt that Pin Trading has been embraced wholeheartedly by the general public and by legions of Disney collectors.
One downside to Pin Trading is that it can be very expensive, as individual pin prices start at $8.99 and only go up from there! When we first started Disney Pin Trading, it was relatively inexpensive. It can be super expensive if you are serious about collecting.
Let’s take a look at what you can do to maximize your Disney pin trading enjoyment!
Disney Pin Trading Tips
Pin Trading is relatively simple in practice: guests interested in the hobby and Cast Members stationed at pin boards trade. While Disney itself allows trading between guests, this is quite uncommon in practice. At present, Cast Members who trade are typically stationed by pin boards found in or outside gift shops and various locations around Walt Disney World.
One way to get the best pins is to trade early. Look for Cast Members by pin boards in the morning as they tend to have “fresh” pins. These pins get picked over during the course of the day (they are often replenished at shift changes), so your best bet is to trade early or hope to get lucky later in the day.
Cast Members are trading pins provided to them by Disney and they will accept whatever trades are offered to them regardless of whether it’s “fair” from the perspective of value.
The good news is that we have another update on pin trading protocol for 2024: Disney Parks has announced on social media that Cast Member-to-guest Pin Trading officially returns to all of Walt Disney World on April 7, 2024.
This follows an update last November that brought Cast-to-guest pin trading back to Disney Springs. Starting next month, it extends to all of Walt Disney World.
Here’s the original announcement of the return of direct pin trading: “Keep an eye out for cast with accessories such as lanyards and pin boards, and ask them how you can join in the Disney pin trading fun. We know just how much our fans have been looking forward to the full return of this beloved tradition of Disney pin trading and can’t wait for this pin-teractive activity to come back to even more merchandise locations across Walt Disney World in 2024.”
In case you don’t follow pin trading closely, the big development here is the return of proper lanyards. Up until now, it’s been pin boards for the last couple of years, with some Cast Members having little badges of pins on their waists. This marks the first return of neck lanyards for pin trading since March 2020!
In addition to trading pins with Cast Members, there are also some “professional” pin traders, but they’re far less common than in years past. From a value perspective, you are always going to save so much more money by purchasing pins in lots on Amazon before your vacation, so we don’t even recommend approaching these “professional” pin traders.
Beyond that, we think they sort of take the fun out of it. Pin trading is great if it’s with Cast Members or even other fans who are casual about it, but many of these pros take a no nonsense approach that’s abrasive and off-putting for pin trading newbies.
It’s unfortunate that a few bad apples give the hobby a bad name, and by no means is every guest who may ask you about trading in Walt Disney World doing it with negative intentions. Nevertheless, you might want to think twice about trades with guests with binders full of pins, as too many of them are overly serious and not particularly fun.
With that said, most regular guests who randomly ask you about trading have no such ill motives–it’s only the super hardcore who bring colossal collections into the parks who can be rude and condescending. While we recommend trading primarily with Cast Members, trades with other guests can be fun and a great way to interact with your fellow guests–most of whom share a common interest in Disney!
Common Types of Disney Pins
One of the fun aspects of Pin Trading is that there are so many pins (if you’re a completionist, this can be a drawback). This means that you can go for certain categories of pins (my favorite are pins with the Epcot character “Figment” on them), and there will be plenty of different pins within that category for you to collect. Some fun options include:
- Hidden Mickeys (These are semi-common pins with small mickey heads hidden on them that are available in a series that are unique because they’re not available for sale in stores, and can only be found with Cast Members)
- Characters (Choose your favorite character and trade for as many pins containing that character as you can)
- Series (These are groups of ~4-8 pins that have a similar theme but are substantively different)
- Retro Disney (Pins featuring Disney attractions, characters, and films from years past)
These are just the basic common categories. There are tons of specific series, including ones that are only available to Annual Passholders, Disney Visa Cardholders, and LE Pins for special events. There are even pins made specifically for special pin trading events! The number of Disney pins available is quite mind boggling!
Pin Trading Controversies
If you buy pins from third party sellers, the pins you purchase might be “scrappers.” We think of these as being like factory seconds or production overruns, which is essentially what they are. Hardcore pin traders view them as bootlegs or counterfeits, and not worthy of being added to their collections.
However, all Cast Members accept scrappers for trades. Walt Disney World had no official policy against scrappers, and the pin trading boards you encounter around the parks and resorts usually have scrappers on them. Nevertheless, we advise against purchasing scrappers like the large lots you’ll find on Amazon or eBay for $1 to $2 per pin or so. Although they’re significantly cheaper than the real deal, they are fake. Just like we don’t recommend buying bootleg mouse ears, we don’t recommend scrappers.
Scrappers are controversial with hardcore Disney Pin Trading fans, and you’ll see many complaints about them in the comments below. Scrappers exist because Disney produces pins at factories that are known for producing overruns and counterfeit items. If Disney wanted to put an end to scrappers, they could easily do so by producing the pins elsewhere. Disney has made a business decision to allow them to continue, likely because moving production would cost more money and would be bad for business. Regardless, we do not recommend rolling the dice on scrappers. It’s simply not worth the savings.
Using Disney Pins?
If you’re collecting Disney Pins, you probably know what you want to do with them. You have cases or some method of displaying them. Of course, if you already collect pins, you probably don’t need an article like this introducing the hobby of pin trading to you.
However, if you’re a novice or a parent who is contemplating buying some pins for a souvenir, you might wonder just what you can do with Disney pins. Unlike shirts, hats, or other souvenirs you can wear, although you can wear pins around on a lanyard or hat, most people don’t actually wear lanyards full of pins in the real world. So pins might seem to have less practical purpose than other souvenirs you can buy at Walt Disney World.
However, we’ve found a great use for Disney pins, and that’s pin boards. Move over, Pinterest, because these are real life pin boards that you can hang up around the house. The boards can serve a practical purpose (such as posting notes or messages) or can be purely for novelty or fun.
Pins are great for dressing up these boards, and are a great way to display them. All you need are pins and a cheap tack board. We use our pin board for fun, pinning Disney countdown calendars, old park tickets, and other paper goods we’ve collected from the parks. It’s a great reminder of your Disney trip and great way to look forward to the next one! There are plenty of potential unorthodox uses for pins besides just storing them in boxes or cases, so get creative.
Our Disney Pin Trading Story
We were once avid pin traders. Pin trading allowed us to interact with more Cast Members than we ever did prior to trading, we’ve had more fun hunting pins than Hidden Mickeys on attractions, and it even got us selected as the “family” of the day in the Jammin’ Jungle Parade!
Moreover, I have found that pin designs are by far the most unique merchandise in all of WDW (extinct attractions, attraction anniversaries, rare characters, you name it). If you do it right, it’s an incredibly cheap hobby, and it provides you with cheap souvenirs, especially in comparison to those costly and large Big Figs I had been collecting.
The size of the pins is a big deal for us. We love to collect things, but if we continued to accumulate large items at our pre-Pin Trading pace, we would have needed to invest in a large warehouse to store everything. I have boxes upon boxes (we have storage rooms reminiscent of Citizen Kane or Raiders of the Lost Ark) bursting with Disney items that are just waiting to be unleashed, upon our future home. In this regard, especially, pin trading has been a good hobby, as our entire collection can be condensed into just a shoe box!
That said, we haven’t become nearly as addicted to Disney Pin Trading as many others have; it can become just as expensive and space-consuming as collecting other Disney pieces, as Disney churns out tons of pins on a monthly basis all with varying price points, designs and edition sizes to satiate all of those interested in Pin Trading.
We pretty much stopped buying new pins once we had enough to fill our pin board, as we didn’t want to pins in boxes and not look at them for years. Disney Pin Trading has become so popular that Disney holds special conventions dedicated to Pin Trading each year, and even a few websites devoted to following the Disney Pins exist.
While you certainly don’t have to become so invested in the hobby that you have thousands of pins, sometimes it’s difficult to resist. I’ve heard of many unassuming Disney fans getting hooked and spending substantial amounts of money on the hobby. So, be warned. But if it’s something you end up enjoying a lot and it isn’t really “dangerous,” do you really need a “warning”?
Ultimately, if you commit to only buying a limited number of pins to trade, and stick to that plan, you can have fun without getting hooked. You’ll also spend a lot less money on souvenirs and it will enhance your Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation as pin trading is almost like an interactive game!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of Disney Pin Trading? Are you a fan of it or not? If so, which pins are your favorites? What are your Pin Trading tips? Do you buy the lots on Amazon or eBay for you or your kids to trade on vacation? Let us know your thoughts or questions in the comments!
Man am I nervous about starting. I have no pins currently, but I really wanna get into it since I’ll be work as a cast member next year in FL. Sadly the link you posted just takes me to the item not that actual seller. I’m kinda really nervous about getting fake ones and ruining the whole experience, last thing I need is going to work and getting called out.
i’d LOVE for my kids to start this…it’s their first trip in 9 years. (ages 14, 9, &7) it seems like it could be really fun – maybe just for me and my youngest. the problem is i’ve heard so many warnings about fake pins that i think i’m scared off. just feel like there are too many things to check to make sure you are getting real pins at a reasonable price. when i say reasonable i mean not a huge investment. i was looking at it as a sort of alternate souvenir that costs less than most items that will be forgotten by the end of the week at the beach. any sure bets out there for 3 starter sets combined at $50?
You could try some of the pin collecting forums. Some might be selling legit for a bit under market price.
I was 15 when I started pin collecting. I had a blast. Still do.
But i wouldnt worry about fakies for littles, they will like what they like and if they want to get serious, then that’s a good oppurunity for them to save up for their next trip! 😀
This Sounds Super fun for my Nine year old son to also do. Is Disney Pin Trading a Common thing at Disneyland Also?
Pin trading is also common at Disneyland.
I just wanted to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading your blog. I am a Disney fan and I’m about to take my daughter for our 2nd trip to WDW. On our first night at dinner, I’m going to surprise her with a lanyard and about 20 pins (bought through Amazon and Ebay) to trade in the parks. I’m so excited! I had to get myself a lanyard and pins to trade too… the little girl inside couldn’t resist! Anyway, your blog is the best one I’ve read (and I’ve read tons). I appreciate your down-to-earth, accepting and helpful approach. I loved your piece on “The Kiss Goodnight” – your appreciation for the Mouse is heart-warming. Thanks for giving me a little WDW magic today to hold me over! Only 39 days!!!
Thanks for the tip about ordering the mixed bag of pins from Amazon. We used your link to the seller mentioned above to get our daughters some pins to trade on our next trip. It was a great assortment of pins. Many of the pins they actually really liked & decided are keepers 🙂
It really bums me out to see how many people are replying to this post saying thanks for the tip on getting cheap pins, meaning all these people brought more counterfeits to the park. So many people who don’t know any better are getting fake pins because of this.
Your missing the point. Avid collectors, *such as myself* don’t trade with just anyone.
But kids dont actually care about a serious collection, if it’s a “scrapper” or real. as long as they love it.
I collect. I have a huge collection, but for my 4 year old, for his first visit, he will get a lot off ebay to trade with the cast members, if he gets another “scrapper” or a real one fine. As long as he likes it.
When he’s a teen and works and makes his own spending money, If he wants to activily Collect the pins and not just have fun with them. Then he can spend his hard earned money on pins at Disney world or Disneyland. Till then it’s a fun thing.
Are bootlegs bad? yes. But it doesn’t destroy it for serious collectors as serious collectors know. And serious collectors usualy have a specific pin or pins they want, and know the amount and all the details about them.
For a 4 year old, a mickey pin is a mickey pin is a mickey pin.
My son might hate pin trading.
Or he might find some new pins in the gift shops that I’d gladdly buy a few of.
People should be aware that pins sold in lots for $1-$2 per pin are almost certainly “scrappers” and/or counterfeits. The sellers are generally selling many lots of pins over long periods…it simply isn’t possible to get that many legitimate pins at a price low enough to sell at $1-$2 per pin and make a profit.
Some of these sellers have negative feedback, but most of them don’t. Most of the people buying these lots are buying them for their children to trade, and they are unaware of the scrapper/counterfeit problem. They pay for their pins, the seller is courteous and ships in a timely manner, so the buyer of course gives positive feedback.
Yes, you will be able to trade these scrappers/fakes with cast members – they are instructed to accept any pin that appears to be a Disney pin and has the appropriate rubber backer. Because of these pin lots, cast lanyards are covered in scrapper/fake pins. You will save a great deal of money…at the expense of other pin collectors.
For example, go to this webpage and you will see a pin which was a limited edition of 25 pins: http://gallery.pinpics.com/cgi-bin/pin.cgi?pin=52310 . Disney sold only 25 of them, but copies of this pin have been showing up on cast lanyards all over the parks…placed there by unsuspecting traders who bought ebay lots.
I found your site through Pintrest- thanks for all the ideas! My husband and I are taking our 3 girls to Magic Kingdom this year for the first time. I found out about pin trading and the girls are soooo excited! I got 2 lots on ebay and they picked out lanyards. There were so many pins they liked I just hope they actually trade some!!
Awesome! Have a great trip!
I collect the pins but rarely trade them as I have a little system in place! Each trip I get one with the current year, one for the resort we stayed in, one for each of the four parks, and two pins for rides or attractions we particularly enjoyed that year (usually new stuff we haven’t done before). As we only get to visit every two-three years it’s a nice memento of each trip, and it’s interesting to see how the pins have changed over time!
I grew up going to Disneyland. My birthday generally falls on Labor Day Weekend, and living in So. Calif. that was my birthday present.
Since moving away from So. Calif. my visits to Disneyland decreased.
In 2007, I returned to The Disneyland Resort; and my first visit to California Adventure.
Practically, every cast member had a lanyard; and I was hooked, on pin trading.
I now go several times a year; and have many pins to trade.
And many pins that I won’t trade. I buy at least 1 pin each visit, that has a specific memory. (A favorite attraction, or character). I have gone during Halloween Time and The Evil Queen (from Snow White), remembered me from days prior visits. Thus I bought a pin that rotated from Evil Queen to the Old Hag.
I have done several tours, at the Disneyland Resort, and guests receive a pin, (which I will not trade).
I am often asked by other guests where the closest restroom is or how long a wait is for an attraction. I will point them in the right direction, while informing them that I don’t work at Disneyland.
Haha, that’s pretty funny that other guests confuse you for a Cast Member because of the lanyard. Makes sense (and nice of you to help)!
Sigh…I always sound like such an old man.
I remember when pins used to be free spiffs. I have a whole box of ones I got gratis in the Magic Kingdom and early EPCOT days. I also remember that pin trading was supposed to be a milennium-only thing. Heh indeedy!
On the not-so-grumpy side, I use an Agent P pin as a tie tack for dressed-up occasions in WDW. It always takes people a beat or two to get it, but the reaction is always positive. I do wish the pins were a little thinner though, as the holes it leaves means I have to limit using it with textured-weave ties.
Disney has definitely done pin trading to excess, and it seems Vinylmations are heading down the same path. I suspect any subsequent merchandising “craze” Disney can concoct in the future will be treated the same.
That said, unless you’re going way back, I think pins have been a popular piece of merchandise since well before the Millennium Celebration–that’s just when Disney forced it to become big. Disney might have given away pins back in the day, but pins were sold sold, too.
For the Colorado Rockies’ inaugural season (1993), I distinctly remember my grandpa getting me a hat. I went to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando with that hat that year, and filled the thing with pins that I bought from both places. It was hideous (in retrospect) and uncomfortable, but I’m pretty sure even then I remember seeing other people in line with similar button-covered hats and clothes. Pins definitely weren’t as big then, but people still purchased and collected them.
I think pin trading can still be a great (and comparatively speaking, cheap) souvenir and way for kids to interact with Cast Members on a trip, but in just about every other regard, pin trading has lost its luster for me.
My husband is like a big kid when it comes to pin trading. I like it too, but he’ll trade one pin and then trade new pin he just traded for with the next cast member he finds. He does it all day so by the end of the day that one pin gave him the opportunity to trade multiple times till he finally finds one to keep. I have a habit of wanting to just keep more :-). He already bought 1 lot from ebay and is planning to buy more for our trip in November. I think he’ s excited lol!
Since we don’t want any new pins, I’ve thought about doing this, but it’s tough to get rid of the ones we like, even for better ones!
Excellent article :)! I started pin trading the first year I went to Disneyworld (2007). I try to enjoy it and not get too crazy about it. Then again I only collect Donald Duck pins lol.
Collecting one thing (character/attraction/etc.) is definitely the way to go. Even then, you can end up with a lot of pins. There are HUNDREDS (if not thousands) of Figment pins!
I, too collect figment and can attest my fav character has filled 6 show cases of pins. I am not happy with the information that suggests the ” pro collectors “are villains! It is an excellent and sometimes the only opportunity for more serious collectors to see and trade for pins no longer available at the parks. Cast pins are fun but represent a limited access to vintage or LE pins. They tend to be scrapers unless u can find a CM with pins still in the package assigned for trading that day. Yes they are tradable, if that’s all you want to do. I was introduced to the next level of trading by collectors willing to share history and actually got my first pin as a gift from one of the ” pros” Now I seek a table when at Ecot and make many friends.
omg we should totally trade I have 104 Donald ins and im looking for some good jack skellington or the nightmare before Christmas pins
How do you determine the number of pins that are in a set? Also is there any way of knowing which pin belongs to which set. HELP
I bet I’m the only one who scrutinized your pin-board photo to see how many of your pins I have in my own collection! I also have the magic carpet pin with Aladdin and Jasmine (bottom in the middle), which I believe I got for free at the Emporium after spending $30 or so, and I also got the Space Mountain Stitch pin (top right) from a mystery pin box. Pins are great because they are almost always attached to a memory and I love flicking through my folders. When I start my Disney College Program in June I’m worried that that’s what all my earnings will be going towards!
I actually just took the photo of the board this morning! I had to take a lot of pins off of it so I could add the text in Photoshop, but I think the board is fun. Unfortunately, it doesn’t “fit the decor” in our house, so it’s relegated to the garage, but I still look at it regularly!
We have a pin board exactly like the one that you photographed! When we moved into our current rental home my wife got to decorate one bathroom (boring Parisian stuff) and I got to decorate one (awesome Disney/Mickey stuff). My D23 Epcot logo patch collection is framed on the wall and some cool park poster frames as well (they didn’t fit the decor of the rest of the house so I got to have fun with this room). Our antenna toppers function as a “potpourri bowl” on the top of the toilet tank and our pin board is on the wall. All complemented by the MM bathroom fixtures (like soap dish, etc) and the MM shower curtain. So all our Disney stuff gets to be displayed 🙂 Though on our recent trip we completely filled our board and so now we may need to figure out what the next step is!
Wow, you got an entire bathroom?! You’re lucky. I only have the garage…
I am going to disney for the first time and would like to buy some pins before we go for my 8 and 6 year old. I thought i would leave one on there pillows each night so we don’t have to waste time shopping in the disney stores buying pens. Do you know of any ebay sellers that sells official pins. I am very nervous about ordering them and my kids not being able to trade them.
Thank you.
I’d like to know this away. Buying things on Ebay has been hit or miss for me most of the time so you’re warning has left me a bit wary. However, I am excited to trade if my trip next year is solo.
I am curious as to what the protocol is for not wanting to trade a specific pin. I have a pin that was given to me on our last trip (you can read the story here: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2980964) and I would like to wear it but I defintley don’t want to trade it!
Samantha,
The typical “protocol” for that would be to simply wear the pin on your clothes or maybe a hat. I’ve worn mine on my purse or backpack strap etc. *Usually* pins worn on a lanyard are meant for trading, though some people wear what is called a “Peacock” lanyard. In other words, they’re “showing off” certain rare, special or high value pins for whatever reason. (I’ve done it at times when people have asked to see certain pins from my collection that are quite old or rare, and they otherwise would never be able to “see” them “in person”.) Most people though if you say “I’m sorry, but that’s a special pin to me and it’s not for trade, but thank you for asking” are more than accommodating and will not ask further. Biggest thing… have fun and ENJOY your collection! I even wear some of mine as “jewelry” in my “everyday” life to bring some Disney magic with me wherever I go 🙂 Hope that helps.
If you wear your pin, be sure to get a locking back. We found several pins laying on the ground because the ‘mickey backs’ come off in a bustling crowd.
In planning my first trip back to Disney since 2001, your blog site has become quite the God-send. Any questions that I have, you seem to have answers for me. Thanks a bunch! This post about pins helped a lot too. I think I’ll be trying it out casually just to check it out. Rock on Disney Fans, rock on.
PS: Your photography is stellar.
Thanks for the kind words!
Have you ever met Scoop at MK (on Main Street)? He is basically the “Pin Trading Ambassador” for MK if not Walt Disney World in general. He’s the Main Street Reporter and is also at many of the “Pin trading Conventions/Events” you mention as the emcee. He’s a lot of fun and will play sometimes “pin games” with the pins on his lanyard and is very generous and knowledgeable about pin trading etiquette etc. He used to have a “1 O’Clock Pin talk” and would talk about how pins are made, what new things are coming out etc. Worth finding him on Main Street whether you’re new to the hobby or a more serious collector. He’s usually there Sunday, Monday and Tuesday morning thru early afternoon I think. You can ask about his schedule at City Hall.
Actually, after years of missing Scoop, I finally got to meet him. Unfortunately, he no longer does pin trading. He said it was because so many people were trading him with scrappers. So sad .
Nice =) I love pin-trading, I just hit my 100-pin mark on my last trip to Disneyland. How many pins have you guys got?
wow that awesome wait until u hit the 2600 mark you will see that u barley have any pins comparded to whats out there
Great article on the basics of pin trading! I collect the Adventures by Disney pins – those are my favorites!
Have y’all tried the pin nights? They are usually the 3rd Friday of the month at one of the Magic Kingdom hotels, and the “professional” traders are there, but you don’t have to worry about them asking you to buy a certain pin as there are only 5 or so for sale there.
No! Never even heard of them, actually! We have been around resort hotels a couple of nights when Cast Members have brought out large pin boards, but never the Pin Nights. I’m not sure if going to one of them would be “safe” for us, as we’re trying to avoid the hobby becoming an obsession.
we want to get pins for our kids to trade just for fun not for collectors etc…. we have 4 kids and cannot afford to park pins….can you give me some trusted ebay sellers?
423disneypinfreak or you can check out a youtube account called disneypro33 its new and he/she is pretty good at answering questions I have had before
Hi thank You for your blog. I am taking my daughter to Disney World didn’t do pin trading. She really wanted to do it this year so I just ordered some off of ebay, do you think its safe to trade them. Also how do I know if they are fake. He said that they have the mickey backs and stamps on them and they are 100% ok to trade. I just got worried aftre reading a few of the comments on here and don’t want to add to fake pins out there 🙁 Should I buy new ones there ? The name on Amazin I ordered from is Bri.bri.inc have you heard of it? Thanks Again , I look forward to reading more from you 🙂
Dont listen to that guy. 423pinfreak sells huge lots of scrappers. The pins are colored wrong or faded and not disney quality.
Love the site. Love your photography. I have followed you for several years on wdwmagic and flickr. Keep us updated!!
A great article! I’ve been collecting pins for a few years, but only recently ventured into trading. I like that you touch upon pin trading as a great way to interact more with cast members. I’ve had some magical moments trading and make sure to recognize the outstanding cast members around the parks.
Yes, it’s definitely a great way to interact with Cast Members with whom you normally wouldn’t. I truly believe it’s a great way for guests (if they’re polite, ask how the CM’s day is going, etc.) to ‘make their day.’
First time going to disney for new years, do you have to trade disney pins or can they be pins you have collected from soccer tournaments?
I have two girls, thought this would be a fun thing for them to do and have some great souveniers from their first disney trip.
I collected soccer pins and have a huge collection that is why i am wondering if i can trade those for disney pins?
I have to say that while you provide a lot of good information on Disney pins and pin trading, you also make a good many mistakes in your instructions on how to avoid buying fake or scrapper pins.
As an avid collector and seller on ebay, online and at the parks, I know that sellers with 100% positive feedback can be sellers of counterfeit or other illegal Disney pins. Also, the stamps on the back of the pin are meaningless as far as determining whether or not they are official Disney pins. As for trading, cast members often have these bad pins on their lanyards as they do not check, neither would they know how to see if the pins they receive in trades are genuine. Also, when you buy any pins in lots or “in bulk” for $ 1.00 a pin, you are buying bad pins, then reselling them in Disney, thus contributing to the fake pin industry. On ebay, some pin sellers say on their listing that their pins are “From China”. These are from Chinese factories that make counterfeit pins and sell them on ebay. These factories also sell huge lots to smaller pin retailers who sell on ebay to you at below their market value or original price – these are fakes. Thirty pins for $30.00: if it seems to good to be true… Limited edition pins sold by the tens on ebay. Really? We aren’t that naive!
These are just a few warnings – check out pinpics. mousepintrading, DISboards, and dizpins for pictures of known scrappers, real pins, lists of bad and good ebay sellers and lots of good information on how to avoid contributing to the buying and selling of illegal “Disney” pins. -jolie713
So what if the pins are fakes. Disney bought them from a Chinese company and paid 2 cents instead of the fake ones that are 1 cent. It’s just that Disney has the audacity to charge $10. If this is for kids swapping with cast members, it’s a great memory and a lot of cheap fun. If you’re an avid collector, then you know to avoid it (and obviously have a lot of extra money!) I think the article is great and not sure why an big time collector would read it……
Amen.
no one cares about what u say if it is negative heres a tip look at the back it says Disney good ! no writing not good ! that’s all to say now BYE !
Lynn is pretty much on the money, just because it says Disney and has a copyright stamp doen’t mean it’s not counterfit. Pinpics has alot of info in the discription of each of the pins and if there are scrappers of that pin out there then the discription will tell you what to look for to tell if it’s a scrapper or not. You always take a chance when you buy off of ebay, just make sure to ask questions.
This seems to be difficult. Too good to be true…I’m guessing the ones that sell for higher prices could be fake too. I have to research more to see what to look for. just like toys, I’m guessing it’s very hard to tell good fakes from the real ones (they could be made practically identical I’m sure)
Have read a lot on this. joke. Disney pins are made in china. Who’s to say whats “real” and what’s fake unless they are really bad. From what I’ve read, scrappers are real pins, just overflows or “seconds/sub-par batches. OK, they are Disney themed. I’m thinking its hard to tell many of these from the official top quality/park sold ones…and who wants to trade/buy 8-10 dollar over priced pins (expected like everything Disney) for trading…and probably end up with those 1.00 pins. Either way it gets people into the hobby and they probably start buying those expensive ones they really want