Pin Trading/Buying

[Quellman]

So I guess I was duped and now priced out of this hobby.

As long as you enjoy the pins in your collection that is what matters the most. Just be aware that there are plenty of fake pins in the parks and on the ships. I usually find discount pins at the Character Warehouse in Orlando, for around $2 a pin. Those I buy in bulk and use for trading. This way I don't feel bad if I end up with a fake one, just toss it away.

 

[Van Houten]

Sorry to highjack this older thread, but did anyone have any recent experience on a cruise where all of the pins worn by the officers during pin trading event were scrappers and fakes? On our past trips, trading binders at stores used to have plenty of fakes, but on our last trip on Wonder, all of the officers' lanyards at the event appeared to be filled by the same fakes from the binders. This was the first time my kids didn't find anything they wanted to trade - there was no variety, just repeats of the same designs, and none looked to be original. My son was given a pin at one of the Oceaneers' Lab events, and even that one turned out to be a fake.

 

[dcassetta]

Sorry to highjack this older thread, but did anyone have any recent experience on a cruise where all of the pins worn by the officers during pin trading event were scrappers and fakes? On our past trips, trading binders at stores used to have plenty of fakes, but on our last trip on Wonder, all of the officers' lanyards at the event appeared to be filled by the same fakes from the binders. This was the first time my kids didn't find anything they wanted to trade - there was no variety, just repeats of the same designs, and none looked to be original. My son was given a pin at one of the Oceaneers' Lab events, and even that one turned out to be a fake.

Similar to CM lanyards at the parks.

 

[AgentMama]

So its totally taboo to buy lots of pins on eBay? Is there a "safe" place to buy pins for trading other than full price in the parks?

 

[Van Houten]

So its totally taboo to buy lots of pins on eBay? Is there a "safe" place to buy pins for trading other than full price in the parks?

If you look at the descriptions, you will notice that the lots on eBay are advertised as "tradeable", but avoid the subject of authenticity. These are 100% fakes and scrappers, mostly the former. WDW used to clear out the lanyards of CMs at the end of the shift, and dump these fakes by thousands; that's where many of these lots appear to originate. This also explains the claim of being tradeable - these pins were in fact traded at WDW.

Whether or not it is a taboo to buy them is a separate subject. They may be fine as a starter collection for younger kids, which can eventually be dumped.

 

[cadien]

So its totally taboo to buy lots of pins on eBay? Is there a "safe" place to buy pins for trading other than full price in the parks?

There are pin trading FB groups that include reputable people selling lots and grab bags that work out to about $3 per pin. Mostly duplicates from mystery pouches and blind boxes.

 

[AgentMama]

There are pin trading FB groups that include reputable people selling lots and grab bags that work out to about $3 per pin. Mostly duplicates from mystery pouches and blind boxes.

Thanks, I'll take a look for the FB groups so that I'm not contributing to the counterfeit problem!

 

[BruinEd03]

So its totally taboo to buy lots of pins on eBay? Is there a "safe" place to buy pins for trading other than full price in the parks?

I buy from this guy: http://mousepinsonline.com. He seems to have a lot of customers. If you do find a fake, he will ship you two real ones as a replacement.

 

[AgentMama]

I buy from this guy: http://mousepinsonline.com. He seems to have a lot of customers. If you do find a fake, he will ship you two real ones as a replacement.

Thanks so much!

 

[Van Houten]

I buy from this guy: http://mousepinsonline.com. He seems to have a lot of customers. If you do find a fake, he will ship you two real ones as a replacement.

I remembered reading in this forum about that site, just had to look it up: https://www.disboards.com/threads/pin-fakes-please-be-careful-mousepinsonline.3042230/
It's the same conversation about pins being "tradeable" (e.g. CMs will accept them for trade) - even on that site, there is no representation made that the pins they sell are original, only that they have a ©Disney mark. Well, fake pins have those, and the embossed background, and sometimes clean edges - they just won't have the same quality and detail of the image. As for CMs accepting fakes for trades - they are instructed never to refuse a trade from a guest.