Hidden Mickeys help?

[YoSoyAhPuch]

I know the basic things to look for when it comes to scrapper pins:
rough metallic edges
dips in the paint
funky colors
dull enamel
weird back markings (like wrong date, wrong seal on the back, etc.)
overall funkyness.

I just started to collect hidden mickeys and many of these have known fakes. I'm hoping that all of my hidden mickeys are real, but I'm not too sure. Is it just me or are the hidden mickeys made at a lower quality than other pins? I'm saying this because some of my hidden mickeys have the polished enamel but dips in the paint, and others look good except that the enamel is not very polished. It is hard for me to figure out what is good or not. I might be ridiculous, but I kind of want the real things in my collection.

I should say that this worries me because some of these pins I have as traders and I don't want to give someone a fake pin. They look good, but I just want to make sure.

There are just so many variations in the quality of the hidden mickeys.

Or most of mine are scrappers. Which I hope is not the case.

Meh, any help would be nice. Do you have this same issue with these pins?

- Alex

 

[PinKitten]

One thing I can say for sure is that dips in the pin do not necessarily mean a hidden mickey (or any pin) is a fake. We bought a Black Cauldron completer pin right out of the mystery bag, and it had a big dip. I would say look also at the thickness of the pin (if you have one you KNOW is real, i.e., you bought it yourself or got it from someone who did, compare it with a few you're not sure about), fakes tend to be thinner.

With the HMs it's really difficult to tell, unfortunately. I think in general even the real ones are not as good quality as other Disney pins.

 

[earthbound]

Alex, Hidden Mickey pins seem to me to be the most copied, cannot answer why but as soon as they are released (sometimes even before) fakes hit the trading arena. I have practically every Cast Lanyard/Hidden Mickey issued pin since 2002 (apart from the 6 in my siggie!), now even the older pins are being scrapped.

I have had real & fake/scrapped/counterfeit pins side by side - what I have noticed is that the fake/scrapped/counterfeit seem to be thinner & subsequently lighter in weight. The backstamps can be positioned differently & there are also spelling errors - i.e. Hidden Miokey. There was also a mention of the fake/scrapped/counterfeit not having the two nubs on either side of the pin post - but this maybe false as pins contained in the mystery bags did not have them!

Fake/scrapped/counterfeit may also be slightly smaller in size (Figment emotions for example), lighter in color or colour errors (Jack/Sally candy) or in some instances rust may appear around the pin post or you may get that "metal" smell in your hands - all from personal experience.

I always try to get my pins as soon as they are released by any means possible - if you need any help with any info on any pin let me know!!

 

[Tabbikat2219]

Well I have a collection of scrappers that people have sent to me unintentionally. I call it the naughty box. I agree with earthbound most of the scrappers are just lighter in weight. A dip in the finish does not mean it is a scrapper. I have gotten them right out of the bag and had a bit of color be different or a dip in the paint. Biggest thing that jumps out at me is if there is a size difference lets say all of the pins in the series are square and then you get one that is smaller than the others more than likely its a scrapper or fake.

 

[Rocke01]

People have a tendency to scream scrapper whenever they see a imperfect pin these days. Many pins go out with defects in them and are sold at the parks without the buyer noticing. then when they notice they trade the pin away and the next person that gets it screams scrapper. I think while many many pins are indeed proven to be scrapped there are also many of them that haven't but say they have.... JMO