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PINPICS and how to tell if you have a counterfeit

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PINPICS and how to tell if you have a counterfeit

iamdisneydan

The Bald Guy In The Back
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Hello Everyone.

Here is another bit of what I think is useful information to think about.
With all of the talk about scrappers and counterfeits, I have noticed that many of the pictures on Pinpics are not of the GENUINE pin.

Much like Wikipedia, this is a fan based site and any of us can add a picture as well as description. The only problem I have found (and there is a solution) is that sometimes the first person to post a pic has shown an incorrect pin. In most cases, I have noticed that a color or colors are wrong.

A great example is the Teacups and also Candy Corn HM's. Each of these was listed before their release date, and in good faith, the people who listed them posted a pic and description of the pins.

This holds true with many pins I have noticed and taken time to research. I am not faulting these people as they were certainly trying to help by listing a pin. The other day someone asked me how to know which pin was the real one. The backs were identical and everything was perfect, from thickness to finish, however, each used different colors on the character.

Tough choice to make right? WRONG! The best way to know is one of two things.
Either purchase the pin (or look at it on the rack) at an official Disney sales location or use ODPT. (Official Disney Pin Trading) Disneyland is in control of their own site and uses an actual pin for the pic. (They don’t get scrappers or counterfeits) This is one of the best ways to know if a pin is correctly colored.

Some of you, who are in the know, know that the fake Candy Corns were Greenish yellow; they had a weird tint but were in no way the Yellow on the official pin site. With these pins next to each other, you can easily tell the difference, but if you did not know which one was the real one, you may choose incorrectly.

They also have a decent search feature. The only down side is they don’t have nearly as many pins listed as Pinpics but there are over 10,000 to look at.

The counterfeiters are now counterfeiting many types of pins, not just flat pins but also pin on pin and everything else now. Aside from quality, the biggest thing I have noticed is using different colors.

One example is an LE500 pin with Minnie on it. Her bow should be Red but in a counterfeit pin it was Pink. Most people would just accept this. Even the eye color of a pin can tell you. A princess pin had blue eyes and they should have been yellow.

The best advice I can give is this is your hobby so spend a little time learning what to look for. If you are trading for a higher value pin or really any pin, know what to look for to ensure you are getting the real pin.

I don’t feel it is out of line to ask the trader / seller for an actual pic of the pin. Too many times they just copy pinpics and the pin you get is different. Don’t be afraid to ask. If they are a good trader, they will understand as I am sure they want a real pin too.

I have heard too many stories after the fact that a pin received was not real. Its like kicking the tires before you buy the car.

Hope this helps and happy pin trading to all.

iamdisneydan
The Bald Guy In The Back
 
Actual images of the pin (a scan or a photo) also can reveal the pin's condition, which is nice. When I've bought pins on eBay, I've always felt better about listings that state the image is of the actual pin. The few times I've sold a pin on eBay, I've scanned the pin and posted that image. And I've had traders ask for actual photos before, which I've been happy to provide. Some people aren't good with cameras or scanners, though, so I guess even an actual image might not always work.
 
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