The information available in this post is available as a PDF on Google drive. Remember, the internet is not forever and printing physical copies can be your friend.
Butterfly
The OG pin back, not only Disney pins, these metal clasps are typical for any lapel pin. Usually found in Gold or Silver, Licensees also use colors to match the back of corresponding pin.
Standard Rubber
In response to complaints that butterfly backs came off too easily, and can scratch other pins, Standard Rubber backs started appearing shortly after the start of Official Disney Pin Trading. While most Standard Rubber backs are Black, some older sets used Beige or Yellow. Standard Black Rubber backs continue to be used for most Marvel pin releases, officially licensed pins and many Tokyo Disneyland pins after the Mickey shaped back was introduced.
Shaped
As previously mentioned, the Mickey Icon shaped back is the primary pin back collectors will encounter. Pins from the early days of Official Disney Pin Trading might have a Starburst shaped back (matching The Disney Catalog pin logo). Accessory packs sold in the early 2000s included shapes like Aurora’s Crown, Cinderella’s Slipper, Mickey Parts, etc. Encountering a pin with one of these usually indicates the back is not original to that pin. (I can’t remember if there were specific pins early on, that had these odd backs.)
Brooch
Pre-Official Disney Pin Trading, lapel pins were considered a sub-category of jewelry and not always a souvenir category in their own right. As such, several older pins do not have a post style back, but a bar with a clasp. Other newer higher end pieces, developed to be specifically jewelry, but have been accepted by the Disney Pin Collecting community, may also have brooch backs.
Screw
Some enamel items that look and function a lot like pins were sold attached to hats pre-Official Disney Pin Trading. Since they were intended to take some abuse and might be prone to coming off, they were attached with a back that screwed onto a post.
Stick
Vintage pins from the early-mid 20th Century through the 1970s were intended to be worn on a suit lapel or a scarf, and look quite different than what modern pin collectors are accustomed to.
Tie-Tac
Similar to the reason for Brooch style clasps, some pre-Official Disney Pin Trading items were originally developed to be worn as a piece of jewelry on clothing such as a tie or suit lapel, and needed to remain securely in place. Additionally, this type of clasp may be encountered on Service Award and Club 33 Member pins.
Get to Know: Disney Pin Clasps
Introduced August 2001, the black, rubber Mickey Icon shaped pin back is so ubiquitous, newer traders may be confused by the different types of pin backs they may encounter while trading or buying pins. This info sheet describes the different type of clasps one may encounter while acquiring Disney Pins, especially from secondary sources. Disney Pin Collectors do not normally treat backs as important to the pin and use them interchangeably, so can’t reliably be used to date or authenticate a pin, by that alone. Older pins, in packaging, having the appropriate clasp for that era, however, is a positive sign.
Butterfly
The OG pin back, not only Disney pins, these metal clasps are typical for any lapel pin. Usually found in Gold or Silver, Licensees also use colors to match the back of corresponding pin.
Standard Rubber
In response to complaints that butterfly backs came off too easily, and can scratch other pins, Standard Rubber backs started appearing shortly after the start of Official Disney Pin Trading. While most Standard Rubber backs are Black, some older sets used Beige or Yellow. Standard Black Rubber backs continue to be used for most Marvel pin releases, officially licensed pins and many Tokyo Disneyland pins after the Mickey shaped back was introduced.
Shaped
As previously mentioned, the Mickey Icon shaped back is the primary pin back collectors will encounter. Pins from the early days of Official Disney Pin Trading might have a Starburst shaped back (matching The Disney Catalog pin logo). Accessory packs sold in the early 2000s included shapes like Aurora’s Crown, Cinderella’s Slipper, Mickey Parts, etc. Encountering a pin with one of these usually indicates the back is not original to that pin. (I can’t remember if there were specific pins early on, that had these odd backs.)
Brooch
Pre-Official Disney Pin Trading, lapel pins were considered a sub-category of jewelry and not always a souvenir category in their own right. As such, several older pins do not have a post style back, but a bar with a clasp. Other newer higher end pieces, developed to be specifically jewelry, but have been accepted by the Disney Pin Collecting community, may also have brooch backs.
Screw
Some enamel items that look and function a lot like pins were sold attached to hats pre-Official Disney Pin Trading. Since they were intended to take some abuse and might be prone to coming off, they were attached with a back that screwed onto a post.
Stick
Vintage pins from the early-mid 20th Century through the 1970s were intended to be worn on a suit lapel or a scarf, and look quite different than what modern pin collectors are accustomed to.
Tie-Tac
Similar to the reason for Brooch style clasps, some pre-Official Disney Pin Trading items were originally developed to be worn as a piece of jewelry on clothing such as a tie or suit lapel, and needed to remain securely in place. Additionally, this type of clasp may be encountered on Service Award and Club 33 Member pins.