Holy Grail- How long did it take you?

[mybabykelly]

Here's a question I hope hasn't been asked before. What is the longest you've waited to acquire a holy grail, and what is the quickest? Please post pinpics pictures. And of course, everyone has their own interpretation of "Holy Grails". IMO it can be any type of pin (Open, LE, CM), just as long as it was at the very top of your WANTS list. I wanna hear everyone's stories, from LE25 pins to those elusive Open edition/hidden mickey pins that you just could not find!

Since I haven't been collecting a long time and kinda went gung-ho quickly, the longest I've waited was six months. Once I saw this guy, I immediately knew I had to have him one day. Even though he's not uber rare like some other holy grails, he is still by far my favorite pin ever.

The quickest I got a grail was in a week. One day I added this guy to my wants list, and the next Tammy was nice enough to trade it to me At the time, I was barely starting out and I didn't think I had a chance at it, being an LE125.

 

[PixarPerils]

Oooh, this thread is going to be interesting. Great question, Mike!

Wish I could contribute, but I'm still looking for that first one. (It's been 2 years so far)

 

[Kahlan]

This one took me a couple days going back and forth trying to justify the price for it, but as soon as I clicked the BIN button, I felt so relieved! I didn't know when I would see this pin again, as it was an L25. :3 So this one only took a couple of days.

This one I bought of Lynnette here, and when I saw it, it was mine. I had maybe had my signature up for a week or two, and it was on of the tops, so I just also had to have it. I'm bad on spending money on pins. xD This is an LE 250. I have a few more grails but it's late and I'll update later.

 

[DumboLover21]

Mike-This is a great question!!

I have looked and looked everywhere until finally after 2 years I was able to get my first Holy Grail!!! :hsd::hsd::hsd:

NOW, Its been a VERY LONG TIME (or should I say feels like FOREVER) since I am still looking for my #2 GRAIL! SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET!!!! But I am NOT GIVING UP!!!!:anxious::anxious::anxious:

 

[RIDisneyPinGuy]

I've waited as little as a couple of months, as long as 2+ years... funny thing is some of the ones that I figured would be easiest to obtain, were the most difficult (and in a couple of cases, only obtained through purchase).

 

[pauly88]

About a year for this one

http://pinpics.com/cgi-bin/pin.cgi?pin=76769&sid=6311.1314105345.v2

This one only for a month which was cool as it being an older pin thought it take longer then a year just goes to show you never know when you'll ge them..

http://pinpics.com/cgi-bin/pin.cgi?pin=1772&sid=6311.1314105345.v2

 

[redstorm63]

I'm still waiting for my original holy grail. It's really one of the pins that got me into pin trading and, still, after 10 years, still haven't been able to get it - [pinpics]3742[/pinpics]

 

[HeatherFeather]

I have a few grails that I really don't plan on ever seeing...like the ones in my signature. That is for two reasons....1. I am a cheapskate...I can't bring myself to pay over $75 really for ANY single pin. Most of them that show up on eBay are BIN and they cost is $1 arm +$1 leg. 2. I am a pretty passive trader. I don't send out a lot of trade requests and haven't gone to any trading events. So for those two reasons, I kind of don't think I will see most of my "grail" type pins. I am okay with that though...it's good to want things.

That said, I did however get the pin below...a special grail as I grew up in the SF Bay Area. About a year and a half ago I was lucky enough to buy a pin from DS.com that "re-appeared" after being sold out. It was a pretty sought after pin and I got an offer to trade it for THIS grail, which of course I gladly did. I think this had been on my wants list for 2.5 years before I got it.

 

[lunarbasket]

My first real grail, I think I waited a whole day before pulling the trigger on...very glad I did!:

I'm still waiting on these and it's been months (I only really started collecting in December...so that's a long time for me LOL):

 

[hopemax]

Well, most of my grail pins were put on my Pinpics list in 2000-2002, and I'm only getting them now. But between 2005-and when this board started, the only pin additions I was doing were from CM trading, purchased new, and a couple of Sept pin events. So I wasn't actively hunting. So I don't know how that skews my numbers. But it has helped my acquisition strategy. Since the grails of yesteryear have higher edition sizes than today's pins, by waiting until now to get them, it means I can get a lot of them for a reasonable price. Maybe in another 10 years, the LE150 pins will be considered high, and everyone will be hunting down LE25's!

 

[mybabykelly]

Awesome stories everyone.

Kahlan- Thats so awesome that you managed an LE25 in a matter of days!!! So cool.
Marcia- That Dumbo pin is freakin adorable! Now that is GRAIL MATERIAL. And Im sure you will find Grail #2 someday. I'll be on the lookout!!!
RipDisneyguy- I know what you mean! For the life of me I can't get some of the open editions off my wants list, but have managed a handful of the lower editions.
Pauly- Ahhh, that Naveen pin is awesome. While I don't own an LE25, it must be awesome knowing you own 1 of 25 pins made.
Redstorm- Wow, the wants/trades ratio is high on that! Good thing its an LE1000 and wishing you luck in finding it.
Heatherfeather- Thats an awesome story. It was just destiny that you would get your grail. Congrats.
Lunar- Its so scary pulling the trigger (you never know if the pin will keep its value) but you must be relieved you did! Imagine if you didnt? You'd still be looking for that one
Hopemax- Haha I like your thinking!!! Sometimes it does pay to hold off on pins for awhile, but its hard to resist But you're collection is just wow.