I need some help......

[BATB_Abbi]

Hi everyone. Now I am not entirely new on the idea of pin trading. (On the internet and Disney parks) but I seem to fall into his continuing pattern of getting stuck...

I do not have any rare pins. None at all. (I own some but I have none to trade) So my problem is I can’t seem to understand(?) or find an affordable way to get rarer or pins people actually want.

I also love not near enough to visit any Disney park, and I am too young to have a sustainable job so I am not able to purchase pins online.

So, I was just wondering how to really get started.

How do I build my collection and traders mainly, from 0 to hero? (HERCULES!!)

any help is appreciated. Any stories from when you first began to trade. Really any tips you have so I can try to get the best out of pin trading without spending loads of money.

I am also open to PM’s if you have a super long list of tips, but I’m hoping I’m not the only one who gets stuck

 

[Jabberwocky]

Really any tips you have so I can try to get the best out of pin trading without spending loads of money.

Short answer: you can't. Pin collecting is a very expensive hobby, unless all you are doing is lanyard trading in the parks and even then it's not easy to get legit cheap traders in large amounts.

Bottom line suggestion: enjoy what you can get with what you can afford and don't stress what you can't. Or put pin collecting on hold until you have a source of income to afford it.

It's just life - we can't always afford everything we'd like. 🙂

 

[hopemax]

You have to learn to Zig while others Zag.

Don't worry about traders, just worry about your collection. When you have a little extra funds check out the DL and WDW pickup threads, or you can order through Shop Disney or the Disney Parks app or the online version: this is a Disney link, but someone didn't input the meta data properly {{ metaTag.socialTitle || metaTag.title}} . If you have funds, pay attention to when the Soda Fountain is having an online release and try to get some. This way you know you are getting authentic pins. Do you have a Box Lunch near you? Most of my traders come from buying mystery boxes and ending up with duplicates (these trade well) or booster sets that you only need a couple pins for, or visiting the outlet stores while on vacation and buying what is cheap. Now, outlet store pins aren't going to get you what you want immediately (they are at the outlet for a reason), but let them percolate in your trade book for a year or two, and you never know what a new trader down the line is going to be looking for. Don't go hog wild on traders, though, your limited funds will be better spent on adding to your collection. But it is nice to have something. I have clicked on enough Pinpics profiles for people with only 20 or so pins on their trade list. The people with hundreds have been doing this for years, and years.

Despite what you see on FB and sometimes here, most people have "average" pins, with a few rarities sprinkled throughout. We can't compete with the SoCal group who has access to a lot more than we do, and even though it's really hard to ignore all the WDI and DSSH jewels, sometimes it's easier to pretend they don't exist. Set a goal for yourself. Maybe, at your birthday if you get a little extra money you can buy a HTF pin. But try to get one that you love, but was popular a couple years ago and may be more attainable than the one that just came out last week or month.

Time will march on, you will get older, you will have more access to funds, hot pins will cool off and drop in price.

 

[bookhugger]

I can't wait for the hot pins to drop in price so I can afford them!

 

[Stix1800]

Don't worry, I'm in the same boat too when it comes to trading. On top of what has already been said I would suggest you check your local thrift shop. One time I found a pin that had enough trade value to get me one of my grail pins.

 

[DeputyDonald]

The best way to buy LE pins for trade in my opinion is on Disney’s websites or better yet in the parks. Downtown Disney has a pin store that sells limited edition pins at cost which in my opinion is the most affordable way to get good LE traders. I send my sister there to buy me pins from time to time. Since the store is outside the park I can ask anyone I know to pick something up for me as long as it doesn’t require an Annual Pass to do so as some pins are Annual Passholder only.

As others have said you will get older and things will change. Las Vegas is not that far from Disneyland. Considering it’s not in CA it’s pretty much as close as you can get. In high school and college I made frequent trips from SoCal (Anaheim) to Las Vegas. I have family out in Henderson. It would take about 3 1/2 hours to 4 hours to drive.

I know people in Texas who drive 14 hours to get to WDW so considering that a 3.5-4 hour drive is a breeze when you get older. Heck I sit in traffic round trip each day about that long. Just kidding, but some people do. Especially in Los Angeles. That traffic is awful. That’s partly why I rarely went to the Soda Fountain in Hollywood when I lived near Anaheim.

DPF sells pins as well as the online Disney store and Box Lunch from time to time. Save up and be active on forums and authorized Disney merchant websites and you’ll grow your collection in no time.

Also as previously stated it can absolutely get expensive. As with any hobby. As a teenager I wasn’t able to afford nearly as many pins as I buy now (let’s be honest some months I still can’t). But it’s a fun hobby that my wife and I enjoy. As your collection grows you may even find that certain pins you liked before you no longer like and then you can sell or trade them to improve/upgrade your current collection.

Happy trading and keep in mind just because you don’t have tons of rare pins doesn’t mean you’re a zero. I enjoy collecting the hidden mickeys and mystery pin sets. It’s fun to complete a set after searching so long for certain pins.

 

[cyke23]

Time, money, and patience. I started collecting in my late 20s, and my money went to rent, car, necessities. Any extra went to clubbing and eating out. My first 2 pins were 2 villain group pins (bad boys and bad girls). I wanted so many villain pins so fast, but that required a lot of extra money. So I had to focus on a specific sub-theme....Maleficent. Of course the LEs are amazing, but I put myself on a budget. I was happy with OEs. As time went by, I earned more money and could commit more funds to pins and expanded to other collections. This hobby is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. There will always be pins out of reach due to scarcity or price, and there will be pins that are harder to find but eventually attainable (see everyone’s great signatures), but also there are many that are available and affordable. The marketplace here is awesome. So are FB groups and IG. There’s always some reputable eBay sellers as well....all to slowly build your collection.

 

[BATB_Abbi]

Thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate all the tips and I have begun to realize that I have tended to have the mindset of trying to get good traders when I could be building my collection which is the whole point. Again thanks for being understanding and helpful I definitely have a better mindset going into trading now.

Also I had no ideas DSF sold pins online. Good to know.

 

[hopemax]

Also I had no ideas DSF sold pins online. Good to know.

Yep, they started doing it about a year and half ago, maybe two years ago. It's not all the time, but the next one is coming up in July. A postcard series release, with some fairly popular themes. The #120765 in your Grail Sig was actually sold in an online release, so if you were to get a postcard, then you should be able to make a trade for that one, no problem.

 

[TinyTink]

Yes, you now have the not-so-secret recipe; enjoy your pins, and step by step your collection and your Disney Pin Community will evolve.

Just to share, again, it's important to realize that these collections do not happen overnight; ours is close to 15 years in the making. And, compared to some others on the forum, (Yes, JJ, I am talking about you!) we are newbies. ;-)

As you are, like us, nowhere near a Disney park, you'll find there may be some wonderful Disney Pin Trading Communities near you. We have two!

And, with all the craziness of some of these newer releases (some, but certainly NOT all, of which are REALLY lovely) please remember, it's also so fun (and more affordable) to discover the 'secret grails' that are either Open Edition or the LE was/is large enough that they are quite easy to come by. Here's a couple that fall into that category from our collection...stained glass pins that are amazingly beautiful in person.

Happy Trading/Collecting!

 

[Booger1964]

Me and my kids had hardly anything when we started pin trading. It just took time (and yes money🙂

 

[BATB_Abbi]

Thank you so much for the continuing encouragement. I will definitely have to see if I can get one of the DSF pins this July.

I do have a quick question though. How do people acquire imagineering pins? Is that an eBay or cast member thing?

 

[watzshakinbacon]

Thank you so much for the continuing encouragement. I will definitely have to see if I can get one of the DSF pins this July.

I do have a quick question though. How do people acquire imagineering pins? Is that an eBay or cast member thing?

You need to be a CM to get WDI pins directly from Disney, but it's possible to buy/ trade them afterward. Obviously, the super popular ones are more difficult to get, but WDI pins in general are not impossible to acquire.

 

[pins4twin]

Imagineering pins are a cast member thing. Used to be that cast members could buy 2 of each style at the Mickey of Glendale's store on a Monday and they would be on the internet for cast members by Wednesday and more people used to get them. Now they are in high demand, cast members can only buy one and they don't make it until Wednesday. Although the cast members are not supposed to resell them, a large number of them show up on EBAY after cast members buy them.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Just to share, again, it's important to realize that these collections do not happen overnight; ours is close to 15 years in the making. And, compared to some others on the forum, (Yes, JJ, I am talking about you!) we are newbies. ;-)

Hmph - I may have started buying pins back in 1999, but it was still a casual 'as I found them' and only lurking on forums and sites thing until I went full out/full time collecting starting in 2006. 😛 You ain't no more a newbie than me, girl! 😀

 

[TinyTink]

Hmph - I may have started buying pins back in 1999, but it was still a casual 'as I found them' and only lurking on forums and sites thing until I went full out/full time collecting starting in 2006. 😛 You ain't no more a newbie than me, girl! 😀

you're still about six years ahead of me either way😛...
On my side, I consider falling deeply into this space a side effect of embracing being closer to 60 than 50 😉

 

[Jabberwocky]

you're still about six years ahead of me either way😛...
On my side, I consider falling deeply into this space a side effect of embracing being closer to 60 than 50 😉

Heh, neither of us are spring chickens, but I don't consider that an excuse. 😛 😀 Then again, we're all mad here... 😉

 

[Voko20]

I just started getting into pins in the last year as well, I felt stuck for a while but I do participate in PinOpps on like Instagram and Facebook every once in a while.
It's definitely luck based but setting a weekly budget for PinOpps instead of coffee or desserts is starting to land me some more costly tradeables.

 

[pincrazy]

Great advice from everyone, wish I had found this forum when I tried to understand the crazy world of DISNEY pin trading. It seemed harmless enough and FUN to do while at the parks. Come to find out Your questions are the ones WE all ask as we get lured into the hobby!
I learned over the years there's No absolute answer but Patience and know your budget.
Living in Los Angeles seems like it would have it's perks, but there are vices too. Just because you live near the parks or DSF/DSSH doesn't mean you're going to afford/get the pins you think are tradeable, maybe at some point, but essentially you need a collection or theme to start with.
Congrats on picking a character/theme, at least it puts you on a path and you'll find fellow colletors.
For trading, unless with CMs at the parks, the ones people aren't crazy about are usually similar to lists on the auction or trading threads listed on DPF:
No Fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy) all together, individually is different
No dated park pins
No HM (hidden Mickeys) unless for other HMs
No scrappers or fakes, yes they exist
Often times any writing on a pin is hard to trade, unless it's the marquee pins from DSF/DSSH
Usually LE for LE, LRs are usually mystery box/packs and traders are trying to complete sets, etc
Just because it's an LE doesn't mean it's got great value, it higher but it depends on what/who's on the pin

Starting a collection with a newer character or theme can get you more accessible pins, just make sure it's something you want to collect.
Example: Moana is a newer character/theme, not a lot of pins considering other princesses, but more have come out recently.....so if I collected Kakamora there's not a bunch to look for and the few to get would be an easier goal : p however having a popular character gives you access to a lot more pins whether it's LE, LR, or OE
My biggest lesson learned was, don't buy a pin just for speculating that everyone will want it or it's value, and there's no 1 character or theme that everyone collects. Keep in mind the value is subjective, it's only like any product once it's left the store.
This hobby is Fun, just learn about the pins you want through pin resources like PinPics, stay away from a deal to good to be true, have patience (sticking with the hobby for many years), make friends, and enjoy.......hope this help

 

[pincrazy]

Yes, you now have the not-so-secret recipe; enjoy your pins, and step by step your collection and your Disney Pin Community will evolve.

Just to share, again, it's important to realize that these collections do not happen overnight; ours is close to 15 years in the making. And, compared to some others on the forum, (Yes, JJ, I am talking about you!) we are newbies. ;-)

As you are, like us, nowhere near a Disney park, you'll find there may be some wonderful Disney Pin Trading Communities near you. We have two!

And, with all the craziness of some of these newer releases (some, but certainly NOT all, of which are REALLY lovely) please remember, it's also so fun (and more affordable) to discover the 'secret grails' that are either Open Edition or the LE was/is large enough that they are quite easy to come by. Here's a couple that fall into that category from our collection...stained glass pins that are amazingly beautiful in person.

Happy Trading/Collecting!

These are Beautiful! Thanks for posting

 

[cadien]

I find it really difficult to mentally separate pin trading and pin collecting. Because I live in the middle of the country and visit the parks less than yearly, I'm really a pin collector, not a trader. But for the rarer or older pins, it really can be cheaper to trade than to buy, so I keep an eye out for bargains.

The two ways I've had the most (and most affordable) luck are buying sets where I only want one or two of the pins and then can trade the rest. And the duplicates from mystery bags and boxes. And you can get the mystery bags pretty heavily discounted several places online.

Another great source is the Disney Pin Auctions group on Facebook. Depending on how many people are checking the group on a given day, you can get some amazing deals.

I will also confess, as a cautionary tale, that my most valuable traders came from making multiple bids on eBay with something really limited edition just coming out and accidentally winning two auctions. That has happened twice. Ouch!