Is it ok to point out a scrapper pin?

We can all agree that scrapper pins are everywhere and we try hard to avoid them. But what should we do if we come across them in a pin trader's book of pins? For the past few weeks I've been lucky enough to make a few trips to Disneyland (I love my AP!). While pin trading over at the barrels across from Westward Ho, I've come across traders with obvious scrapper pins in their books. Some have their small section of "any pin here for any pin of yours" with scrappers mixed in. Now I understand that newer pin traders may not know what to look for when identifying scrapper pins or even know that they exist. So is it ok to point out the pin to them? Some of the "long time pin traders" have scrapper pins for trade. Should they know better and pull those pins out of circulation from their pin books? Is it ok to point out that the pins are scrappers to them?

I'm sure this can be a touchy subject. Nobody wants to be that guy who points out someone's pin and says, "That's a scrapper pin." But none of us want these pins in circulation. What do you think is the best thing to do?

- Alex

I am awful at identifying scrappers. If you saw one in my book, I would appreciate you letting me know.

I would want to know if I had a scrapper in my book. I'd be pretty upset if I traded one to someone without knowing.

I've heard people who have those type of sections in their traders only do so at the park for the kids, kind of like a CM lanyard where pretty much a pin for a pin regardless of fake or not on both parties involved only because now a days eBay fakes are everywhere and most parents hopefully unknowingly purchase them for their kids... Yep, saw this on a YouTube video from a blogger named a mouse and a dream or something like that... Lol

Point it out? I mean, whAts the worst that could happen? They get edgy and moody? Probably. I would also appreciate someone letting me know .

I have a hard time identifying scrappers, too, sometimes, unless it's really obvious (colors off, bad paint quality, notorious for being a hard-to-get pin but finding them all over the parks on CM lanyards, etc.), so I would be careful before telling someone they have a scrapper. I might say, "I'm pretty sure this is a scrapper," and give my reasons why I thought it was a scrapper. If the person got huffy about it, I wouldn't ever bother trading with them--not someone I'd want to "do business with" anyway, so to speak. Those people probably don't care if it's a scrapper.

I occasionally have a couple of HM pins I *suspect* are scrappers, and when no one has been able to verify it for me, I keep them in my trade bags and if someone is looking at them, I *tell* them, "these MIGHT be a scrappers, I'm not sure." I leave it up to them if they want to trade for them or not.

I'm on the fence with this. I can see home some people would want to know and others would be really offended. I guess it would depend on the person I'm trading with.

I don't do a lot of trading in person, but if they seemed sharky, rude, or like they know they have scrappers, you better believe I'm going to point them out just so that they know I know. On the other hand, if they seem like just a casual trader, just trading for the heck of it, I probably wouldn't say anything because I wouldn't want to rain on their parade. The tricky one would be if they seemed like a semi-serious trader or someone just getting into it.....then it would really depend on the person. If I felt like they could handle it I'd tell them.

Count me in with the people who would want to know.

I've had people politely point out a scrapper in my book, and have learned much that way to avoid those mistakes in the future.

I have also had people RUDELY shout, "Your pin is FAKE!" or "All your pins are ____.", so I have tried to stick to the polite approach.

But yes, there are also those others which have boards or select pages of scrappers that will sit there and deny they are when you do point them out how ever so politely.

I think something can be said, BUT privately and discreetly!

I had a pin I had PURCHASED from Disney, and someone came up and just blurted really loud that it was a fake. Needless to say, the person I was trading with no longer wanted the pin or wanted to trade with me.

It was very embarrasing to be, as I knew it was real, yet people around don't really know me to well, as I am only down there a few times a year.

If you want to say something, then make sure no one else can hear your comment. I don't mind someone coming up to me, and letting me know, but with a lot of the mistakes Disney is making, I would hate for someone else to go through what I did, when the pin I had was actually real.

Vicki

I agree with telling someone quietly so nobody else can hear, because if someone has a scrapper or a fake, it's probably not on purpose and they really didn't know. I know I personally would want someone to tell me because I wouldn't want to trade that to anyone else.

Personally I'd start off the conversation by saying something like how that pin was often scrappered so its nucd to see a real one. Then you csn gauge from their react how to pursue =] they may know of scrappers and be rude about what you said, they may not know scrappers exist so u can explain, they may be anywhere inbetween! Personally thats how I approach it.

I've had bad and goox experience, someone identified a new pin I got from a CM as a scrapper whilst others have accused me of havi g fakd pins when I remember so much about them I can tell you how old I was when I bought the pin, whers I bought it from, how much pocket money it cost me and how I earnt that pocket money. Hearing my pins from when I was only 11 being shoutedfor being fake did make me cry! (Appoligies for my spelling, new phone internet)

I keep the front page of my book with pins that I trade any pin for any pin at the park for kids. Having a young daughter that is into trading now it is hard to say no to kids. By the end of a few hours trading I do inevitably end up with scrappers there. I try to keep it to a minimum and at times I do leave them in my book as they are pins I don't really care about. I would have no problem with someone letting me know there are fakes in my book as I generally know what's there ans if there is one or two on the front page I would explain it to them. If anyone found anything in the rest of my book I would be very appreciative as any newer HM's, rack pins, and LE's I have to the best of my knowledge are 100% genuine.

As far as pointing out others pins I do not feel it is my job as a trader to be the pin police of others pins, and generally I do not say anything. I will not offer trades for pins I know are fakes and will give books full of obvious fakes only a quick glance and move on. I have had guests and other traders come up and ask about fakes and in that case will give them any and all information that I have knowledge of and at times have had known fakes next to a real one in my book to show others a comparison. If they ask my opinion on a pin or all their pins I will be honest and point out any and all that I think are not genuine and give them my reasons why.

When its Hms i dont really say much. If its a higher end pin i would probably ask where they got it from (sometimes its real and just looks like crap). If its a "1-1" board/book than i dont care. Its mostly for guest who want to trade and just have fun and are mostly going to trade a scrapper for a scrapper. I have a sort of 1-1 page in my park bag with little to no harder to get pins mostly for park guest and they 90% of the time put a scrapper in there.

I would point it out but make sure to be very polite about it and not accusatory. When I was new to trading, I made the mistake of trading for a few scrapper pins from kids(with well known trader parents) and putting them in my book. Someone had no problem what so ever berating me and yelling at me, accused me of trying to trade away 'worthless, fake pins' and trying to scam people. It was an ugly scene.

I know I have two pin bags full of hidden Mickies and I would love to bring them with me sometime and have someone better at pointing out the scrappers show me which ones I have are scrappers, also if I was on the other side of the barrel being the trader, I would'nt mind if a scrapper was pointed out, I would rather be a bit embarrased that I was trading a scrapper than to have someone I traded with return angry that I traded them a scrapper. So I think you would be doing a good thing,

huertajv said:

I think something can be said, BUT privately and discreetly!

I had a pin I had PURCHASED from Disney, and someone came up and just blurted really loud that it was a fake. Needless to say, the person I was trading with no longer wanted the pin or wanted to trade with me.

It was very embarrasing to be, as I knew it was real, yet people around don't really know me to well, as I am only down there a few times a year.

If you want to say something, then make sure no one else can hear your comment. I don't mind someone coming up to me, and letting me know, but with a lot of the mistakes Disney is making, I would hate for someone else to go through what I did, when the pin I had was actually real.

Vicki

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I agree with you 100%

When I first started trading, and was learning about scrappers, I informed someone politely that the pin they were offering me was scrap and they got very very upset. I even showed them all the tell tale signs. This person was a long time trader, and was obviously upset that a "Newbie" schooled him on scrap. But by the same token looking back at that behavior now, I know he was just mad because I called him out, he knew it was scrap and still tried to get an LE from a newbie for it. As a result, for a long time, I wouldnt point out scrap to others, I would just decline the trade.

Scrappers are getting better and better, counterfiets are becoming more and more like the real thing. We as a group have got to get over it and work together to end scrapper sales/trading. I would never be offended if someone pointed out a scrapper to me. And to be honest, anyone who was offended is suspicious to me.

Politely and quietly stating that a pin they are trying to trade to you might be couterfiet, because of A,B and C reasons, should be accepted gracefully.
Walking up to someones book and loudly proclaiming, "You got scrap in yer books!" Is just rude.

pin trader ettiquette. plain and simple.

I would think if done politely it's acceptable.... I recently purchased 4 pins off eBay and asked the sellers questions on how they obtained the pins and requested photos of the back. I've done research on the sellers reputation (outside of ebays feedback)..... I think it's important to do the same research in a face to face trade.

Sure there are people who are going to knowingly trade junk but I think there are those who don't know what they have isn't a legitimate pin and would greatly appreciate that info so they can be better educated (all be it a little upset for awhile).

It would have to be a very obvious flaw, in order for me to consider pointing out the flaw on the pin. I would never call someone's pin an outright fake, as I consider it rather rude and I'm not the know all/be all of fake pin experts. I only point out missing elements or completely off/missing color elements. I've begun to see way too many genuine Disney pins, from the store, that have paint dips now and those minor flaws are not enough for me to point out in someone else's book.

I wouldn't unless you are 150% positive that it is a scrapper. I once had someone call out one of my pins as a scrapper and I know for a fact that It was purchased directly from Disney.
Personally I relate the whole scrapper issue to the Salem witchcraft trials. Some traders get so obsessed over having real pins that they start to see real pins as scrappers. I have been pin trading since 2000 and I honestly can't say that I can identify a scrapper from a real pin without having them side by side most of the time.