New to Pin Trading - Real or Fake Pins?

[Aura of Foreboding]

So I've just gotten into pin trading and of course like everyone else I learned about scrappers only after coming home. I ended up with a few pins that are definitely scrappers, but it appears that for the most part, my pins are real. There are a few that I have questions about for one reason or another, so hopefully the friendly folks here can share their opinion on the pins I have doubts on.


Also, does anyone have tips on how to turn scrappers into magnets? I'm going to destroy most of them, but a few of them are still kinda cute and I can only tell because of markings on the back side so I figure I might put some on my fridge (but definitely not with my traders!). Some of them are just awful though and I feel silly for not noticing earlier .


Clicking on an image will bring you to the full size image


Pins that have scrapper alerts on PinPics


These two pins have scrapper alerts on PinPics, but neither of them seems an obvious scrapper to me.


82375 - WDW - 2011 Hidden Mickey Series - Retro Icon Collection - Adventurers Club Logo
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I don't see anything wrong with this pin, but I received it at DLR and it has a scrapper warning, so I wanted to see if you guys could spot something I missed.


75095 - DLR/WDW - 2010 Hidden Mickey Series - Princess Hearts (Belle)
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I don't see anything wrong with this pin either, but again it has a scrapper warning, so just double checking.


61203 - DLR - 2008 Hidden Mickey Cast Lanyard Series - Princess Gems (Belle)
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This one I have a couple of concerns but nothing that says 100% scrapper as far as I can see. The colors look slightly off in mine vs PinPics, especially the bottom-left gems where mine seem to be browner and Belle's hair where PinPics has her hair redder. Could be camera differences or could be quality control issues. Also, if you look at the side view of the pin there is this little secondary nub coming off the bottom of the pin post. I haven't read anything about that so I don't now what it is / what it means. If anyone can see anything else or has this pin and can compare, I'd appreciate it.


Cars Land Pin Set


88537 -Walt Disney Travel Company - Cars Land GWP - Lightning McQueen
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I see almost nothing wrong with this pin, but I wanted to post it for comparison purposes. The only somewhat off thing is a slight border on the back in a few spots, but this seems much more like a quality issue than a scrapper problem like some of the other borders I've seen.


89081 -Costco Travel - Cars Land GWP - Fillmore
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The only things I can see are the Cars logo and Cadillac Range both being not as bright as the pin above. Also, there is a tiny scratch in the "l" in "Disneyland", but that is probably from trading.


89088 -Disney Visa Card - Cars Land GWP - Luigi & Guido
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Again the Cars Logo and Cadillac Range aren't quite as bright as the Lightning McQueen pin. Also the backstamp says "Visa Cards" instead of "Visa Card" and has P389 instead of P388 like PinPics says. Both of the backstamp issues seem to me to be likely to be typos since all the other pins in this series have P389 as the backstamp and it seems odd that only this one would be different. Also, the P389 is hard to read without magnification so perhaps they couldn't make out the 8 from the 9. Given this likely problem with the PinPics listing, I think it is possible the back is actually supposed to say "Visa Cards". There is one section with some very slight border problems in the Mickey Waffle pattern, but again this seems normal instead of awful like most scrappers. There are also some scratches on the back, but this is likely from trading.


Small Concerns


85637 - DLR - 2011 Hidden Mickey Series - Disneyland Icons Collection - Matterhorn Bobsleds Sign
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My only concern here is the order of my backstamps isn't the same as what it says on PinPics, but this could just be someone entering the info incorrectly.


52017 - DLR - Walt Disney Travel Company - Where Dreams Come True
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Everything seems right but there is the slightest bit of blue bleeding at the bottom-left portion of the castle. Seems like a quality control problem (which there seem to be a lot of with Disney pins) more than a scrapper issue, but just double checking.




I have a couple more but I'll finish them later. This is taking a lot longer than I thought!


Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[shooting4ownhand]

Is the green tint on the Belle heart from the camera or is there actually a green tint on the pin? If there is a green tint on the pin, it's a scrapper.

 

[Aura of Foreboding]

Is the green tint on the Belle heart from the camera or is there actually a green tint on the pin? If there is a green tint on the pin, it's a scrapper.

I kinda see a green tint in the picture so I get what you are talking about, but I think that is just poor color rendering from the camera. When I compare the actual pin to the pin on PinPics I don't see a discernible color difference. They both look a little muted, but I don't think I'd call it a green tint. I also just now noticed the tiny red dot on her shoulder by that same hand. Not sure what to make of that.

 

[Aura of Foreboding]

Upon closer inspection, the Adventurer's Club might be a touch light and thin, but not very much and enough for me to say anything. Hoping someone with that pin can compare.

The blue heart Belle is definitely just green in the picture due to the white balance adjustments I made. The weight/thickness on that one seems consistent with the other hidden mickeys I'm sure are real, so I feel pretty good removing that one from the suspect list unless someone has a different concern.

I have a few more coming right now. Thanks for the help.

 

[KT07]

there is a thread here that can help u. print the scrapper flyer out and u can use it like a check list. Here is a fast fyi to help u with pins as a whole.

Most scrappers have more than one thing wrong. So dont always look just for one thing to say yes or no. You need to go down your list and see all the things wron and than u will know if its good or bad. If you only find one thing wrong it could b a true disney pin that got past the QA dept.

now back to fake pins.. and in no order. 1) color - is the color off or is there color in the wrong spot or missing?

2)size of mickey head(if its a hm pin) - if it has a blured edge and looks kind of fuzzy..its bad also look at hm pins side by side. Fake will sumtimes have the wrong size head

3) back of pin(stamps and or waffle patern) - if the back stamp is nice and thick. rased up good and easy to feel. Thats bad. The good pins should have a more smooth and not so rased up stamp. if there is a waffle patern - are all the ears or cones the same size. do they line up strait? do they run off the edge

4)thickness - check agenst other like pins. is the thinkness right?

5) dips in paint- is there any dips??

6) ruff edges- do u see sharp or pointy edges??

7)sound- dose the pin make a deep dunk dunk noise when tapped on a tile bar or dose it make a tink tink noise like cheap tin. ( ppl think im silly for this one... but its the reason old cash regesters have a marble slab on them. so u can tap the coin and make sure its real.) mayb im not so crazy after all.

this is just a quick list that i use to tell good pins from bad. hope it helps a little. if u have questions plese ask.

 

[Aura of Foreboding]

This all sounds very subjective where if it isn't an out and out counterfeit with an obvious mistake, then often it is trying to figure out how bad the quality control issues are in order to determine if it was scrapped or not. Now I see why people say if you didn't buy it yourself, you are never 100% sure.

After looking these over 100 times, I've decided the only one I'm still concerned about is the Belle gem one. Mostly because I have no idea what that little nub is sticking up near the post. Never seen that on anything except one other pin I know isn't real.

 

[KT07]

i cant see your pins.. but its very cut and dry not subjective at all... eather there is stuff wrong or not. Just look for as many things wrong as u can find. Its hard to say with out having pins in my hand but once u slow down and get the feelings out of the way. It becomes very easy for the most part to tell good from bad. Yes mayb there is a few good fakes... but i am yet to see the fake that has everything right.

i started to learn becuse i had bought $500 in pins and lanyards for my fam on a trip to dlr. Than were told to trade with CMs cuz its safe. We now know its not safe but if u educate ur self u can put the odds way in your favor. The one time out of 25 that im not 100% about the pin i want to trade for. I eather take the chance and get it knowing it could b bad.. or i just pass. So please dont get down. just learn all you can and than u will b safe. please if u need help to tell the bad stuff just ask. its not subjective- u eather see the bad things or u dont. good luck to u and keep ur head up

 

[Aura of Foreboding]

So, I posted this as well on another forum, and someone said the Belle gem is definitely a scrapper which makes sense to me since it was the one I had the most issues with.

They also said the edges on the the Adventurer's Club one looks jagged in the top/right section and after you can see it in the image and kinda feel it on the pin though it is harder than I first thought. Given this one felt a little light/thin to me I'm adding it to the scrapper list.

All the other ones appear to look good and holding them in my hand I have to agree.

It's really just an education process that is a lot harder than it might seem to those of you who are more experienced. I think I'm getting there though. I appreciate the help and welcome any additional comments.

 

[KT07]

it takes lots of time looking at diffrent pins.. u will learn just as i did. Try to make your self a check list. than u just go down the list and look for things wrong. good luck to u