Tips for the new folk like me

I was reading that post that molly made and it got me thinking how the heck can i avoid buying fake pins any tips or guidlines you could share??? also Yeay for my first post lol

also by posting this here i was hoping to hear some personal experiences or storys you have of buying pins

lmao i just found the pin guid i feel stupid >_> :sad:

you also can search at you tube there are some clips about i think

It's really difficult to offer "tips" as everyone has a different eye for things, and what most everyone does (unless they have the real pin to compare it against, or high-definition pictures) is their best educated guess / best guess based on previous experiences. The absolute way to guarantee you purchase real pins is buying direct from Disney (at the parks, online) or Disney Studio Store (previously/also known as Disney Soda Fountain; where you can buy rack pins anytime or LE pins 2 weeks after they're released if they are still available). If you buy from the "secondary" market (aka resellers), you always run the risk of scrappers. The majority of DPF members are honest and trustworthy and will not sell known scrappers, and some members offer to buy pins at cost plus shipping and/or gas/parking fees for other members.

Generally speaking though, pay via PayPal goods (you may have to pay the fees for using "goods" rather than "gift") because that usually protects you. It's not 100% foolproof, but it's generally the safest way to purchase pins from secondary sellers.

I don't really have negative experience with fake pins ( don't have any) I think most pins sold here are real. (All as far as I know)

But be realy realy carefull if you trade with CM´s in the parcs, in Paris are a loooooot of scrappers at the lanyards. People knews that CM´s not allowed to say no to a trade if the pin is a Disney Pin and so they trade the scrappers against a real pin. If you not good in realize if it´s a scrapper slow down with trading with CM´s and inform you first about "what is a scrapper". Most of the pins in the Forum and FB groups real because there are rules but outside at ebay or like written in the parcs it is a other world :-D

thanks for the info wow still cant believe this kinda stuff is going on :/

BellesBrother said:

But be realy realy carefull if you trade with CM´s in the parcs, in Paris are a loooooot of scrappers at the lanyards. People knews that CM´s not allowed to say no to a trade if the pin is a Disney Pin and so they trade the scrappers against a real pin. If you not good in realize if it´s a scrapper slow down with trading with CM´s and inform you first about "what is a scrapper". Most of the pins in the Forum and FB groups real because there are rules but outside at ebay or like written in the parcs it is a other world :-D

Click to expand...

As far as I know cast members can say now to a trade if it is a fake pin. They may decline a trade when the pins is fake, I think most cm's don't see the difference and don't really care about it.

I am happy that you found a guide, I cant be sure what the tips are but if you need any more advice feel free to PM me anytime!

Be safe out there!

Here is the Official Disney Pin Trading guide.

One notable addition is the new update indicating that "counterfeit" and "lower quality" pins will no longer be accepted for trading.

They are typically referring to the "fantasy pins - have characters resembling Disney characters / implied Disney characters / very out of character Disney characters or incorporate unlicensed elements such as McDonalds, characters of other companies, ribbons for cause. Counterfeit/overrun pins - typically identified by extremely off color characters / poor paint quality / identifiable border on the background / missing, misplaced, typo copyright elements.

Lower quality can also include genuine Disney pins that due to abuse/damage are no longer acceptable for trading.

But here's the problem - several recent releases of Disney pins appear to be suffering from poor quality control and show "odd" painting errors - eyes looking off or character faces seeming to be slightly off character. Some backside markings appear to have an apparent border to them. And these pins are fresh off the rack from Disney. Other counterfeit pins are of such high quality that they can easily fool even an experienced trader who may not have encountered the original item or has not taken time to do a careful examination

Best options for new trader

1) Collect what you like / want to keep.
2) Unless proven otherwise, assume all Hidden Mickey pins are suspect. By all means feel free to trade for them, but don't rush out to buy or trade a high dollar pin to get one.
3) The best place to build up pins to trade are the official Disney surplus and outlet stores.
4) Jerry Leigh (a licensed Disney producer) pins, typically sold outside the park at souvenir stands are both collectable and very tradable.
5) Some Disney pin shops near the parks are also excellent places to get large numbers of relatively inexpensive pins to trade.
6) Most importantly, this is supposed to be a FUN hobby. Collect what you like and don't concern yourself with secondary market / what can I sell it for. You'll have more fun and it's a great way to interact with other guests/cast members. If you later want to get into trading for higher level pins, there are always new "must have" Limited Edition pins coming out. And with time, you can typically find someone willing to trade (or sell) an older LE pin to get the newer one. After all sometimes the pursuit of that elusive pin is more rewarding than obtaining it, and you will make lots of new friends along the way.