Why PTDs?

These last few days as I was trying to get the recent Eric and Tiana PTDs, I was exchanging PMs with a friend here. He mentioned that he can not really see the appeal in collecting them, but he uses them as traders because they seem to be so much in demand.

That made me stop and think: Honestly, they are not very spectacular in terms of quality and artwork, yet some of the PTDs trade and sell almost as high as some DA pins. Some people are so die-hard about them, that I was once called "ignorant" on a post on DPF for calling them - gasp! - GWP pins :nono:

So, now as the PTD craze reaches new hights, I would like to ask other collector's opinions. What is the appeal of PTDs? Just curious, please do not bite my head off :anxious:

To answer my own question: I collect mostly princess PTDs, and I don't seem to have a good answer to the "why?". Just because they have a playful aspect for coming with ice cream I guess. Although I doubt that many of PTD buyers really eat that ice cream. So, often they take the pin and leave the "delight" behind :lol:

Also another curiosity I have: Are there any PTD completists? How many PTDs do you have in your collection?

Aren't they one of the few (if not, the only) regularly released pin series with a limited run now?

Apart from that I don't know why some people lose it over them. Some of them are cute or funny, like the Hades one, but a lot just seem to be a character with some ice cream next to them.

Part of the appeal is that it's the collection that encompasses the widest variety of characters. For some minor characters, it may be the only LE pin of them. It's great to see characters like Skippy from Robin Hood side by side with Rapunzel.

And in my opinion, a lot of the designs are adorable and, like you said, they have a playful aspect to them. Collecting them, comparing them, wondering what the next one will be... it's all good fun. Anyone who's super-serious about them and not just enjoying them is missing the point, in my opinion. Then again, that's how I feel about pin trading as a whole--if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong.

I worked for Disney 2 years ago, and on my very last day I took my first trip to DSF.

It was a wonderful experience that two weeks later I brought my grandma back with me for the Chimpanzee release so we could get the Rafiki pin. My sister got her first pin, the Stitch walk of fame ptd (The ones they released because they didn't have any PTDs).

It became something I wanted to do with my grandma so we came down once or twice a month until the releases started getting out of control. The last one I could bring her to was Mulan, and someone nearly tripped her.

We collected the PTDs together and we had about 40 of them, when I had at least 50 I wanted to draw out a large panoramic scene of DSF with the PTDs as the characters since it was obvious that there are at least 4-5 different pose sets for each one.

We collected them together and they were very special to us, but when my dog was dying my grandma loved him more then pins and the PTDs were the easiest to sell. So I sold my entire collection except for 2, my Mimi's Dumbo and Timothy ptds.

I only have 4 now. And they are very special to me as they were zaps from really good friends.

Maybe some people don't like all of the artwork, but there is more variation in PTDs then most other pins recently, and there's always a new one to be had. There's something for EVERYONE in them, which makes them great traders, and the low LE sizes help that.

But yeah. But that's why I collected them, and why I have no more.

I really enjoy them because of the variety of characters, I love Disney in general so they're fun for me. Unfortunately, the popularity and the craze sort of keeps me away from them lately. It's also really hard for non-US traders to get them. And it's as you said, they're not of the best quality and that's kind of a pet peeve for me. I like my pins HQ and shiny lol. :lol:

One thing I like about PTD's is that they are stand alone characters. Except for the ice cream in hand, most of them are full body pins without words or background. Those are my favorite kind of pins. I also agree with the different artwork for characters (it's boring when they keep using the same artwork for pins - look at many of the Up pins) and the playful/fun poses they come up with to incorporate ice cream.

I just think that everyone is crazy.

Personally, I only get ones that fit into my collections. When it comes to Oliver and Company, the Dodger and Oliver PTDs are the only pins that have been released that fit that collection since I started collecting, and there aren't many Emperor's New Groove pins released lately either, so I was really pleased when Kronk and Kuzco came out. It's a nice way for me to get new pins in my otherwise fairly difficult collections. Compared to a lot of my wants, they're actually relatively easy to trade for or buy! I think because I am seeking less popular ones . If I were seeking Rapunzel or Vanellope, well, it would be a different story!

I also agree with what others have said about them featuring different poses for characters. I like the playfulness of it too, some of them are brilliant. Hades comes to mind, and I think that none of us will ever forget Sulley... I know that, if I lived near GSF, I'd be going in for them regularly to add to my traders! I'd definitely eat the ice cream though .

They are cute and one of the few LE pins some people can buy for retail (not me, I live too far away)

I think its the often different poses and the unique thing of it being ice creams, i think there cute. I would'nt collect any of them unless they where of characters I collect. I own the Hades Ptd and its one of the prizes of my collection - its hades melting an ice cream that is so awesome!

For me its the lovely ice cream you get then when that's eaten your still happy as you got a shiny new pin aswell lol

im with M-L. i love em, there are even a few OOC i want, BUUUT i aint going to start trying. i love the pascals varations and its always nice to get a rapunzel. i love the idea that disney characters get ice creams and milkshakes. i geuss its like the appeal of BT, lots of films, lots of characters, we all love disney its a good collection to show off as many characters whilst holding a theme

I agree that some of the ptds are great and some of them are just kind of ugly. I would never try to collect all of them, but the good ones are really nice. I guess some completists find it a fun challenge to try to get them all.

For me, the fun of them is:

* An accessible LE any time you go for $16 (or whatever it is)
* There's a great variety of characters, something for pretty much everyone. Lots of pins of characters that don't get a whole lot of pin love!
* Seeing some of the fun and creative ideas as several people mentioned. Really love Rafiki, the Caterpillar and Hades.
* Very few of them have artwork that you've seen a zillion times on other pins.
* Not knowing what is coming next. Most are unique characters, but then you get 3 Vanellopes, so you never know what to expect!
* Even though they tend to be kind of small, sometimes they are pretty big and look just as good as any other pin of the same size.
* On top of all that, there's the ice cream, which just feels like a bonus since you get a pin.

They make me happy happy happy.The ice cream is a bonus...

Remember when these boogers used to take awhile to sell out? yeps not the case anymore.. unless their reject characters (which is sad to say)

But I think if it's easy lower Le traders folks can get. they will do so..

For me, I love the idea of them, and I end up loving many of them that arent even from movies I collect. That being said, I only go after the ones that fit in my collections... My Mom however,:lol: her favorite thing in the whole world, is ice cream! Of course, she's a tiny little old lady who weighs like 90 pounds lol... soooo she likes all of them, no matter who the character is. She has worked SO hard her whole life to raise 5 kids all by herself, and has done so much for me, that I try to get as many as I can for her. Something so simple, makes her so happy

I think a lot of them are just cute. Not all, but a lot. But I love one with characters with shakes with mickey sprinkles. I am not a big fan of the ones with cones.

I've said it a while now. Any release that is low LE, continuous, and a variety of characters that my cross several genre's will do well. PTD's, BT's, Marquees from DSF. PTN's from Paris. Sorcerer Hats & Characters with hats from WDI (among others like ID Badges, trash cans, etc.) They always do the best. Someone gets one or two or three and wants to start doing them.

What sets PTD's above the rest is they are, and _almost_ always have been the one thing you could get at DSF no matter what. If you show up and miss on the released pins, you could bank on a PTD. Save the few times they ran out. So everyone can get one, they are low LE, tons of random characters, lately they have been in themed sets somewhat...BATB, Lion King, Aladdin, Tangled, Muppets, etc. So pick what you like or do them all. Plus you get ice cream and you are pretty much guaranteed to make a profit pin or dollar wise on your investment.

I think another thing making them nuts is too many people are inviting friends/family to the new raffle releases at DSF. They want to up their odds. So a ton of locals and people living closer than many of the veteran crowd, are now in tuned to PTDs. DSF is still running through their old order of DSF stamped PTD pins that are LE300. I HOPE they start making minimum LE500's and even higher eventually. The demand has tripled while supply has actually decreased now that it is one per person. Eventhought the edition sizes are the same, I think fewer are up for trade/sale than ever before because how many are collecting and keeping. I think all these new DSF people shot themselves in the foot by inviting tons and tons of their friends/families/etc. Maybe better odds at raffle releases, but they always end up wanting to start collecting themselves. Which helps the hobby grow but also makes the pins harder to get.

Seems the new crowd only deals in PTD's though. Or PTD's and older Grails. There is nothing in between for them. It's a PTD, or a $100+ pin or it doesn't matter to them. Also, they don't know how to trade for traders. They instantly write you off if you don't have a PTD they need. Even if you are offering them a PTD that is comparable or higher value and you need one of theirs. It's like pulling teeth from a 100 new baby sharks. They always want an older PTD than they are giving and always want the upper hand. And forget offering other older stuff. Many are not, I'll say educated, on the value of other/older pins. They know PTD's and DSF the last year or so and that's it. I picture them all being Darla's saying "I'm a pa-ra-nha." Haha.

I should add I don't mean to offend people. When I say the new crowd, if you identify yourself as that, that is your decision but I am not saying every new trader is an uneducated pin trader. A lot of newer traders are awesome and very friendly and trade nice and fair or offer to do pickups, etc. I try to help a lot of people out with trades they are unsure of and everything too. I know a lot of us that have been doing pins for a few years or longer try to help when we can. Make new friends with those that seem to be friendly.

But at some point, you get tired of people who don't know what they are talking about. Or people paying $85 for a DSF pin just because it has ice cream on it, not even knowing it's not even a PTD. But the PTD craze has grown really fast and has brought a lot of new people. All they care about are PTD's or princesses mostly. The bubble may not pop, but everything drops in value eventually. PTD's will eventually become too numerous or too hard to collect and people will start selling off for the money or selling off to buy other pins and then the bubble will pop and the pins will come down. If you've been around a while you'll see how it works. There will always be the super rare but the majority don't hold water long.

Oh, and Merryweather's question, I am a PTD completist, I know of 2 others for sure. Last count I think was like 230 PTD's and maybe 5/6 extras that some count some don't. Pins that were given as PTD's at one point, but were also sold on the racks or as DVD pre-orders at one point too.

YoSoyAhPuch said:

I just think that everyone is crazy.

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This!!!

I only have a few that are really cute and fit into my collections. I get them for traders mostly since they are so popular.

YoSoyAhPuch said:

I just think that everyone is crazy.

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lol. I did question why people went crazy over these little pins but I can start to see the appeal. There are some that are tiny, low quality and repetitive but it is nice to see characters that are not seen often and are in new poses. It does seem like the anticipation of the next ptd is a big part of the draw, I know of groups that go and buy as many as they can just to get ptds to flip. Haven't seen too many PTDs that fit my collections but I do get excited when I see one that does.

Like others have said, I think their appeal is that they are a LE pin that is regularly released and often include lesser known characters or creative poses for classic ones. They are also somewhat whimsical. Ice cream just sort of has a fun, universal appeal. I'm personally only interested in ones that fit my collection and that I like the look of. I'm kinda picky with pins and their pose/look/design.

We only collect the characters we like. The rest we get we use for games. Nena LOVES ice cream so the Eeyore PTD is her number 1 grail. Do not know if we will ever own it but I can always dream! One thing I do not get is why some of the pins are close up and others full body. I think if the princess is close up then her prince should be as well. I really like the beast and belle because they are both close up. Conversely, Rapunzel is close up but Flynn is full body, Ariel is full body but Eric is close up. I do not care for either of those as a set because of it. Oh... and we ALWAYS eat the ice cream!

I only collect the characters that I like. Some of them are really cute and whimsical. A lot of them seem to really play on the different character's personalities and I love that. It seems like every time it's convenient for me to go to DSF though, the PTD is lame! The ones that I want always come out on a Thursday at like 1pm when I have no chance of leaving work and getting there before it sells out! Oh well, first world problem.

I agree that a lot of new traders seem to be the ones driving a lot of the craze. I'm on Instagram a lot and it feels sometimes like PTD's are the only thing traders on there care about.