rare pins? About This Page:

[cdoles]

when i was 14 i got into pin trading...im 18 now
and one night while wating for the spectro parade i decided to go look for some cool pins to trade for.
i went into the christmas store at MK and the CM was super nice,
i saw a pin i like and wanted just because i thought it was funny..
after she traded it to me she told me it was really rare, and it must be, because i can't find any info on it!
it's a three caballeros pin. it's the donkey with wings, and it has 2 pin back things that are screw on instead of the mickey thing...the only other thing it says is that it's from a disney catalog. i was wondering if anybody else has seen this pin or knows what im talking about. i will try to post a picture soon...

but anyways, feel free to share your pin trading stories here!
tell us about any rare pins you have!
i would love to hear all about them.

[mom23k9s]

Pin trading is so fun and lots of people don't realize that it's fun for adults as well as kids. I love it because it gives me an opening to talk to the CMs and I've met some really cool people that way. And some of the CMs are really into the pin trading too.

I've got a good story of how I got hooked. We were at AK on Super Bowl Sunday 2009. It was about 1:30 or so and we were debating what to do before DH needed to get back to SoG to watch the game. I spied a CM in an administrator type outfit with a pin lanyard and asked to look at her pins. While she didn't have anything I was looking for, we got to chatting and eventually she asked if we had ever seen the parade. We replied that, despite our numerous visits, we had never seen the parade. So she asked if we would like to be IN the parade. How cool is that?! We got to ride with Rafiki and my face hurt so much from smiling and it's something we will never forget! Even DH, the who isn't really into Disney s much as I am, had a blast! And he got back in time to watch the game! Totally awesome day (except Kurt Warner didn't win).

[Her Dotness]

That is very cool and must have been a wonderful experience!

I've read that certain CM's are authorized to select random guests for such bonus experiences or can offer them prizes such as a free night's stay in Cinderella's Royal Suite.

Guess you happened onto one of those, huh?

[Kgbutaud]

Have you looked for your pin on pinpics.com yet? Not all the pins are on there, but the vast majority are. Check there if you haven't done so yet and you might find it.

[Wolfhunt]

I have looked at the pins while at Disney and have seen some pretty cool ones but I am afraid to start collecting them. This has nothing to do with the pins but with me, whenever I start a hobby I go full tilt. I just have to try to find them all

Although with us now belonging to DVC, D23, and having APs I might try collecting only the ones that are available only through those people.

I also don't know what the rules are for the trading. Do you have to bring Disney pins or can you use pins that reflect where you're from? For example, can I start the day with pins that are from Cincinnati?

[Kgbutaud]

Originally Posted by Wolfhunt

I have looked at the pins while at Disney and have seen some pretty cool ones but I am afraid to start collecting them. This has nothing to do with the pins but with me, whenever I start a hobby I go full tilt. I just have to try to find them all

Although with us now belonging to DVC, D23, and having APs I might try collecting only the ones that are available only through those people.

I also don't know what the rules are for the trading. Do you have to bring Disney pins or can you use pins that reflect where you're from? For example, can I start the day with pins that are from Cincinnati?

You can only trade Disney pins for Disney pins. My daughter and I collect pins and it can be very addicting. A good place to start would be with the DVC, D23 and AP pins. Most of those you will have to buy as they are not usually traded. Another thing to do is just collect pins of your favorite character.

[Stinker Bell]

Originally Posted by cdoles

when i was 14 i got into pin trading...im 18 now
and one night while wating for the spectro parade i decided to go look for some cool pins to trade for.
i went into the christmas store at MK and the CM was super nice,
i saw a pin i like and wanted just because i thought it was funny..
after she traded it to me she told me it was really rare, and it must be, because i can't find any info on it!
it's a three caballeros pin. it's the donkey with wings, and it has 2 pin back things that are screw on instead of the mickey thing...the only other thing it says is that it's from a disney catalog. i was wondering if anybody else has seen this pin or knows what im talking about. i will try to post a picture soon...

but anyways, feel free to share your pin trading stories here!
tell us about any rare pins you have!
i would love to hear all about them.

I looked on Pinpics, and your pin is on there (based on your description). It's a part of a set, and is a Limited Edition of 1500. I think it said it was from a Three Caballeros 60th Anniversary Collection. Cute pin!

[TracyKim]

Well this is NOT a good story. (it is to me, but NOT DH) My DH and DD11 REALLY got into Pin Trading on our last visit. I was the offical "holder" of the pins that are to be traded. DH and I were in the Main Street Bakery just looking around while it was raining. A CM came up to me and he had a Green Lanyard thingy on his hip. So I knew (DH and DD11 told me ALL of the rules) that I could not trade with him. (Not that I cared anyway) He asked me where I got one of the pins that I had on my lanyard. Heck, I had no clue, DH or DD11 must have traded for it. So he starts to tell me that this pin can ONLY be gotten at some restuarant in Disneyland when you eat there. It is not advertised and only the CM's tell certain customers about this pin. Ok, that's cool, so what!!?? (I thought that, but didn't say it outloud) So then DH comes over and the CM and DH start talking about pins and trading the CM didn't tell DH the story that he had just told me about this "special" pin. I told DH that the CM had told me that one of my pins was really cool and you could get it in Disneyland. DH kinda blew me off because he really wanted to know about some other pins set that he was trying to complete.

DH also sees that this CM has a green pin hip thingy and said, "You aren't to be trading with us, do you want me to get one of our kids?" CM said, that's alright, I approched you." DH looked at his pins as well as I did. He had a big Tinkerbell that DD13 was collecting so I asked if I could trade for the Tinkerbell one for my DD13. He said no problem and seeing that he liked that one pin of mine, that is the one I gave him. He kinda freaked a tad and put the pin into his pocket, not on his lanyard.

After we had left I told DH the entire story, NOW that he was listening and he was like "WHAT???" OMG Tracy, you gave that guy one of the rarest pins out there. You can't even buy it!!! (Well why didn't you know that BEFORE it got on my lanyard!!!)

Well needless to say THAT little lasps in judgment (On DH's side) had him buying the darn Pin Trading book!! (And one of those huge carriers for the pins) He showed me the page where the pin I gave away was on and about teared up!!! He said "You were ripped off". I said "HOW?? he told me everything about the pin and the only way you could get it." Then DH said "Then WHY did you give it away??" then I said "BECAUSE IT WAS PUT ON MY LANYARD TO TRADE!!!" (I personally, do not want pins from resorts or restuarants that I have not stayed at or been too) I was VERY happy to make that CM's day!!!

So NOW there is a Pin Trading rule in our family (WHATEVER!!) Before you give Mom a pin for her lanyard, make sure you look it up in the book!!!

If it is on MY Lanyard and someone wants to trade, they are getting whatever they want!!! Heck, I was giving them to little kids just because they liked one, not even trading!!!

So THAT is my story and the begining of my DH obsession with these pins!!! For Fathers day we all gave him 20 pins each (Ebay) and he was in his glory and messed with those pins ALL day!!!

[Her Dotness]

I don't get all thrilled about rare pins myself, so I think you did a good thing. The pin didn't mean anything to you but obviously did to the CM who got it. A good deed done, IMO.

The only time I'd trade would be if I got tired of one of my pins and saw one on someone's lanyard that I wanted to replace it with.

So far, I only have one or two that I wouldn't mind getting rid of. The rest all are resorts where we stayed, theme parks we like best and favorite rides or characters.

But then, I chose some favorite themes when I first started buying pins and have stuck with those almost entirely ever since.

Diff'rent strokes, I guess.

[TracyKim]

THAT's what I am talking about!!! I want MY pins to have memories attached to them!!! Not just some nilly willy pin!!!

I have started collecting Lilo pins, just because she is my all time favorite character!! From what DH says about them, she is a very hard and rare pin to get. (And yet they are all for sale on Ebay!!! )

Other then Lilo, I have better have stayed at the resort, rode the ride or ate at the restuarant if I am keeping those pins!! If they are keepers, their not on my lanyard!!!

[Dave Marx]

DH also sees that this CM has a green pin hip thingy and said, "You aren't to be trading with us, do you want me to get one of our kids?" CM said, that's alright, I approched you.

Just to make clear to anyone reading, this CM seems to have been doing something that is very inappropriate. By all appearances, he was "trading on his own account" on company time. CMs wearing official trading lanyards are not supposed to "offer" trades (OK, they might ask a child, "Would you like to trade with me?" when a child is being shy). The cast lanyards are supposed to be used for trades that are initiated by Guests. The Guest suggests a trade, and the CM is obligated to accept the trade so long as the pin offered by the Guest is an official Disney pin. I've seen CMs warn the Guest that the Guest is offering an especially valuable pin - perhaps the Guest would rather offer something less valuable? I've seen CMs accept relatively valuable pins in a trade, but put them on the lanyard where other guests can then trade for them. But for a CM to pocket a pin of special value? If I encountered that, I'd start looking for an area manager.

Now, all that being said, a pin that is "special" to one person is not necessarily going to be special to someone else, and I respect the reasoning given for trading the pin away. Chances are, the pin hadn't been obtained in a trade of "value" - you just got lucky. And you did get a pin your child wanted in return. That happiness can be worth more than a somewhat rare pin nobody cares about.

I've been into pins for quite a while, so it's not likely I'd accidentally receive a cool pin in a trade - I'd know or suspect it had special value before making the trade. But often, "cool" is just a personal judgement. I'm not looking to boost the dollar value of my pin collection (although that may be one result), 'cause I'm not in it for profit. I'm looking for pins with certain themes (Tink for Jennifer, Simba for Alexander, Sorcerer Mickey for me), fun commemoratives (openings of parks, attractions and restaurants, holidays), particularly good examples of pin design, etc. If I see a Lion King pin hanging on a CM lanyard, I'm going to get a little excited, because it may help me add to Alexander's collection. Chances are, it's still a "rack" pin worth no more than its original list price.

By the sounds of it, you had a Club 33 pin. It's primary value is the "cool factor" of its owner having been to Club 33, which is a members-only restaurant in Disneyland's New Orleans Square. If you bought the pin at Club 33, you're a member or the guest of a member, and that alone is pretty cool. I'm with you, though - if you hadn't eaten there, then having the pin is symbolic of nothing very meaningful. I treasure my special event pins because I was at those events.

Club 33 sells pins, polo shirts, and various other items that can only be obtained there, so I think the CM was slightly over-stating the value of the pin. Yes, it's cool, but I know of hundreds of other pins that I would consider at least equally as cool, and I have lots of pins that are far more rare (how many Who Wants to be a Millionaire- Play It million-point pins are there? - 47 at DLR, and 126 at WDW).

But that's the nature of pin trading. There are some people who have made a business of it, but that doesn't mean we all have to. Pins are cool to look at, they may bring back fond memories, they're easy to carry around, they can be fun conversation pieces, a nice way to meet people, and it can be fun to "hunt" for items we'll treasure. That's not bad for something that usually costs less than $10.

[Her Dotness]

Originally Posted by Dave Marx

Just to make clear to anyone reading, this CM seems to have been doing something that is very inappropriate. By all appearances, he was "trading on his own account" on company time. CMs wearing official trading lanyards are not supposed to "offer" trades (OK, they might ask a child, "Would you like to trade with me?" when a child is being shy). The cast lanyards are supposed to be used for trades that are initiated by Guests. The Guest suggests a trade, and the CM is obligated to accept the trade so long as the pin offered by the Guest is an official Disney pin. I've seen CMs warn the Guest that the Guest is offering an especially valuable pin - perhaps the Guest would rather offer something less valuable? I've seen CMs accept relatively valuable pins in a trade, but put them on the lanyard where other guests can then trade for them. But for a CM to pocket a pin of special value? If I encountered that, I'd start looking for an area manager.

Thanks for explaining this, Dave. I thought what TracyK described might be non-kosher CM behavior.

[TracyKim]

But he was REALLY nice AND he did NOT ask for the pin that I ended up giving him. Gosh, I would NEVER want to get him in trouble. He never once asked for this pin, he just told me the story of it. I was the one that pulled it off my lanyard and gave it to him after he said I could have the large Tinkerbell for my daughter.

I think it is rather silly to have pins that mean nothing!! So because of that we will be doing a Disney cruise so "I" can have Cruise pins that are "real" to me!!!

Thanks for the info Dave!!! I agree TOTALLY with you!!

[cdoles]

Originally Posted by TracyKim

But he was REALLY nice AND he did NOT ask for the pin that I ended up giving him. Gosh, I would NEVER want to get him in trouble. He never once asked for this pin, he just told me the story of it. I was the one that pulled it off my lanyard and gave it to him after he said I could have the large Tinkerbell for my daughter.

I think it is rather silly to have pins that mean nothing!! So because of that we will be doing a Disney cruise so "I" can have Cruise pins that are "real" to me!!!

Thanks for the info Dave!!! I agree TOTALLY with you!!

to me, it's fine if you gave him the pin, but when i first read your story i think my jaw dropped when you said he put it in his pocket! that is such a big no no! he may have been super nice but if i would have seen him put it into his pocket instead of on his lanyard, i would have been mad and gotten the manager. because that's not how pin trading works in my eyes. (and not in WDW eyes either according to their rules haha)

[mylloh]

I am scared to even buy a pin because I am afraid I will start getting into the trading... It seems so fun and interesting.
Holly