trading pins About This Page:

[tigger chick]

hi [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img] , do any of ya'll have any info on trading pins is there any place that is a really good location 2 trade pins? Do u have any hints or tips?
Will the cast members trade there pins they get for being a cast member?

thanks,
tigger chick [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Stitches]

Hi there [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img] ,
I got into pin collecting on my visit last year. They sucked me in by offering one free pin with the vacation package. Great idea on Disney's part; I came home with about a dozen! The only trading I did was with cast members. The best luck i had was to catch them as soon as the park opened in the morning. Also, my 7 year old daughter was pin collecting and in a few cases cast members gave her pins for free! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I did not ever have a cast member trade a pin they got for being a cast member.
I'll be watching this post to see if we can learn any new tips.

[boBºoº]

Hello and Welcome Tigger Chick,

Check out the spare room in the villa section of the passporter boards, I am sure there is a ton of stuff about pin trading there. I don't trade but do buy pins. I have quite a few from my trips.

Happy Trading, Bobºoº

[michnash]

I've only traded with Cast Members. I was told by a cast member to look for "important-looking" cast members, like the ones in ties and suits! Or, the manager of a store- because they get the pins to trade by rank and the higher-ups get first pick. They like to have the hard-to-find or popular ones. But, I just trade for fun!

[jengen]

We got into trading pins early last year as well. We've done lots of trading online using www.pinpics.com

It's a site that's free to use and you can keep a log of your own collection on there.

We bought a ton of pins at the Disney Store when they would go on sale and use these to trade with cast members at the parks. The other guests are not as pleasant to trade with. My husband LOVED approaching cast members and trading pins...we ended up with some fine lanyard exclusives from all the parks!

Rules to remember: always greet the CM & ask to see their pins. Also all CMs keep a variety of pins on their lanyards and don't want doubles. Do not offer to trade a pin they already display on their lanyard.

I never thought to notice that the 'best dressed' CMs had the most 'valuable' pins..we'll have to take notice next time we visit!

[DisneyNutMary]

If you want to buy some pins before your trip, specifically for trading, then I suggest you go to Cheappins.com, you can get a bunch of pins at low prices and you can trade them away without feeling too bad.
For trading, I recommend you trade mostly with CMs, they will never try to cheat you, and will trade anything ontheir lanyard for almost anything on yours.
Though trading with other guests is not always a bad thing, sometimes you will find people who will trade you a cheap pin, for a valuable one on your lanyard, or sometimes you will encounter a real serious collector who will let you look, but not trade. So CMs are always the sure bet for trading.
If the pin collecting bug bites you, head to DTD, to the pin store. They have the best selection of pins and you will find lots of people there willing to trade with you and chat about pins. I have also found this to be a great place for just picking up pin-information...what's hot, what's new, what's exclusive, etc.

Good Luck and happy trading!!!

[yalibrarian]

We got a free pin for collecting three special Kellog's panels and will do it again this year (they were on Rice Krispies). You pick it up at the Pin Trading (and selling!)station at Downtown Disney. They have standup tables where several people were showing and trading their extensive pin collections. Many had the elaborate carrying cases for pins sold through the Disney catalog.

There was no pressure from the CM to buy anything; she cheerfully bagged our freebie and even gave us a receipt. Of course, if you wanted to buy a pin or lanyard, they had lots available.

YA Librarian in VA

[stretch2864]

I was at the Mall of America this week and noticed that they seem to be following suit with Disney and getting into the pin-trading game. Does anyone know if other theme parks and major American attractions also have collector pins available? I was just curious now having seen the ones at MOA. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Maridw]

We started trading a couple years ago and my DD(now 16) literally traded us out of the pins we had for trading. We purchased some cheap pins online strictly for trading and she traded with just about every CM that she saw. She did trade with one young boy, but he approached her and since they were both new to it and young each got what they wanted out of the trade.

We have gotten some unusual pins and we don't try and trade with the anyone really into it. My brother sent in the side panels for the free Kellogg pin and had it sent to us because he knew we collected pins. We were surprised when we got it in the mail, we found out later who had done it.

To get some cheap pins you can check on ebay, and do a search under Disneyana for "trading" or "lot". We have gotten them for $3 to $3.50 each instead of $6.50 and up.

Have fun with it and you can do as we do, Trade only for what you like or want.