NEW- need info/advice

[zachsmomie]

We are taking our first Diney trip in July and my son wants to do pin trading. Can someone give me a rough idea of what pins cost in the park? I see alot of pins on different websites and on e-bay but I don't know if they are good deals or not. I also need to plan $$$ for buying pins, so having a rough idea of the cost will help.

Thanks much,

Sandy

 

[Humpbacks1962]

Plan to spend at least $6.00 for them. Prices can get as high as $15.00 or more, depending on where and what you get. The framed sets easily go into the hundreds.

Careful with the auction sites...

Wanda

 

[pintrader]

the lowest priced ones are $6.50. These are almost without exception, common open stock, fore pins or rack pins. The lowest price currently for Limited Editions is $8.50. The prices go up from there. Typically the other price categories are $12. $15. and $18. Keep in mind, collectors are going to have older LEs to trade but they, typically seem to want other LEs to replace theirs with. I have seen it commonplace that If it sold for $8.50 AND is no longer available folks may ask for a $10 pin to replace it. A few of the people are totally $ oriented.

 

[NHMickey]

There are some good sites to get pins at but for the most part you can find pins at the parks. The thing to remeber is just get the ones you want as the cost can get high very fast. It is a lot of fun though and a great way to meet CM's and other guests. If you have more questions please ask we all here would love to help you get started...

 

[Mickey527]

Sandy,
Try to make time before you get to WDW and stop at the Belz outlet. They have some pins marked down to $399 and they still have lots of the Countdown to 2000 pins from the Disney Store marked at $3.99. These will make good lanyard traders for trading with the CMs.
Lots of people who are new to trading are buying the 4 pin set of the 4 park logos. The CM's will accept these one at a time for trade so at $15 this works out to about $3.75 per pin, but it is very frustrating to other people to find nothing on CM lanyards other than those 4 pins, but some new traders sometimes need to do that. Peggie

 

[zachsmomie]

Thank you so much. This is so helpful. I don't think I am really interested so much in the collector's value of the pins as I am interested in the experience for my son. Getting pins he likes, meeting new people (CMs and others) and, because he is so shy, initiating and talking to the other people.

So far he has the following pins:
1 set of the 2001 character pins
1 set of the 4 park icons
1 college mickey (bronzy color)
2 mickey with hands behind his back (bronzy color)
2 mickey with hands behind his back (colorful)
1 minnie with hands behind her back (colorful)
1 mickey in a cowboy hat
1 minnie head
1 lg Disney Collector Pin with Mickey in a tux(?) and arms
spread

Looking at the receipts, I've spent @54.00 including shipping/insurance, ect. from cheappins and ebay.

Am I really getting taken? or does this sound reasonable?

Also, we have duplicates of the ones he really did not want to trade so he can trade the extra one for a new pin. Am I doing this right?

Thanks,
Sandy

 

[pin addict]

Hi Sandy, that is the way to trade. The most important thing is to collect what you like. Once you start it is hard not to get hooked. It can be fun if you do not get to serious about it. As you go you will find better pins on castmember lanyards.
And just like Pintrader said, watch out there are sharks in the water. Have fun.
Kris (pinaddict)

 

[Luv2Roam]

Yes, make sure you buy what you like. If you see something that will make a good trader, buy extra.
One word about cheap pins, my understanding is those are not currently tradeable with CM's at DL. My guess is WDW will follow suit -- but purely a guess. And with Disney, anything is subject to change at any moment.
You can also buy pins at cost through DL and WDW Merchandising. The only items I know you can't buy this way are LE pins. Also, it is very helpful if you know what pins you want before you call. Shipping is $8.95 up to a $100 order.
If you look at past threads, this will help you too.
Good luck!