Pin trading

I posted this reply on your other post too, hopefully you see one of the two replies! 😀

There are a bunch of good videos on YouTube that can help with this and most of what I'll post I got from them. WDWKevin posted a great one comparing a real pins to scrapper versions of the same pin. I will say, some "fake" pins can still meet some of the requirements of a "real" pin, so you kind of have to check everything. I'll also add, if you like a pin, it doesn't matter if it's real or fake EXCEPT when it comes to the cost. Don't go buy a bunch of real pins and trade them away for fake ones, you're giving up real money for a 99 cent pin. Likewise, don't buy bulk pins and trade for real ones, we wouldn't have to have posts like this if people just didn't do it. "Like value" trading is fine IMO. We buy scrappers and trade them for other scrappers we might like and trade real pins for other real pins we see.

Also, don't be afraid to ask the cast member whether they think the pin is real or not. Some CM's may tell you they don't know, as in they're not pin experts, but a lot of them know about pins and will help you out. Also, you can listen for some clues from them sometimes, like if they say "Oh, but you're trading such a good pin", they're probably trying to give you a hint.

1. Most importantly - Most of the pins are boards are "fake" and if you bought one of the "lots" of pins from Ebay, Amazon, Walmart, etc. The 75 pins for $50 ones. They're all fake.

2. "Real" pins are generally thicker. If you have pins you know for sure are real (i.e., you bought it), you can pull a pin off the board and compare the thickness.

3. The little "nubs" beside the post on the back should be very sharp. If they're not, the pin could be fake. I have also seen fake pins with sharp nubs, so it isn't a given.

4. The Mickey design stamping on the back of the pin should go the whole way off the edge. If there is a gap between the design and the edge of the pin, it is likely fake.

5. The enamel should be "flat". If you move the pin around in the light and can see dips in the enamel, it is likely fake.

6. When you see the same pin on every board, it is a tell tale sign it's fake. Unless that many people decided to go to Shanghai and get "exclusive" pins to bring to WDW for trading. 😂 Watch some pin trading videos before you go. Take notice of the pins the vlogger is showing on the boards and what seems to be on every board, then when you get to the parks you kind of know what to look for as a "fake" ahead of time.

   • The exception to this is the "starter" sets you see at the pin stands/in the stores at WDW. There was a set (that they've recently stopped selling) that was 6 villain side kicks and now it's at Character Warehouse. It is/was a good deal if you are getting started, so you see them on a lot of boards.

7. The diamond emblem on the back of the pin should be "one piece" if that makes sense. If it's very clearly three little stones in a Mickey shape, it's a bad sign. I'm newer to pin trading so I might be wrong, but I think the diamonds on the back are a relatively new thing. So you might see some pins that are a couple years old with no diamonds even though they're real.

8. Last one is an example - Be careful with 2025 Wave A/B pins (little silver packs with either pink or blue logos/writing on them) as they've already faked them and you can buy the fakes in the gift stores in the area outside the bubble, (like the store with the big Wizard out front). The fakes won't be in the silver foil packs, they'll be multiple pins on one backing. In June I was buying the real 2025 packs and trading duplicates. I found some 2025 castles and didn't think anything of it because I figured they were new enough to have not been faked yet. A CM pointed out the fake when I tried to trade him and once he showed me the difference it was obvious. The fakes are very smooth, almost like they have a "clear coat" on them. The real pins have some "texture" to them. I don't know how else to explain it...

On a more positive note, if you see a pin that is from a currently for sale blind box/bag pin or a currently for sale open edition on a board, it is probably real. Examples are the ducks, trash cans, etc. The 2026 Wave A pins (silver pack, green logos/writing) are a safe bet because they're so new. Wave B pins will be released soon and before they go in the stores, they put them on the boards so if you see them, they're most definitely real. Also, if you see a CM with a pin pad and the pin is hidden, like it's upside down on their pad, it is usually a trivia pin. It seems like CM's try and reserve the trivia for "real" pins. They aren't always though.

This turned into a longer post than I expected. Main thing is have fun and try to trade "real pins" for real pins and "fake pins" (if you have them) only for other fakes. If you're not sure if a pin on a board is real or not just leave it there, unless you absolutely love it. And if you love the pin, it doesn't matter if it's "real" or not.

Wow, thank you. This is very helpful. My wife and kids all trade pins and especially the kids just trade anything for whatever they like in the moment. I just feel bad if they are trading fake ones away and getting real ones. This helps me to be able to help them while they are trading. Again thanks.

Our kids do some pin trading for fun purposes so if they end up with a fake pin it's ok. If they purchase a pin, we make note of it so they don't accidentally trade it later. I will say that I caught a little of the pin bug but not for trading. We purchased some Holiday party pins, the DVC member pins, and a couple ride pins for easy souvenirs. I now want to get a pin for this years Holiday parties..... it's a trap! ;) 46 years old and starting a Pin Board.

An adult traded my child for the Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears Super Chaser a few weeks ago. We didn't realize it was a super chaser until about 15 minutes after the trade.

My spouse keeps saying that the person needed it more than us, so makes us feel better. My child just likes trading anyways.

Sorry, just wanted to vent since my FB post when it initially happened was removed.

But, I don’t have an answer to your question. Kind of crazy there’s so many fakes out there.