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Pony Sugrue
07-29-2003, 09:36 AM
A few years ago, I saw a DAVY CROCKETT pin at the Disney Store. I don't like these small expensive little pins... but since it was like the only CROCKETT thing around at the time, I just had to get it. So I bought my first Disney pin. Later, I bought a TREASURE ISLAND, DARBY O'GILL, and ICHABOD/Mr. TOAD. In DISNEYWORLD, I saw a PIRATES pin... a HALL OF PRESIDENTS pin too. I was delighted that at least something was made for these movies/attractions. I bought my share of these things because at the time, they were about the only souvenir representing these classics.

Now, they keep cranking these things out. I don't know how many PIRATES or HAUNTED MANSIONS there are now... but I don't buy them anymore. They've cheapened it all by over-doing it. They're all too expensive and too numerous. Do we really need another Mickey pin? I might keep my eyes open for THE THREE CABALLEROS or PECOS BILL. They really went overboard when they offered the "100 Mickeys" pins.

This is like beanie babies or some other ridiculous fad. People flock like lemmings to grab every random Daisy, Chip&Dale or Pluto pin that comes down the pike. Then they have so many of them that they have to attach them to a sash like "Boy Scout" Merit badges. The only difference is a Boy Scout should be proud of his achievements. You're just some middle-aged shmuck; lumbering down Main Street ; holding a corndog... draped in random "Mickey", "Alladin", and "Disneyland 2000" pins. The only thing YOU'VE achieved is blowing coin on these marked-up pieces of junk.

I took delight in throwing that "Blue Fairy" pin away... because that was one step closer to ending any future fighting over the little piece of junk.

DisneyFan25863
07-29-2003, 09:53 AM
Ah yes, I remember my pin days........I'm starting to actually want to Thank the person who stole them, or the net with a hole in it on indy......I spent wayyyyyy to much money on those......the good news is, though, that I did have my one sacred pin in my pocket that day......My offical WDI pin :)

sgtdilbert
07-29-2003, 10:05 AM
Awwww, have a cookie.

I just started pin trading, as I knew it was going to be an expensive hobby. But it's just that; a hobby. I would tend to agree that the number of limited edition releases this summer was a bit out of control. If you read over at dizpins.com message boards, you'll see that even the avid traders agree on that point.

I think it's a fun side pursuit. I'm not a very social person by nature, but it's kind of fun talking to people about their pins on a lanyard. And I think that's how it's supposed to be, a fun side pursuit.

Now, there are people that are WAYYYYYY out of control with the pins. I really avoid the pin commandos, and that seems to work out well for me.

Anyway, it's not a mandatory pursuit for anyone, and if you don't want to play, then no one's making you. As for getting upset about it, you might want to think that all those pin traders are just adding to the Disney bottom line, and maybe, just maybe some of that money might be returned to the park in the form of maintenance. :) Then again, it could just be going to Eisner's bonus, but hey, I'm trying to be positive here! :D

s.

smd4
07-29-2003, 10:17 AM
A few years ago, I saw a DAVY CROCKETT pin at the Disney Store. I don't like these small expensive little pins... but since it was like the only CROCKETT thing around at the time, I just had to get it. So I bought my first Disney pin. Later, I bought a TREASURE ISLAND, DARBY O'GILL, and ICHABOD/Mr. TOAD. In DISNEYWORLD, I saw a PIRATES pin... a HALL OF PRESIDENTS pin too. I was delighted that at least something was made for these movies/attractions. I bought my share of these things because at the time, they were about the only souvenir representing these classics. Sometimes collecting takes a bit of discipline.

While I enjoy all the attractions at Disneyland, to a more or lesser extent, I decided to focus on collecting things from only my most-favorite attraction--the Disneyland Railroad.

This had a couple of results: first, it caused me to FOCUS. While I might have been absolutely tempted to get a Nuatilus pin or a Matterhorn pin, I knew they would not belong in my collection.

Second, I knew the amount of pins that would be produced for this one attraction would be finite, (or at least very low) just like they are for any of the attractions (Collecting characer pins is another story). There are only maybe 15 or 20 pins that are EXCLUSIVELY Disneyland Railroad related. This means I don't need to get the WDW RR Pins or the Big Thunder RR pins.

It's the same with all collecting. Sure, we'd all like to have one of EVERYTHING ever produced, but for most of us, that's just not feasible. And, it degrades the quality of the collection as a whole, unless there is some unifying theme to the collection.

Dave Z
07-29-2003, 10:41 AM
Originally posted by Pony Sugrue
You're just some middle-aged shmuck; lumbering down Main Street ; holding a corndog...

Hey, That's ME!

But without the pins. My 11 yr old has a few of the Princesses and, hey, it makes her happy. :)

Kimi_Coconuts
07-29-2003, 10:45 AM
I just love pin trading, it adds to the experience for my family. We do it everytime we go. We all just collect the pins we like, we're not looking for money or collectables. We have them displayed in our living area and I thoroughly enjoy gazing upon them, they reflect each of us and our personal likes of Disney and they always make me smile and love Disney just a little bit more.

dsnylndmom
07-29-2003, 11:18 AM
My almost 9 year old is an avid pin collector and he loves it. He just started in April but is totally digging it. I started it by buying him a TON of pins when they were 75% off at TDS and he just took to it. He's an outgoing kid to begin with and this has just added to his "outgoingness" LOL He's already got his lanyard and pins pack for our trip to WDW! LOL

Not Afraid
07-29-2003, 11:24 AM
I THOUGHT this thread looked familiar! I Deja vu anyone? (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7641)

HBTiggerFan
07-29-2003, 11:38 AM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
I THOUGHT this thread looked familiar! I Deja vu anyone? (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7641)

Thank you so much Not Afraid!

Dave Z
07-29-2003, 12:10 PM
You're just some middle-aged shmuck; gnawing on a corn dog'; lumbering down Main Street...

Well I'll be. I'm in that one, too!

Lani
07-29-2003, 12:15 PM
Originally posted by HB Tigger Fan
Thank you so much Not Afraid! Such is the natural life cycle of discussions on a board like this (or any other). There is a natural ebb and flow about topics, and many of them get discussed over and over.

adriennek
07-29-2003, 12:15 PM
nevermind. Nothing to see here.

Adrienne

Pony Sugrue
07-29-2003, 01:55 PM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
I THOUGHT this thread looked familiar! I Deja vu anyone? (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7641)

Ah yes! You found me out

I wanted to ressurect the old thread, but I wanted some new opinions on it... so I began the discussion again instead of recycling it. Sorry for all of you who are bored with it.

I feel the moderators would rather I do it this way instead of "ressurecting" because of how dated, and thus confusing the old ones can be.

YellowMan
07-29-2003, 02:07 PM
As far as pin trading goes, I have to agree with Pony Sugrue. The stereotypical pin trader in my mind is "some middle-aged shmuck; lumbering down Main Street ; holding a corndog... draped in random "Mickey", "Alladin", and "Disneyland 2000" pins." However, they're also usually wearing a Fantasmic hat, Disneyland jacket, and the only part of them that isn't Disney merchandise is their pants and shoes. I always wonder if these people actually think they look good like that? If they actually think people walk by and think, "Man! That guy's gotta be the coolest person I've ever seen!" Sadly, these fanatics (like usual) are the ones who spoil the bunch and cause pin traders as a whole to seem fanatical.

I think the way Kimi_Coconuts is doing it is the most respectable of the pin traders. It's a way for you to get souvenirs that reflect your likes and dislikes, but it isn't used as a way for you to trick yourself into somehow feeling pride and superiority because you own so much of such a silly thing.

hbquikcomjamesl
07-29-2003, 02:16 PM
On my annual July 4th visit to DL and DCA, I usually wear as many of the "giveaway" flag pins as I can find, and since it's also my pass renewal day, I often wear a passholder pin of some sort as well. (It's the only time I ever wear anything to indicate my passholder status, unless there's some occasion that warrants wearing my October 17th [MSEP passholder party] T-shirt.) Since that's also the day I take the Walt's Footsteps tour, I decided to wear my BackStage Magic pin from Florida (quite literally the only time I've ever worn it; the next time I'm in Florida, I'll probably wear a Walt's Footsteps pin for the BSM tour)

At one point, I was approached by a couple of pin collectors who saw it and asked if I'd be interested in trading it. I politely but firmly declined, and I think I pointed out that (1) they'd have a hard time getting anybody to part with one, and/or (2) I don't even own a pin-trader's lanyard.

I don't believe I've ever bought a pin; nor have I ever traded. Every pin I have has been given to me, for one reason or another. My flag pins are all main gate giveaways. I've got two or three that were included in my WDW packages. My passholder pins were either given to everybody who renewed in a particular year, or to all who attended some passholder party (such as the Light Magic soft-open party). My tour pins were given out as souvenirs of tours I've taken. And I've got a bunch of character pins that were given out on my last WDW visit, every time I had a roll of film processed. (Good compensation for the fact that most of the prints from the lab that services the All Star resorts were blemished and unusable). And I've even got a few non-Disney pins that were given to me at the conclusion of some figure skating competition on which I worked video crew.

Oh, and I must point out that "shmuck" is vulgar Yiddish slang.

MonorailMan
07-29-2003, 02:48 PM
Meh, who needs to be a "Pin Trader", when I'm a "Pin Keeper". :p

Mouse
07-29-2003, 03:04 PM
I bought a Kuzco pin on my WDW trip a while back. Like Pony I wasn't able to find much Kuzco stuff so this was neat to have. I had it on my bag I took to work and it eventually fell off. That was sad. All I had was the little Mickey head backing to remember it by.

My mom had bought a pin while at Castaway Cay that was advertised as being sold only the island. Like me, she had it on a purse and it eventually fell off too.

That's my experience with pins.

Allison
07-29-2003, 03:38 PM
I can see when it use to be something special, but now it is overkill.

I use to love looking for Disneyana on E-bay, but wading through all the pins, (they have found their way into every catagory) is just a chore.

experiment626
07-29-2003, 06:08 PM
I don't "trade" pins but I do collect a few here and there. I do not feel the need to collect every pin or even every pin of one type/character, just the ones that I like.

mrfantasmic
07-30-2003, 12:16 PM
I don't dare buy a pin... chances are I'll be swept into the frenzy... I'm known to be sucked in by fads!

Pony Sugrue
07-30-2003, 02:57 PM
Originally posted by Allison
I can see when it use to be something special, but now it is overkill.

I use to love looking for Disneyana on E-bay, but wading through all the pins, (they have found their way into every catagory) is just a chore.

Everytime i look for any Disney things on ebay, I go to that "advanced search" and enter both "Pin" and "pins" in the "words to exclude" window. That knocks down the item number quite a bit.