Originally Posted by
BigRedDad
We do not buy many pins. The only pins we really by are to trade with CMs. CMs seem to have the same pins across the board. They are typically filled with the Booster Pack type pins. Not a big deal, but there needs to be variety.
My DD trades for things she wants at that point in time. She may even trade that pin later in the day. We happened upon a pin trading station at Epcot where people had binders filled with pins. My DD politely asked to look, she asked a few questions on some pins she had come across, and was given some advice. After we were done with this lady that seemed so nice, she told my DD that she should not trade the pin her hand. She told her to throw it away because is it something she called a "scrapper". My DD just traded for it from a CM and this lady tells her it is trash. I brushed it off and thanked her. My DD was upset. We went back to the CM, told her what the lady said, and she took her pin back and gave her one of her choice from the pins on the racks.
I have done a lot of searching since I got home because of this. I have come to the conclusion that there are two groups in this pins business: traders (like my daughter who do not care) and collectors (are looking to get the better end of a trade or looking for rare pins). My DD is a trader. She doesn't care. She sees something she likes, she trades for it. Every once in awhile, she finds a collector type pin.
I have also learned that there are special release events for collector pins. Most of these will never make it to the pin stations. They are limited editions and sell out before making it to the stations.