Disney Pin Collecting

Disney Pins are a hot collectible that offer a big advantage over types of Disney collectibles - they are small and do not take up too much room (unless of course you have thousands!). While many Disney pin collectors simply buy and trade pins that appeal to them in the moment, it is also possible to build up a pretty substantive collection by sticking to a particular theme. Theming your collection also helps control costs and dealing with the overwhelming selection of pins available. Every month Disney releases anywhere from a dozen to hundreds of new pins and even with an unlimited pocketbook, it is impossible to get them all.

Some of the themes you might consider for your Disney pin collection are Disney characters (or even a single Disney character!). Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell and Winnie the Pooh are popular choices among pin collectors and you can amass a collection in the hundreds, if not thousands, even of just one of these characters.

Other themes might include cast member only pins - a very popular collectible item; or you could build your collection on pins only released at Disneyland or in the international park - Disneyland Paris, Tokyo or Hong Kong. It's all up to you -- you could even specialize in just Disney Cruise Line pins!

Other collectors might specialize in collecting only Disney Cast Member pins. These are pins specifically created for the people who work for Disney (everyone who works for Disney is called a cast member). Some of these pins are rewards for great customer service, or anniversary awards for working for Disney a certain number of years (5, 10 and 30 years, in particular) and some of them are variations on pins available to Disney customers, that can only be bought in a Disney cast member stores. Yes, Disney has stores that are only open to their employees.

Since many Disney Cast members are collectors themselves, it is possible to find cast members to trade pins with in order to get the cast member only pins that you are trying to add to your collection. Frequently, you can also find Disney Cast Member pins on Ebay. Disney employees aren't allowed to sell their own pins on Ebay, but other Disney collectors will often sell their collections online, so it isn't too difficult to find what you are seeking.

Other theming options for your Disney pin collection are Theme Park pins or attraction pins. Many pins created by Disney are only available in a particular theme park, so you could specialize in just Walt Disney World pins or just Disneyland Paris pins.

Alternatively, you can collection Attractions pins -- for instance, you could track down all the pins released for the Haunted Mansion. Since each Haunted Mansion attraction in each Disney Theme Park is somewhat different from the other Parks, you could have quite an interesting collection just based around this one ride.

Or you could collect Disney Cruise Ship pins, or Disney Hotel pins, Annual Passholder pins, Disney Store pins, etc. I think you see what I'm saying.

The number of Disney pins available could number in the millions, so it makes sense to focus your collection on a topic or a group of topics that most interests you or features the pins that you find most interesting.

To display pins you have several options. When you wear a jacket with lapels, you can wear a few of your favorite small pins. The same goes for wearing a baseball cap or a vest. Many pin collectors wear a few on the front of a cowboy hat or an Indiana Jones style hat (sold in the parks).

Tote bags, purses, and fanny packs are another place where some pins can be displayed. Disney actually sells vests that are made nice and sturdy just for wearing your pin collection around the Parks.

One of the most popular ways to show off your Disney pins is to buy lanyards. Disney makes a whole variety of lanyards available in each park or at the Disney store and you'll frequently see park goers who collect pins wearing multiple lanyards around their neck. They do get heavy after awhile though, so I recommend having a fanny pack you can stuff the lanyards into when they start to feel too heavy.

Of course, as you get into Disney pin collecting, you will soon find that you have too many to wear the entire collection at one time. A bulletin board, perhaps covered with a fabric in Disney related colors - such as black & white for Mickey Mouse, makes a nice backdrop for a pin collection. The pins can either be pinned into the cork of the bulletin board through the fabr or attached to the fabric first.

You can also display your pins in a binder. Disney sells binders that are designed for pin traders with Disney logos on them and either stiff plastic sheets or sturdy velvet-covered cardboard to which you can attach the pins. This method works well if you wish to take some of your pins to an event where you can do some trading with other pin collectors.

Of course, to save a little money, you can make your own binder. Just buy some hard felt or craft foam. Use a three-hole punch to punch holes into the sides and then slide them into a looseleaf binder as is, or put them into page protectors first. The type of looseleaf binder that zips closed is the best to use for pin collecting. They'll help protect your pins from dust, escape attempts and getting wet.

Sometimes pins can get scratched, especially if they are stored without page protectors in a binder or they get a lot of handling. The scratches can be rubbed out with a tiny bit of liquid car wax. Future scratching can be avoided by using page protectors in your binders.

Enjoy your pin collection! I'll soon be doing a hub about trading and selling pins and where you can find other collectors even when you can't get to Walt Disney World. You don't need to visit the Parks in order to get a nice collection going, but of course that is frequently where the fun begins!