*Are you looking for inexpensive, authentic Disney pins? Check out my Disney pin buying guide video! ->* th-cam.com/video/aIpHdi6Ee2Q/w-d-xo.html There's a lot of great sellers that offer authentic pins for only $1.50 each! When I say 'if you can afford Disney, you can afford real pins', what I'm talking about is the difference between spending $1.00/pin on fake pins from Amazon/eBay vs spending $1.50/pin for authentic pins from reputable sellers. It's a difference of mere dollars in terms of a pin trading lot, but it makes all the difference!
This video was SUPER helpful!!!! I just started trading Disney Pins, so I didn't know how to identify fake ones. I almost bought one of the fake pin lots and now I'm so glad I checked first
I think it would be interesting to see a video where you open a bag of authentic Disney pins mixed with "fake" pins to see if you can tell the difference. Personally, I've been told by pin traders that many of my pins are "fake." On one occasion, a pin trader was commenting on the fake pin on my lanyard....and it was actually a pin that I had just bought that day at the park. So...I would be interested to see if you could spot the difference when you don't already know that the pin is a fake.
I don't know, she is pretty good. I had a pin come via e-bay that I suspected was a fake, (LE 200 for dirt cheap) but couldn't for the life of me find anything wrong with it. I sent her a pick via a Facebook group, and she pointed out what was wrong with it within a few minutes of me sending the pic. It was on a backer card and all. I felt pretty stupid when she pointed out that the lips on Sleeping Beauty were not painted on! they were just the color of the outline, and not pink like they should be. I still have it on my pin board, but I'd never try to pass it off as a good one.
I've seen so many pins over time that it's thankfully gotten pretty easy for me. I have a lot of people contact me about help with authenticity, but of course there are always instances where it's hard to tell without having the pin in-hand. I've definitely seen it before when people try to be helpful with pin authenticity, and may think a real pin is fake or vice versa.
Maybe the quality of the pin you purchased was off. I purchased a mystery box of the Park Badges pins. One pin had some pretty off quality. The wording looked smudged, but I knew it was a real pin because it came out of a mystery box that I just purchased when at the park. I say collect what you want. I have some scrappers/fakes in my collection but would never trade them. I'm only keeping them because I like them.
Disney has a whole pin trading distributing center that weeds out all the fake pins. So while people might trade them TO cast members, Disney has people whose job it is to weed those pins back out when they re-distribute the lanyards of trading pins to cast members. I've been to the pin trading department under Magic Kingdom when I worked there, its really amazing! -A Disney Cast Member
That's good to know. I got 5 fake pins by trading with cast members in Disney Parks and Disney Springs. Just started this pin trading hobby and did not know the signs. :(
Just so you guys know you can buy the individual bags, just because a pin came in one doesn’t mean they’re fake. My dad buys and sells pins on eBay (not necessarily Disney ones but sometimes he’ll buy a lot and a Disney one will be in there so he will sell it on) and he packages his badges in those little bags just as an extra touch, so don’t be quick to discredit a seller just because they come in those little bags. My tips for finding genuine things on eBay would be 1) check the feedback 2) look at other listings they have, if they have lots of pins (especially with multiple sales per listing and bulk lots) then that’s quite suspicious 3) if the images are hand taken rather than pulled off the internet there’s a higher chance it’s real (of course that’s not always the case though) 4) compare it to a real pin, the people selling them may not know it’s a fake so even if the listing matches all my info above it could still be a fake Also with the feedback points, usually if bad feedback is left the seller can can for the feedback to be removed usually by saying eg. I’ll give you a refund, please remove the feedback which makes the seller seem more legitimate. This is a great video :). Hope I can help some people out too.
At my local comic-con there was a booth that was selling fake Disney pins, and I could tell this when I pulled the pins off the corkboard. They feel really light and very cheap! There were also a lot of duplicates that you showed in your video on identifying fakes. Thank goodness for reputable pin traders and facebook groups for trading legit pins! And thank you for making more people aware of this issue.
When I worked in WDW merch, we were told that we could never refuse a trade. There were several times when we would get obvious fakes, but we had to take them.
You mentioned a couple times places to buy authentic pins for around $1.50 ish a piece, would you mind giving some links? Unfortunately I don’t live close enough to a Disney outlet or warehouse to get them there :(
I really liked what you had to say about each one! Some of them, to the untrained eye, seem very legit. I should have known the lengths these counterfiters would go to, but it still shocks me.
Agreed. Me and my daughter trade pins in the park and she gets so excited if she sees some she likes. Like she doesn't care if they're fake or not. I think maybe the ones that are totally against getting a fake should maybe just stick to doing trades online. The parks are obviously already full of "fakes"
Love this video! Very unique idea to showcase the fake pin lots. I really hope at some point in the future Disney somehow becomes more aware of this going on in the parks. Can’t wait for the next one! :)
Hi Emily, I am leaving for WDW in 11 days and was totally planning on buying one of those eBay pin lots for my kids to trade, but after watching your videos I decided to buy authentic pins instead. Just wanted to let you know you’re making a difference :)
While some people might be ok with getting a fake pin, most people are not. It’s ok to collect the fake pins, but trading them at the parks with other guests or cast members is rude. I have some fake pins of my own, but I wouldn’t trade them because it’s not the right thing to do.
On my Pin Trading Basics playlist, I have a few videos where I go more in depth on fake pins and comparisons :) th-cam.com/play/PLQZWUABaiuIjbL61Lhis6In-HIPPRgvHV.html
I could care less if they are fake or not I trade them anyways and collect the hidden Mickey sets then trade those away to find new sets. It’s basically something to do to pass time. All my pins I collect and put in albums are limited releases or AP pins I purchase at the park
I absolutely agree. The pins you trade for will normally be fake and you can go a long time without finding something not crap, but that feeling of finding something you want still feels awesome! Who cares if it's real or not? If you plan on selling them or something then for sure, be absolutely positive it's real, like you said, the ones you buy yourself, keep aside. You shouldn't be finding expensive pins on lanyards anyway, it's supposed to be fun, not a way to make money and increase the value of your collection.
While you might be ok with getting a fake pin, some people are not. It’s ok to collect the fake pins, but trading them at the parks with other guests or cast members is rude. I have some fake pins of my own, but I wouldn’t trade them because it’s not the right thing to do.
Ice Storm I have hundreds of real pins I’ve purchased at pin traders in Disney and all the characteristics that they say fake pins have I have seen in my real pins too. So I’m not going to sift through every pin wondering if it’s real or not. If it’s obviously fake I usually set it aside but I’m not going to worry about it. I buy lots and trade them like everyone else does. Also Disneyland cast members have even suggested buying pin lots to trade lol. Trading for me is just to pass the time. I usually collect a full set then trade it out again to try and collect a new one. People need to relax about pin trading. If you want authentic pins 100% every time then buy your pins one at a time from Disney
I know this is a very old video, but I wish Disney would hire someone with extensive knowledge of pins to go through all the pin boards/lanyards in the parks and take out all the fake pins. Someone named Emily perhaps. 🤔
Here’s why I don’t buy the price excuse: you are not entitled to trade fake pins. If you can’t afford to buy real pins, you have no business using that as an excuse to trade fake pins. When people trade real pins for fake pins, they are being conned. If you can’t afford to do something in a way that is just, then don’t do it. You aren’t entitled to pin trading.
I don't understand all the fuss about trading ebay lots in the parks. I do it exclusively. I know I am trading fakes for fakes--who cares. I never trade pins i buy in the parks with cast members in the park. If a pin trader is serous they know how to spot a fake, so why would you trade. Everyone is entitled to trade pins in the park. Get over yourself.
Steven Kieffer sounds like you’re the one who should “get over yourself.” Not everyone is aware that there are many fakes making their rounds in the parks. You are willfully contributing to the issue of fraudulent trading. Children and novice pin traders who buy real pins in the parks and don’t know any better are conned by bad actors like you. No sir, you are absolutely not entitled to pawn off a pin you know to be fake as a real pin in the parks. Do you tell the individual you are trading with that your pin is a known fake? My guess is that the answer is no. If you feel so confident that what you’re doing is right and just, then you should fully disclose this fact during a trade. You don’t get to set the standard of what a “serious” pin trader is and, “serious” or not, nobody deserves to be duped by a bad actor who knowingly distributes counterfeit merchandise into the marketplace. “Get over yourself.”
Hi Emily. This was good information. Thanks for sharing. I have to tell you, the video you refer to that is an old one you put out about the fake pins; that is the first video I ever watched of yours. That was so long ago. 😀 Been watching your channel since. 😉
I stopped pin trading because of fakes. The last time I went to Disney to trade EVERY CAST LANYARD had the same pins. It was so disappointing when half the fun of the vacation for me was finding new pins through trading.
I can't afford a Disney trip so honestly these are great for me. I still have my originals from when I went as a kid, but I am going to try and pick up some fakies of my fav character off people who don't want them. @W@
Thank you for sharing and especially walking through your evaluation of these fake pins. I’ve heard the term “dip”, but didn’t really understand it till I saw this video. Thanks!
Thanks for the great info! I went back and looked at the pins I traded ( for the first time) at Disneyland last month and discovered that 3 of the 4 were fake😕! I’m going to put them in my classroom prize box and trade more “wisely “next time! PS I just ordered the peppermint ears that are on the wall behind you....can’t wait to get them😊
Great video. We just got back from Disney and, yes, there are tons of fake pins out there, but we actually had an AMAZING time trading for real pins with cast members and even a couple of other guests. I got some great pins! I appreciate you having educated me on the scrapper/fake pins and my eye was honed to spot them. I did go to the Disney Store outlet as you suggested and was very happy to buy pins to trade for a considerable discount.
What is the real horror if you get fakes. To me they look pretty much the same but I know there are a few little differences with the marking on the back.
Oh snap, I started collecting when I was like 12 and my grandpa bought me a lot from ebay,.. I went to Disney Springs and traded them all lolll,...oh snapp I didn't know :(
All your info is so great. Thank you for doing all the research. When these fake pins are found at Disney parks why aren’t they just tossed out? Hopefully the high up manager of merchandise catches on to this.
I bought a pin directly and physicality from the Disney store and it still has the streaky paint brush looking quality in it. So I'm confused about it rn.
Well, keep in mind that almost all pins have the enamel filled in by hand by factory workers in china. There's literally a person with a syringe full of enamel filling each color section individually - and each factory worker is responsible for hundreds of pieces a day. So even in authentic lots, you get what are called "seconds" or "b-grade" pins. These are pins with small imperfections that may have slipped through quality control. So even legit disney pins can sometimes have scratches, scuffs, miss-filled paint or other imperfections.
The scuffs/streaks are probably lines from sanding (hard enamel pins are sanded down). It's important to note that Disney pins and counterfeit pins are often made in the same factories with the same materials, so any imperfections you find in counterfeit pins will also be present in real pins, just less often because of stricter quality control. Seeing an imperfection in the pin doesn't mean that it's 100% for sure a fake.
Good video. I wish I bothered to look for it a few months ago. I got a bulk box off ebay and I'm learning now to spot fakes compared to the pins I bought new. I feel foolish.
I just came back from my birthday trip to Disney World the other day and was looking forward to pin trading, was upset to see all the cast members have the same exact scrapper pins on lanyard, the one trade I finally made the pin I got ended up being fake
Just wanted to say a massive thank you, I've been wanting to collect Disney pins for ages and when I saw these collections because of the price honestly I nearly brought a set but I thought they were genuine going to definitely use these tips in future and see if I can find a group selling real pins close by me
I've also noticed that fake pins have fake mickey pin backs. The mickey backs on real pins are a bit bigger and have the 'copyright disney', and the mickey ears on them are slightly different.
Kinda ironic how the fake pinbacks are a lot better than the real ones in terms of keeping the pin secure cause seriously pins just slip right off the real ones
I get SO excited when I'm actually able to find a real pin at the parks. If I find them anywhere, its usually in Frontierland (Disneyland CA). That's a big pin trading hub and a good place to look for real pins. I only found about 2 on my last trip, but I guess its better than nothing.
Hi Emily, I just started pin trading and I was wondering if the pins on amazon that say “by Disney” are also fake. Btw there are different sellers on amazon that say they’re Disney.
I feel like although it’s not part of a cast members job... I feel like the Disney company should teach them to look out for fake pins. I have seen TERRIBLE like “how can you even think that’s real” pin trading going on, if cast members were allowed to check pins and say “I’m sorry but this is fake”. Seeing so many fake pins hurts my heart, but I know and understand it’s not the cast members fault or job to filter through the pins
Katie Cattabiani I agree. Disney masters everything at their parks. They are a well-oiled machine. I feel like there could be a way to solve this problem too. Switching out cast lanyards more often? Not putting guest pins on the cast lanyards? Turning in lanyards at night to be scanned for fakes? I hate seeing a kid trade a real pin for a fake at the park.
I agree as well, If I'm attempting to trade a pin i had purchased for 9.99 or even from a mystery bag, I'm still holding an authentic Disney pin that I paid good money for. A cast member should say that I'm getting a fake worthless pin for my real one. They should also get them off the boards. Before I knew all this, I traded a real pin for a fake, the cast member seemed surprised I was trading it (it was a duplicate) he could have "hinted" that he couldn't say for sure it wasn't a fake, I may have kept it. I guess it's something that can be hard, as serious traders have different networks, and I imagine most of the parks pin boards are visited by kids. So many don't know the difference,
Actually, Sandra, what happened to you, is almost exactly what happened to me! My husband and I were trading in the parks, and the cast member we traded with mentioned the pin we had was a fake. We both looked at him like he was crazy; what did he mean, "fake?!" We had traded for it in the park, but like yours, it was a duplicate. We noticed differences between the pins, but without understanding why, we decided to trade away the one we didn't like. Talking with that cast member started this whole process where I started doing a bunch of research (and found Emily's amazing channel) to educate myself. Once I found out, I didn't want to be part of the problem, but at the rate I was trading, I didn't want to buy so many real pins. Emily's links really helped me out when we went to Disneyland this summer. I was also much more picky about what pins I traded for. I noticed trading later in the day was worse; more fake pins filled the boards and lanyards. Best pin trading was when the park opened. I think this is because cast members are allowed to trade in some of their pins if they think they are fake or scrappers, but it's limited from my understanding. Anyone else have more info?
Hi there! I was a cast member at the wilderness lodge specifically at the pin cart! We are taught to not accept obviously fake pins. The majority of trading cast do try to trade out the fakes for real ones at the end of the day but in my experience we had to have a certain number of pins on our lanyards at a time. So we have to wait until the end of the day to trade it in for a real one. I’ve turned away a few really bad traders, but I think it really becomes hard when the cast member is approached by a child to trade. It really has made the whole experience as a guest less fun but then again I understand it 😔
Kaci Raye omg I never knew that was a thing! Is this a new thing Disney has been doing it or have they always done it? It must be hard to tell someone they can’t trade a pin, and I can’t imagine when someone puts up a fight about it! I really can’t imagine how difficult it must be
It is so frustrating to trade now in the parks, but also Disney have just hiked the prices up so much with pins now costing at minimum $9.99 plus tax. Disney should sell some pin lots to get guests going if 10-15 pins
Thanks for the video! I really wish the cast members would be better trained to look out for fake or scrapped pins and would be able to say no to people trading those. I’ve avoided pin trading completely and I just keep my doubles from mystery packs since pin trading is so disappointing.
Mackenzie S As nice at it would be to be able to say “no” to people who trade fake pins, keep,in mind a few things. Most people who would be trading fakes are like who people say above, children whose parent buy them for them. And as a CM pin trader, it’d be very difficult to just straight up tell a child no when they see a pin thy really like, them embarrassing their parents and all. Also some who would have fakes are foreign and may not get it. Most of the time a serious trader will be trading real ones. Not that often that I trade with someone who is knowledgeable about pin and they have fakes. Idk just random thoughts. But like I’ve seen blatant fake ones from Walmart and been like no because they don’t even have the trading logo on the back. Lolol those are fun.
You have to factor in several things. Someone might have received a fake pin as a trade. Also, Disney isn't trying to make money on the pin trading so they are willing to take the loss of discarding fake pins. It's an added experience that they offer for guests that they have essentially paid for. What I CAN imagine them cracking down on is if there are regular guests who come in with lots of fakes to trade out for real ones. They have recently quietly started canceling people's annual passes for those who are buying a lot of merchandise for resale. (They can tell people use their AP passes for the discount)
I'm not going to purchase from ebay anymore. I was stupid enough to buy a lot from someone from the parks, but they didn't know half of their pins were fakes either. Thank you for these videos.
I have that gold pin of the Atlantica palace from The Little Mermaid that I traded for at Disneyland, and I knew there was something off about it. Now I know by looking at it that it's a fake. I think the fact that it's so much thinner is what initially made me question it. I didn't know these fake pins were even a thing, but now that I do it honestly doesn't surprise me.
I’ve bought a pin lot with many real pins in them, I just looked In the reviews. I’ve also bought pins from the thrift store with a real Disney lanyard that had soft enamel. I think it would have been nice to actually compare the fake to real ones. Pin trading is definitely getting more complicated.
its not they are not trained or don't know about them. its that they CAN'T say no to a guest for trading!! CMs are the best people in the world don't not say that about them. that gets me mad that is what you think this Disney we are talking about. don't come for cast they are the best. I know that is not the point of the video but it was rude to say that cast don't do their jobs.
Soft vs hard enamel isn't necessarily bad. Most retailers that sell disney licensed items (box lunch/hot topic/gamestop etc) sell legitimate disney pins. They are soft enamel pins, but yes you are correct in saying that there's a clear epoxy on top. Also, you can definitely tell by the debossing AOP on the back if it's fake or not. I work as a product developer.
So excited to go in January! I have been told I went once when I was 3 or 4 ( I don't really remember) and I did go once for Choir when I was in Highschool. Now I get to go with my son and his fathers family! I remembered getting pins on my choir trip, and was sad that I can't find any. I started searching online and found these lots on EBAY, thank goodness I didn't just pull the trigger right away because I found out as you've said that they are scrappers or fakes. Thanks for all of your informative videos, and I hope you continue to enjoy Disney!
Not all Disney pins have that top gloss you are mentioning I've bought pins from Disney world which had even more then one in the store I bought it from. Some of them you said was fake were actually real.
This was a great video idea!! Such a definitive example of why these are fake and how to detect them. & yes, if you’d like to have these pins for your own personal collection, that’s fine! But please just don’t trade them in the parks!
pardon my french but god d*mmit, i bought a lot from someone i trusted and almost all of the pins you showed were in that loti have since sorted through, maybe one or two are real
All of my pins have hard enamel. Most of them are hidden mickey. I get a lot of pins of my moms lanyard. You responded to my comment once so I thought I'd start watching you more on my own instead of with my mom in the living room.
If I can find it, my older sister has some disney pins on her old land yard that was left with me which I know has a few older pins on it. My sister took the one that had my older pins when she went on a trip with her friend for trading and all I have left are two that I myself bought. :/ What I have is apparently a 02 tigger pin (3d pin with tigger standing on his name) and stitch reading the ugly duckling book from 03. I'm even surprised I still have them. I actually wanted to get back to pin collecting at the parks, but I don't go often anymore simply because of price and not living in california anymore.
Alot of times if the color is different it doeant mean it is fake, it is either lost color due to being in sunlight if it was glow in the dark, or if it had skin colors, smoking causes it to shift colors
Wow, I had no idea!! Do you have a list of sellers you trust that you can get pins for 1.50ish? I want to get some pins for my kids to trade that aren’t fake!
I'm surprised that they look as good as they do. I bought a lot a LONG time ago and most were really bad looking. Also I've been really disappointed lately with mystery packs I've bought in the park. If I saw one on a cast member lanyard I would have guessed they were fake.
Just like I mention to you. Why? I never had traded in the parks. When in park, that I buy only when in the parks... if I do get the scrappers it’s for craft projects... not the trading/collection purpose
I wish I saw this video a couple weeks ago, we bought one and then everyone told us they were fake. Luckily we were able to get a refund but it was devastating
Wow I bought this EXACT pact like 3 months ago. Ugh I feel so dumb 🤦🏻♀️ but hey at least some of them are cute and at least I didn’t trade them in the parks because that’s why I bought them, which is unfortunate. But you live and you learn right? I’ll probably find some other usd for them. Although I didn’t know they were fake I did have a weird feeling about how light they were, especially that green Star Wars galactic senate pin. 🤦🏻♀️😑☹️ Thanks for this video it was super helpful! Also this was my first video of yours I watched and your channel seems like so much fun! 💙
Can you explain how u can tell its "wet soft dipped enamel"? As opposed to hard enamel? I'm confused because it just looks shiny to me, and I feel like all authentic disney pins are shiny
As she says, it's dipped. The enamel literally sinks into the pin, leaving big dips between the metal lines that you can feel with your finger. It looks like it's barely been filled in by the factory, whereas hard enamel pins are even. Hard enamel pins should be smooth and almost uniformly flat across the entire pin, with only the slightest hint of raised metal lines. You'll know the difference immediately when you hold a soft enamel pin next to one of Disney's official pins.
I just went to Disneyland California yesterday. I traded with cast members only. Kids like cute pins so I think I got some fake ones. I tried to find real one but it is hard to say specially with short time, night time..but my kids are happy with cute pins😂
After watching this I discovered two of my favorite pins are fakes that I got from trading in the parks☹️ I have never been so disappointed in my life...
Should have watched this before I went to Hong Kong Disneyland last week, traded with a cast member and only just realised that the pin I got was fake.
*Are you looking for inexpensive, authentic Disney pins? Check out my Disney pin buying guide video! ->* th-cam.com/video/aIpHdi6Ee2Q/w-d-xo.html
There's a lot of great sellers that offer authentic pins for only $1.50 each! When I say 'if you can afford Disney, you can afford real pins', what I'm talking about is the difference between spending $1.00/pin on fake pins from Amazon/eBay vs spending $1.50/pin for authentic pins from reputable sellers. It's a difference of mere dollars in terms of a pin trading lot, but it makes all the difference!
This video was SUPER helpful!!!! I just started trading Disney Pins, so I didn't know how to identify fake ones. I almost bought one of the fake pin lots and now I'm so glad I checked first
Hi.. could you maybe let me know some sellers where I can get real cheap pins to trade in the parks ? Thank you so much !
I think it would be interesting to see a video where you open a bag of authentic Disney pins mixed with "fake" pins to see if you can tell the difference. Personally, I've been told by pin traders that many of my pins are "fake." On one occasion, a pin trader was commenting on the fake pin on my lanyard....and it was actually a pin that I had just bought that day at the park. So...I would be interested to see if you could spot the difference when you don't already know that the pin is a fake.
I don't know, she is pretty good. I had a pin come via e-bay that I suspected was a fake, (LE 200 for dirt cheap) but couldn't for the life of me find anything wrong with it. I sent her a pick via a Facebook group, and she pointed out what was wrong with it within a few minutes of me sending the pic. It was on a backer card and all. I felt pretty stupid when she pointed out that the lips on Sleeping Beauty were not painted on! they were just the color of the outline, and not pink like they should be. I still have it on my pin board, but I'd never try to pass it off as a good one.
I've seen so many pins over time that it's thankfully gotten pretty easy for me. I have a lot of people contact me about help with authenticity, but of course there are always instances where it's hard to tell without having the pin in-hand. I've definitely seen it before when people try to be helpful with pin authenticity, and may think a real pin is fake or vice versa.
Maybe the quality of the pin you purchased was off. I purchased a mystery box of the Park Badges pins. One pin had some pretty off quality. The wording looked smudged, but I knew it was a real pin because it came out of a mystery box that I just purchased when at the park. I say collect what you want. I have some scrappers/fakes in my collection but would never trade them. I'm only keeping them because I like them.
Disney has a whole pin trading distributing center that weeds out all the fake pins. So while people might trade them TO cast members, Disney has people whose job it is to weed those pins back out when they re-distribute the lanyards of trading pins to cast members.
I've been to the pin trading department under Magic Kingdom when I worked there, its really amazing!
-A Disney Cast Member
Katie That’s super smart!
That's great to know!
i got a fake from a trade just two years ago
That's good to know. I got 5 fake pins by trading with cast members in Disney Parks and Disney Springs. Just started this pin trading hobby and did not know the signs. :(
I can't tell you how many obvious fakes I've gotten from countless cast members.
Just so you guys know you can buy the individual bags, just because a pin came in one doesn’t mean they’re fake. My dad buys and sells pins on eBay (not necessarily Disney ones but sometimes he’ll buy a lot and a Disney one will be in there so he will sell it on) and he packages his badges in those little bags just as an extra touch, so don’t be quick to discredit a seller just because they come in those little bags.
My tips for finding genuine things on eBay would be
1) check the feedback
2) look at other listings they have, if they have lots of pins (especially with multiple sales per listing and bulk lots) then that’s quite suspicious
3) if the images are hand taken rather than pulled off the internet there’s a higher chance it’s real (of course that’s not always the case though)
4) compare it to a real pin, the people selling them may not know it’s a fake so even if the listing matches all my info above it could still be a fake
Also with the feedback points, usually if bad feedback is left the seller can can for the feedback to be removed usually by saying eg. I’ll give you a refund, please remove the feedback which makes the seller seem more legitimate.
This is a great video :). Hope I can help some people out too.
Great info in this video! Thanks for taking one for the team, Emily! 😉🙌🏼
She starts showing the pins at 6:28.
At my local comic-con there was a booth that was selling fake Disney pins, and I could tell this when I pulled the pins off the corkboard. They feel really light and very cheap! There were also a lot of duplicates that you showed in your video on identifying fakes.
Thank goodness for reputable pin traders and facebook groups for trading legit pins! And thank you for making more people aware of this issue.
Maybe a craft idea could be to turn them into metals with ribbon for contest at birthday parties or something
You are an asset to EVERYONE trading pins! Thank yoooooouuuu!
It’s so hard to trade pins now because of these lots it’s so frustrating
When I worked in WDW merch, we were told that we could never refuse a trade. There were several times when we would get obvious fakes, but we had to take them.
This is why I only buy from Disney. Period. No exceptions.
You mentioned a couple times places to buy authentic pins for around $1.50 ish a piece, would you mind giving some links? Unfortunately I don’t live close enough to a Disney outlet or warehouse to get them there :(
Here's my video to my pin buying guide, links in description :) th-cam.com/video/aIpHdi6Ee2Q/w-d-xo.html
Man, you hit the jackpot in fake pins. So many great tips and examples
I really liked what you had to say about each one! Some of them, to the untrained eye, seem very legit. I should have known the lengths these counterfiters would go to, but it still shocks me.
eh tbh if i see a pin and it’s cute idc it it’s real or fake
hope same I don’t understand how you can say something is counterfeit but if it looks like it same thing to me
It’s good and cute if you want them for yourself, just not for trading
Agreed. Me and my daughter trade pins in the park and she gets so excited if she sees some she likes. Like she doesn't care if they're fake or not. I think maybe the ones that are totally against getting a fake should maybe just stick to doing trades online. The parks are obviously already full of "fakes"
Kellie Jones agreed!
Exactly. Im not a trader though. I buy in bulk on Ebay and i keep them all. LOL
Love this video! Very unique idea to showcase the fake pin lots. I really hope at some point in the future Disney somehow becomes more aware of this going on in the parks. Can’t wait for the next one! :)
Hi Emily, I am leaving for WDW in 11 days and was totally planning on buying one of those eBay pin lots for my kids to trade, but after watching your videos I decided to buy authentic pins instead. Just wanted to let you know you’re making a difference :)
While some people might be ok with getting a fake pin, most people are not.
It’s ok to collect the fake pins, but trading them at the parks with other guests or cast members is rude.
I have some fake pins of my own, but I wouldn’t trade them because it’s not the right thing to do.
can you do a few where you show the scrap next to the reals cause you said you had a few of the real ones of some of these?
On my Pin Trading Basics playlist, I have a few videos where I go more in depth on fake pins and comparisons :)
th-cam.com/play/PLQZWUABaiuIjbL61Lhis6In-HIPPRgvHV.html
I could care less if they are fake or not I trade them anyways and collect the hidden Mickey sets then trade those away to find new sets. It’s basically something to do to pass time. All my pins I collect and put in albums are limited releases or AP pins I purchase at the park
I absolutely agree. The pins you trade for will normally be fake and you can go a long time without finding something not crap, but that feeling of finding something you want still feels awesome! Who cares if it's real or not? If you plan on selling them or something then for sure, be absolutely positive it's real, like you said, the ones you buy yourself, keep aside. You shouldn't be finding expensive pins on lanyards anyway, it's supposed to be fun, not a way to make money and increase the value of your collection.
While you might be ok with getting a fake pin, some people are not. It’s ok to collect the fake pins, but trading them at the parks with other guests or cast members is rude.
I have some fake pins of my own, but I wouldn’t trade them because it’s not the right thing to do.
Ice Storm I have hundreds of real pins I’ve purchased at pin traders in Disney and all the characteristics that they say fake pins have I have seen in my real pins too. So I’m not going to sift through every pin wondering if it’s real or not. If it’s obviously fake I usually set it aside but I’m not going to worry about it. I buy lots and trade them like everyone else does. Also Disneyland cast members have even suggested buying pin lots to trade lol. Trading for me is just to pass the time. I usually collect a full set then trade it out again to try and collect a new one. People need to relax about pin trading. If you want authentic pins 100% every time then buy your pins one at a time from Disney
I know this is a very old video, but I wish Disney would hire someone with extensive knowledge of pins to go through all the pin boards/lanyards in the parks and take out all the fake pins. Someone named Emily perhaps. 🤔
DLP has people like that working their boards x
Here’s why I don’t buy the price excuse: you are not entitled to trade fake pins. If you can’t afford to buy real pins, you have no business using that as an excuse to trade fake pins. When people trade real pins for fake pins, they are being conned. If you can’t afford to do something in a way that is just, then don’t do it. You aren’t entitled to pin trading.
I don't understand all the fuss about trading ebay lots in the parks. I do it exclusively. I know I am trading fakes for fakes--who cares. I never trade pins i buy in the parks with cast members in the park. If a pin trader is serous they know how to spot a fake, so why would you trade. Everyone is entitled to trade pins in the park. Get over yourself.
Steven Kieffer sounds like you’re the one who should “get over yourself.” Not everyone is aware that there are many fakes making their rounds in the parks. You are willfully contributing to the issue of fraudulent trading. Children and novice pin traders who buy real pins in the parks and don’t know any better are conned by bad actors like you. No sir, you are absolutely not entitled to pawn off a pin you know to be fake as a real pin in the parks. Do you tell the individual you are trading with that your pin is a known fake? My guess is that the answer is no. If you feel so confident that what you’re doing is right and just, then you should fully disclose this fact during a trade. You don’t get to set the standard of what a “serious” pin trader is and, “serious” or not, nobody deserves to be duped by a bad actor who knowingly distributes counterfeit merchandise into the marketplace. “Get over yourself.”
This comment just screams “oh I have money and you don’t” 🤣
Hi Emily. This was good information. Thanks for sharing.
I have to tell you, the video you refer to that is an old one you put out about the fake pins; that is the first video I ever watched of yours. That was so long ago. 😀 Been watching your channel since. 😉
I'm sitting here STARING at the last pins I traded for in disney world and I CANNOT figure if they are real or not 😞
Can you list the authentic sellers? Thank you so much for this video!
Here's my video on good places to buy pins, links in description th-cam.com/video/aIpHdi6Ee2Q/w-d-xo.html
I stopped pin trading because of fakes. The last time I went to Disney to trade EVERY CAST LANYARD had the same pins. It was so disappointing when half the fun of the vacation for me was finding new pins through trading.
I can't afford a Disney trip so honestly these are great for me. I still have my originals from when I went as a kid, but I am going to try and pick up some fakies of my fav character off people who don't want them. @W@
Well put together Emily xx I’ve seen on groups where they buy fake pins deliberately for their kids to trade...makes my blood boil xx
Thank you for sharing and especially walking through your evaluation of these fake pins. I’ve heard the term “dip”, but didn’t really understand it till I saw this video. Thanks!
And to this day ladies and gentlemen ... I will never be able to tell a difference between and fake& real pin
Thanks for the great info! I went back and looked at the pins I traded ( for the first time) at Disneyland last month and discovered that 3 of the 4 were fake😕!
I’m going to put them in my classroom prize box and trade more “wisely “next time!
PS I just ordered the peppermint ears that are on the wall behind you....can’t wait to get them😊
Great video. We just got back from Disney and, yes, there are tons of fake pins out there, but we actually had an AMAZING time trading for real pins with cast members and even a couple of other guests. I got some great pins! I appreciate you having educated me on the scrapper/fake pins and my eye was honed to spot them. I did go to the Disney Store outlet as you suggested and was very happy to buy pins to trade for a considerable discount.
What is the real horror if you get fakes. To me they look pretty much the same but I know there are a few little differences with the marking on the back.
Oh snap, I started collecting when I was like 12 and my grandpa bought me a lot from ebay,.. I went to Disney Springs and traded them all lolll,...oh snapp I didn't know :(
I had no idea they made fake pins, that is terrible!! We will have to go through our collection and check them out.
All your info is so great. Thank you for doing all the research. When these fake pins are found at Disney parks why aren’t they just tossed out? Hopefully the high up manager of merchandise catches on to this.
I bought a pin directly and physicality from the Disney store and it still has the streaky paint brush looking quality in it. So I'm confused about it rn.
Well, keep in mind that almost all pins have the enamel filled in by hand by factory workers in china. There's literally a person with a syringe full of enamel filling each color section individually - and each factory worker is responsible for hundreds of pieces a day. So even in authentic lots, you get what are called "seconds" or "b-grade" pins. These are pins with small imperfections that may have slipped through quality control. So even legit disney pins can sometimes have scratches, scuffs, miss-filled paint or other imperfections.
The scuffs/streaks are probably lines from sanding (hard enamel pins are sanded down). It's important to note that Disney pins and counterfeit pins are often made in the same factories with the same materials, so any imperfections you find in counterfeit pins will also be present in real pins, just less often because of stricter quality control. Seeing an imperfection in the pin doesn't mean that it's 100% for sure a fake.
Good video. I wish I bothered to look for it a few months ago. I got a bulk box off ebay and I'm learning now to spot fakes compared to the pins I bought new. I feel foolish.
I just came back from my birthday trip to Disney World the other day and was looking forward to pin trading, was upset to see all the cast members have the same exact scrapper pins on lanyard, the one trade I finally made the pin I got ended up being fake
even if some pins are fake they still look pretty cool
Just wanted to say a massive thank you, I've been wanting to collect Disney pins for ages and when I saw these collections because of the price honestly I nearly brought a set but I thought they were genuine going to definitely use these tips in future and see if I can find a group selling real pins close by me
I've also noticed that fake pins have fake mickey pin backs. The mickey backs on real pins are a bit bigger and have the 'copyright disney', and the mickey ears on them are slightly different.
Kinda ironic how the fake pinbacks are a lot better than the real ones in terms of keeping the pin secure cause seriously pins just slip right off the real ones
I get SO excited when I'm actually able to find a real pin at the parks. If I find them anywhere, its usually in Frontierland (Disneyland CA). That's a big pin trading hub and a good place to look for real pins. I only found about 2 on my last trip, but I guess its better than nothing.
Bloody hell, is American Disneyland that bad?!x
Hi Emily, I just started pin trading and I was wondering if the pins on amazon that say “by Disney” are also fake. Btw there are different sellers on amazon that say they’re Disney.
I have over a hundred fake pins, because I had no clue there was such a thing as fakes. Thank you for the tips on how to use them!
It would be awesome if you did a side by side of what they should look like.
I didn't even know these lots were of fake pins 😱😱 thanks for the info!! Looking forward to the diy videos for these
I feel like although it’s not part of a cast members job... I feel like the Disney company should teach them to look out for fake pins. I have seen TERRIBLE like “how can you even think that’s real” pin trading going on, if cast members were allowed to check pins and say “I’m sorry but this is fake”. Seeing so many fake pins hurts my heart, but I know and understand it’s not the cast members fault or job to filter through the pins
Katie Cattabiani I agree. Disney masters everything at their parks. They are a well-oiled machine. I feel like there could be a way to solve this problem too. Switching out cast lanyards more often? Not putting guest pins on the cast lanyards? Turning in lanyards at night to be scanned for fakes? I hate seeing a kid trade a real pin for a fake at the park.
I agree as well, If I'm attempting to trade a pin i had purchased for 9.99 or even from a mystery bag, I'm still holding an authentic Disney pin that I paid good money for. A cast member should say that I'm getting a fake worthless pin for my real one. They should also get them off the boards. Before I knew all this, I traded a real pin for a fake, the cast member seemed surprised I was trading it (it was a duplicate) he could have "hinted" that he couldn't say for sure it wasn't a fake, I may have kept it. I guess it's something that can be hard, as serious traders have different networks, and I imagine most of the parks pin boards are visited by kids. So many don't know the difference,
Actually, Sandra, what happened to you, is almost exactly what happened to me! My husband and I were trading in the parks, and the cast member we traded with mentioned the pin we had was a fake. We both looked at him like he was crazy; what did he mean, "fake?!" We had traded for it in the park, but like yours, it was a duplicate. We noticed differences between the pins, but without understanding why, we decided to trade away the one we didn't like.
Talking with that cast member started this whole process where I started doing a bunch of research (and found Emily's amazing channel) to educate myself. Once I found out, I didn't want to be part of the problem, but at the rate I was trading, I didn't want to buy so many real pins. Emily's links really helped me out when we went to Disneyland this summer. I was also much more picky about what pins I traded for. I noticed trading later in the day was worse; more fake pins filled the boards and lanyards. Best pin trading was when the park opened. I think this is because cast members are allowed to trade in some of their pins if they think they are fake or scrappers, but it's limited from my understanding. Anyone else have more info?
Hi there! I was a cast member at the wilderness lodge specifically at the pin cart! We are taught to not accept obviously fake pins. The majority of trading cast do try to trade out the fakes for real ones at the end of the day but in my experience we had to have a certain number of pins on our lanyards at a time. So we have to wait until the end of the day to trade it in for a real one. I’ve turned away a few really bad traders, but I think it really becomes hard when the cast member is approached by a child to trade. It really has made the whole experience as a guest less fun but then again I understand it 😔
Kaci Raye omg I never knew that was a thing! Is this a new thing Disney has been doing it or have they always done it? It must be hard to tell someone they can’t trade a pin, and I can’t imagine when someone puts up a fight about it! I really can’t imagine how difficult it must be
It is so frustrating to trade now in the parks, but also Disney have just hiked the prices up so much with pins now costing at minimum $9.99 plus tax. Disney should sell some pin lots to get guests going if 10-15 pins
They do have their starter sets with six
Thanks for the video! I really wish the cast members would be better trained to look out for fake or scrapped pins and would be able to say no to people trading those. I’ve avoided pin trading completely and I just keep my doubles from mystery packs since pin trading is so disappointing.
Mackenzie S As nice at it would be to be able to say “no” to people who trade fake pins, keep,in mind a few things. Most people who would be trading fakes are like who people say above, children whose parent buy them for them. And as a CM pin trader, it’d be very difficult to just straight up tell a child no when they see a pin thy really like, them embarrassing their parents and all. Also some who would have fakes are foreign and may not get it. Most of the time a serious trader will be trading real ones. Not that often that I trade with someone who is knowledgeable about pin and they have fakes.
Idk just random thoughts. But like I’ve seen blatant fake ones from Walmart and been like no because they don’t even have the trading logo on the back. Lolol those are fun.
You have to factor in several things. Someone might have received a fake pin as a trade. Also, Disney isn't trying to make money on the pin trading so they are willing to take the loss of discarding fake pins. It's an added experience that they offer for guests that they have essentially paid for.
What I CAN imagine them cracking down on is if there are regular guests who come in with lots of fakes to trade out for real ones. They have recently quietly started canceling people's annual passes for those who are buying a lot of merchandise for resale. (They can tell people use their AP passes for the discount)
I'm not going to purchase from ebay anymore. I was stupid enough to buy a lot from someone from the parks, but they didn't know half of their pins were fakes either. Thank you for these videos.
I have that gold pin of the Atlantica palace from The Little Mermaid that I traded for at Disneyland, and I knew there was something off about it. Now I know by looking at it that it's a fake. I think the fact that it's so much thinner is what initially made me question it. I didn't know these fake pins were even a thing, but now that I do it honestly doesn't surprise me.
Another great & informative video! When ever I get fakes when trading at the parks I make them into art projects.
I’ve bought a pin lot with many real pins in them, I just looked In the reviews. I’ve also bought pins from the thrift store with a real Disney lanyard that had soft enamel. I think it would have been nice to actually compare the fake to real ones. Pin trading is definitely getting more complicated.
its not they are not trained or don't know about them. its that they CAN'T say no to a guest for trading!! CMs are the best people in the world don't not say that about them. that gets me mad that is what you think this Disney we are talking about. don't come for cast they are the best. I know that is not the point of the video but it was rude to say that cast don't do their jobs.
I think so to they are just doing the jobs they are paid to do and they are just trying to make your day magical
Soft vs hard enamel isn't necessarily bad. Most retailers that sell disney licensed items (box lunch/hot topic/gamestop etc) sell legitimate disney pins. They are soft enamel pins, but yes you are correct in saying that there's a clear epoxy on top. Also, you can definitely tell by the debossing AOP on the back if it's fake or not. I work as a product developer.
Hey great video i learned quite a bit. I would love to see a video like this where you could show some fake pins side by side with real ones.
I have a few fakes in my collection. I put them on my work name badge, and change them every day, and if I lose one it's not a big deal.
I still find it very hard even after this video 😂😂I’ll prob end up with all fakes next month 😂😂🤣
So excited to go in January! I have been told I went once when I was 3 or 4 ( I don't really remember) and I did go once for Choir when I was in Highschool. Now I get to go with my son and his fathers family! I remembered getting pins on my choir trip, and was sad that I can't find any. I started searching online and found these lots on EBAY, thank goodness I didn't just pull the trigger right away because I found out as you've said that they are scrappers or fakes.
Thanks for all of your informative videos, and I hope you continue to enjoy Disney!
Not all Disney pins have that top gloss you are mentioning I've bought pins from Disney world which had even more then one in the store I bought it from. Some of them you said was fake were actually real.
Zomago same I have several that I’ve bought at Disneyland that are glossy
That large marie tsum tsum one looked real.
This was a great video idea!! Such a definitive example of why these are fake and how to detect them. & yes, if you’d like to have these pins for your own personal collection, that’s fine! But please just don’t trade them in the parks!
Are your Disney ears authentic?
She makes them! She has an Etsy shop.
It’s Sooo hard to trade these days because you have NO idea what’s fake what’s real and I feel it’s the same 15 pins over and over and over again
pardon my french but god d*mmit, i bought a lot from someone i trusted and almost all of the pins you showed were in that loti have since sorted through, maybe one or two are real
At every trading shop/cart at Disneyland CA, there is a Epcot pavilion pins, so now I know why they started popping up
All of my pins have hard enamel. Most of them are hidden mickey. I get a lot of pins of my moms lanyard. You responded to my comment once so I thought I'd start watching you more on my own instead of with my mom in the living room.
I accidentally got so,e fake pins and I was trying to think about what to do with them. Might try a resin picture for desk.
I need to work on spotting fake nubs. It's hard for me bc pins I buy from Disney or reputable sellers have small nubs.
If I can find it, my older sister has some disney pins on her old land yard that was left with me which I know has a few older pins on it. My sister took the one that had my older pins when she went on a trip with her friend for trading and all I have left are two that I myself bought. :/ What I have is apparently a 02 tigger pin (3d pin with tigger standing on his name) and stitch reading the ugly duckling book from 03. I'm even surprised I still have them. I actually wanted to get back to pin collecting at the parks, but I don't go often anymore simply because of price and not living in california anymore.
Alot of times if the color is different it doeant mean it is fake, it is either lost color due to being in sunlight if it was glow in the dark, or if it had skin colors, smoking causes it to shift colors
Thank you so much for this video!!! I can’t believe they’re faking the nicer pins now too (like the Toy Story alien one)
I wish there was more awareness of this! 😢 I have real pins I want to trade with people!
"if you can afford a Disney vacation you can afford to buy pins" IN WHAT WORLD- 💀
I’m hoping to get into pin trading/collecting and this video was very helpful! I love the ears too, gonna try and buy a pair from your shop 🍭😍
Just because they’re glossy doesn’t mean they’re fake
lol i checked my litte mermaid palace pin sure enough hahaha. Yeah traded in the park so messed up.
Nice job, it is so humiliating of fake pins that are not real.
Wow, I had no idea!! Do you have a list of sellers you trust that you can get pins for 1.50ish? I want to get some pins for my kids to trade that aren’t fake!
I'm surprised that they look as good as they do. I bought a lot a LONG time ago and most were really bad looking. Also I've been really disappointed lately with mystery packs I've bought in the park. If I saw one on a cast member lanyard I would have guessed they were fake.
16:30 The Alien from Toy story is a BOOSTER SET from Toy story land in Disney world florida.
Just like I mention to you. Why? I never had traded in the parks. When in park, that I buy only when in the parks... if I do get the scrappers it’s for craft projects... not the trading/collection purpose
A lot of the pin counterfeiters have people working for them that write positive reviews under a personal username
I wish I saw this video a couple weeks ago, we bought one and then everyone told us they were fake. Luckily we were able to get a refund but it was devastating
If only everyone considering buying these would watch this!
I like the lollipop style ears you have hanging in your background. Did you make them?
Wow I bought this EXACT pact like 3 months ago. Ugh I feel so dumb 🤦🏻♀️ but hey at least some of them are cute and at least I didn’t trade them in the parks because that’s why I bought them, which is unfortunate. But you live and you learn right? I’ll probably find some other usd for them. Although I didn’t know they were fake I did have a weird feeling about how light they were, especially that green Star Wars galactic senate pin. 🤦🏻♀️😑☹️
Thanks for this video it was super helpful! Also this was my first video of yours I watched and your channel seems like so much fun! 💙
Immediately goes to check pins! LOL
Thank you for the video after watching this I’ve already found fake ones in my collection it sucks but I’m glad I know what to look for
Can you explain how u can tell its "wet soft dipped enamel"? As opposed to hard enamel? I'm confused because it just looks shiny to me, and I feel like all authentic disney pins are shiny
As she says, it's dipped. The enamel literally sinks into the pin, leaving big dips between the metal lines that you can feel with your finger. It looks like it's barely been filled in by the factory, whereas hard enamel pins are even. Hard enamel pins should be smooth and almost uniformly flat across the entire pin, with only the slightest hint of raised metal lines. You'll know the difference immediately when you hold a soft enamel pin next to one of Disney's official pins.
@@madderandmadder oh ok I see what you mean, that makes sense! Thankyou!!
I just bought a pack, wow 🤦♀️ Wish I would’ve looked beforehand!! Will be returning lol.
Lol i got 1 pin in one of these that was real
I buy pins in the park or on shopdisney to trade, but I don’t know enough about fake pins to know if I traded for one.
500th like!
Castmember here using your videos as a study guide :)
Thank you for your sacrifice!
I just went to Disneyland California yesterday. I traded with cast members only. Kids like cute pins so I think I got some fake ones. I tried to find real one but it is hard to say specially with short time, night time..but my kids are happy with cute pins😂
Would you put the seller that you purchased these from?
After watching this I discovered two of my favorite pins are fakes that I got from trading in the parks☹️ I have never been so disappointed in my life...
Never been so disappointed in my life--sounds like you need to get a life. If you are trading in the park that is the chance you take.
My mom almost got me one but then we got real starter sets not fake because of this video ty
Should have watched this before I went to Hong Kong Disneyland last week, traded with a cast member and only just realised that the pin I got was fake.