What's your favorite pin?

OK, so as promised, I will start posting a series of pictures of pins in my collection that are some of my favorites. I have to do this gradually because (i) many of the pins are in frames and I should just take a picture of the ones that I like, rather than show you the whole frame, and (i) some of them are jumbo pins that I have in storage, and I have to find them first!

This first pin I got from trading. It is a HUGE pin even by jumbo pin standard, and one could even argue that the size doesn't make this into a pin (it is about 6 inches across). In fact, the "pin" part is the thing that's stuck to the middle of Spaceship Earth. The rest is simply the "holder" for the pin. But in my book, the whole thing is the "jumbo pin". I think this was a parting gifts at one of the earlier pin celebration pin event. I just love it because Epcot is my most favorite WDW park, and this qualifies as a theme park icon (a theme that I collect for pins).

I periodically bring this out and put it on the display shelf as one of my "rotation" of jumbo pins.

Zz.

Very cool. I'm ready to see more

Zz: If you were ever to wear that Epcot pin you would need a fiberglass or carbon fiber reinforced lanyard . All kidding aside could you "stick" other pins in the many holes in the large globe and use it as a kind of display frame for some of your other Epcot pins. I think that would look really interesting or could it damage the big one, just curious?

I'm glad you mentioned it's size. Looking at it I was guessing it was about the size of a dinner plate.

At the 2007 Pin Celebration event, the undoubted HIT of the whole event was the super jumbo pin of Mickey as Scoop Sanderson in front of a pin trading board. The pin was titled something like "pin traders dream", where you go to the pin trading board with unlimited time to make the pin trade.

The whole pin was gorgeous, starting with the packaging. The box has a well-constructed feel to it.

And when you open it, voila! A very gorgeous design.

The one that I have is a bit more special, because it has been autographed by the pin artist Tyler Dumas during the pin event, and also by Scoop Sanderson!

I even got a picture of Scoop at the pin event wearing this pin! You can now get some idea on how BIG the pin is!

I think that pin traders and collectors at Dizpins voted this pin as the best pin of 2007. It is still the one to beat so far.

Zz.

This is not one single pin, but rather a collection of pins.

I'm not a big collector of Nightmare Before Christmas pins, or even Haunted Mansion pins, even though I have a few odd pins here and there of those two. Still, when I saw a set of such pins from Disney's Imagineering, I had to get them. So far, the collection of Imagineering pins have grown quite a bit. This continues to be my most favorite sets.

Just from the way they were designed, and the artistry itself made these pins something I would collect.

Zz.

Zapper, The Imagineering pins are GORGEOUS! That's a very nice collection you have going there. I'm with you, the designs are beautiful. Where do you find most of your pins? At Pin Events?

Since we no longer live in Orlando, I've never been able to attend a pin event. Most of mine come from trading or finds on eBay (when I just can't resist the pin!).

One of the types of pins that I like to collect are "postage stamp" pins, not particularly valuable, I just like the designs. Must harken back to my stamp collecting days as a child. On our recent trip, I picked up 3 more, the 37 cent Lion King, Bambi and Pinnochio "stamps". I'm still looking for Mickey to complete the set.

On the subject of what I like about pin collecting/trading. I love the designs of the pins and "dream" of a job designing the pins. I also love chatting with folks about my collection. We had some wonderful conversations with CMs this trip on collecting and "finding" just the pin we needed. A couple of times the CM went in the back and "found" just the pin I was looking for...in particular the Orange Mickey head HM...we had been looking for it for days!!

We also like looking for pins as gifts, a good friend of ours loves Flounder. You don't see too many Flounder pins but we found one on this trip!!

I also found a couple of Maleficent pins that I had been looking for to add to my collection. No new Tigger pins, but that's OK. I did add quite a few Chip & Dale (sorry Z!!) to the collection as well.

Millie

Those are great pin photos. I think it helps that ZapperZ always has them so nicely presented.

You are illustrating very well one of the reasons why I collect pins, and why I very, very seldom buy pin online. You had stories to tell about certain pins, and these pins that you got came with it a bunch of very pleasant memories. Almost all of my pins are gotten either when I buy them at the parks (or at pin events), or via trading, either with cast members, other pin traders, or with friends at our regular Windy City Pin meet. In many cases, I can remember the circumstances surrounding my getting these pins. To me, those are as valuable as, if not more than, the pins themselves. I can look at a particular pin, especially the significant ones, and can remember the wonderful memories associated with it. Just look at the story I got to tell with the Mickey as Scoop jumbo pin earlier.

This is why I don't buy pins online as a rule. There's no memory associated with it. I may buy some for trading, but usually not for keeping.

I cherish those wonderful memories, and being able to evoke those memories when I look at these pins makes me happy, very much like looking at photographs. Many of my friends initially do not understand why I am "obsessed" with pins. But when I tell them this reason, they finally understand. They still shake their heads at the amount of pins that I own, but they understand!

Zz.

That's really true. It's a different kind of "scrapbook" I think. Each one tells a story about an experience -- it's the same as people collecting photographs really.

I got this pin set by trading for it. When I first opened the box and saw the pins inside, I knew I had to have them. It is a gorgeous set and the pins have a 1930's Hollywood Glam theme to it. I love that!

The pins came from a 2006 pin cruise event on one of the Disney ships. The pin cruise was themed "Cruising through the years", and thus, this pin set has that 30's theme.

The box has a velvet feel to it.

And this is what you get when you open it, complete with a certificate of authenticity.

I definitely fell in love with the design of the pins. It is very classy and "glamorous".

This pin set is currently on its rotation being displayed on one of my shelves. It will be out for another couple of weeks or so before I replace it with another pin set or jumbo pin.

Zz.

Does Disney create specific pins for all of its "events?" That seems like a great way to keep people scrambling for special event pins that they weren't there to collect!

Also, how many pins did you have to trade to get this? I would imagine quite a few!