So Now August is over. Did you survive all the pin releases?

[Cheshirecat26]

I had originally thought August was going to be a quiet month for me. My main collections (Alice, Small World, Incredibles and Cindy) were looking to safe for the month. Nothing really was showing for the D23 Dreamstore RSPs, Fairytails that interested me much except one pin of interest. Then it happened.

The other pin previews started to come out. First Haunted Mansion and then WDI and DSF, oh my (and don't forget the new Alice pins in Paris). There was new Alice pins at both WDI and DSF and an Edna Beloved tale. I was overwhelmed by the amount of pins coming out in just within 2 weeks of each other. Then there were all the surprise (free) pins that came out at the Expo for visiting booths or taking photos.

I have been collecting for close to 10 years. I did miss the pinnacle time of pin trading with the quarterly events at the Parks and the Disney auctions. During the last 10 years, I have noticed a couple of years ago pin trading going down by Disney, eliminating the Park pin trading nights, hidden mickeys not coming out for a year and other downgrading of the love towards pins. But now especially after this month it seems Disney is showing the love again to pins.

What is everyone's thoughts on this? I was wondering if others have noticed the increased attention to pins or if I am just dreaming it.


I am a bit excited to see what comes in the future.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I think pins are hanging in as much because nothing else has caught on and lasted (vinylmation, tsum tsum, wishables, patches, etc.). Pins last.

That said, ugh to this insane several weeks of releases for Wonderland. I'd hoped we wouldn't have a bad run again till the next anniversary year but this summer has gotten a lot more releases than I would have expected from everywhere!

 

[Ajk]

I agree. I was similarly thinking they were phasing out pins, or at least focusing less on them, just a couple of years ago. (Mostly around the changes to the annual WDW event.) And yes, this year is majorly heating up, with so many HMs being released (every quarter!) and the tons of pins at D23. However, rather than be excited about it, I am concerned. Not just by how many pins I want and the financial implications of that, but more from a fear that the pin market will get too saturated and people will generally stop collecting. I saw it with fashion dolls in the 90s (Gene, etc). They were putting out tons of them, especially LEs, prices were skyrocketing, conventions were huge, etc. And then it just became too overwhelming and we stopped collecting. As did a lot of other people and it pretty much died out (or at least became much lower than it had been). Maybe that won't happen with pins since the market is a little more split up (most people are not trying to get every Disney pin, just the ones related to their collections). But it does feel that there is too much coming out and prices are getting too crazy, which can result in burnout. Of course, I will actually be very happy when that happens if it means prices will come crashing down and i can scoop up all the crazy priced stuff at sane prices.

 

[Abyssinian28]

I agree. I was similarly thinking they were phasing out pins, or at least focusing less on them, just a couple of years ago. (Mostly around the changes to the annual WDW event.) And yes, this year is majorly heating up, with so many HMs being released (every quarter!) and the tons of pins at D23. However, rather than be excited about it, I am concerned. Not just by how many pins I want and the financial implications of that, but more from a fear that the pin market will get too saturated and people will generally stop collecting. I saw it with fashion dolls in the 90s (Gene, etc). They were putting out tons of them, especially LEs, prices were skyrocketing, conventions were huge, etc. And then it just became too overwhelming and we stopped collecting. As did a lot of other people and it pretty much died out (or at least became much lower than it had been). Maybe that won't happen with pins since the market is a little more split up (most people are not trying to get every Disney pin, just the ones related to their collections). But it does feel that there is too much coming out and prices are getting too crazy, which can result in burnout. Of course, I will actually be very happy when that happens if it means prices will come crashing down and i can scoop up all the crazy priced stuff at sane prices.

True, true!

I actually thought were on their way out right after the 2010 anniversary. Sometime between 2010-2012, pins were nothing compared to what they were in the mid-2000s. It was before D23, so there was nothing like that. DS.com had stopped releases, park releases were lackluster. I don't collect HMs, but they seemed to be dying, too. WDI pins were not being released like they are now (nor was the pin quality as good). PTNs in the U.S. disappeared for a while. It really seemed like they were letting it die!

But there's definitely a resurgence going on, isn't there?

If anything Disney is in danger of being over-saturated, it's the LE doll market. Those of us that collect them are starting to run out of room. We've already seen a big price drop in a lot of the ones that used to go for a lot of money.

It doesn't mean I'll stop buying, but it does mean only my absolute faves will stay in my home.

 

[starry_solo]

I agree @Abyssinian28 , the LE doll market is slowly dying. I admit that I went all nuts and overpaid for Ariel 17" D23, Giselle/Edward and Tiana/Naveen but ah well. If/when the Saks Disney LE doll comes out, I will wait for it to go on clearance!

 

[swscref]

It was my understanding that the lack of Hidden Mickeys was due to a factory change in China. Although, I would agree overall they seemed to be ignoring most things for awhile.

 

[Abyssinian28]

I agree @Abyssinian28 , the LE doll market is slowly dying. I admit that I went all nuts and overpaid for Ariel 17" D23, Giselle/Edward and Tiana/Naveen but ah well. If/when the Saks Disney LE doll comes out, I will wait for it to go on clearance!

I was very, very lucky and was able to dodge D23, but I love pretty much all the masquerade dolls coming this fall, and I would definitely try for the Saks release, too. I was lucky that I got Cinderella on clearance, but I'm not sure I would wait for this new one. I guess it depends on who it is, and the edition size. If it is Ariel, waiting might not be an option.

I had a bit of a horror story for Saks Snow. I was actually up that morning, saw it go live and everything, and wanted desperately to buy it....

But we had literally just sold our house that week, were living with my mother-in-law, and had to close on our new house in a month. So I had to sit there and watch it sell out. Bad timing on the release, that one. Still don't have it, but I'm starting to consider pulling the trigger on it. But with 5+ dolls this Fall, maybe not.

 

[starry_solo]

I was very, very lucky and was able to dodge D23, but I love pretty much all the masquerade dolls coming this fall, and I would definitely try for the Saks release, too. I was lucky that I got Cinderella on clearance, but I'm not sure I would wait for this new one. I guess it depends on who it is, and the edition size. If it is Ariel, waiting might not be an option.

I had a bit of a horror story for Saks Snow. I was actually up that morning, saw it go live and everything, and wanted desperately to buy it....

But we had literally just sold our house that week, were living with my mother-in-law, and had to close on our new house in a month. So I had to sit there and watch it sell out. Bad timing on the release, that one. Still don't have it, but I'm starting to consider pulling the trigger on it. But with 5+ dolls this Fall, maybe not.

I ended up with 3 Saks Snow dolls, two ordered directly from stores across the US but I was able to sell them at the price I paid (retail + tax) to some doll collectors here in So Cal.

I got Saks Cinderella when it was buy $400, get $100 off for Black Friday....then about three months later, saw her prices dropping on the website...by then, it was too late to return her (had until mid-January to return items purchased during the holidays)...but for some reason, she is back up to regular price

 

[Walt]

Pins definitely have a staying power that other collectibles I dont think have. While all markets wax and wane as long as Disney can make a profit on them they will be in the parks. Being able to wear the pins, as a child, definitely leaves a mark on children and enhances their desire to collect in the future(as opposed to collecting dolls or coins or other collectibles in my opinion). There will constantly be waves of new collectors, the kids who were 5 years old in the mid 2000's when they got their first lanyard and now have enough money and or time to invest in the hobby. Conceivably they will have kids too and get them invested as well. As someone in their mid 20's who started collecting on yearly or every other year trips from 2002ish through 2017 I have lived this and expect that in ten years time or so I will be teaching my future kids about pins and starting their lanyards.

 

[dancecats]

I think I got off comparatively easily, in a way. My primary collection is the disappearing bank account ... I mean the disappearing Cat ... and while there weren't too many pins released that I need (want), I would expect the few that I do need to be difficult (expensive) to obtain. I can't imagine how bad this month had to have been for those whose collections are more vast or comprehensive.

But yes, I agree that pins seem to be making a resurgence because of their longevity. Pin trading existed long before Disney ever existed and, let's face it, nothing else has 'caught on' the way pins have. I think pins just have a certain universal attraction and a longevity that other collectibles lack.

 

[xdattax]

I survived. Barely. I’ve got one more D23 pin on its way, I found the Three Caballeros pin for almost cost. I also collect fantasy pins and those gave me a wallop this month.

I think I’m going to have to back some from the fp community. It’s getting wicked expensive and since I’ve narrowed my collecting focus some, it becomes a lot cheaper if I’m mostly getting official pins. There’s still a few fantasy pins I’m waiting to presale, but after that, BIG slowdown.


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[akarih]

Yeah I survived by not having a budget for D23 or Fairy Tails. So hopefully we'll find some of them eventually....

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[unibear]

Being a cat collector really kicked me in the... gut with this release! I agree with most about the feeling that Disney was turning its back on pins and pin trading about a decade ago.

What really worried me back then was when the annual WDW pin event turned into a "one day is for trading pins, and one day is for trading vinylmations". Vinylmations really looked like they were going to be the next BIG thing and last forever... until they didn't. I was concerned that with the hype around the vinylmations that pins were a thing of the past. But pins are now dancing gleefully on the grave of vinylmations!

 

[timeerkat]

Mostly, but that was mainly because friends picked up most of what I needed and I have decided to be patient for what I couldn't get. With crazy life stuff and saving for moving happening, I couldn't afford to buy everything right away anyway.

 

[tiggeriffic]

Pins take up a lot less space than a lot of other collectibles and have a bigger collecting community outside Disney, so I think they are easier for a lot of people to collect.

 

[Purplemandms]

Thankfully, most of my Tink collections were spared! (Except for Disneyland Paris... One day I'll track those down.)

 

[Jack Skellington]

Unfortunately not...went to WDW for the first time in 11 years $ouch£

 

[splashmtnman]

I agree. I was similarly thinking they were phasing out pins, or at least focusing less on them, just a couple of years ago. (Mostly around the changes to the annual WDW event.) And yes, this year is majorly heating up, with so many HMs being released (every quarter!) and the tons of pins at D23. However, rather than be excited about it, I am concerned. Not just by how many pins I want and the financial implications of that, but more from a fear that the pin market will get too saturated and people will generally stop collecting. I saw it with fashion dolls in the 90s (Gene, etc). They were putting out tons of them, especially LEs, prices were skyrocketing, conventions were huge, etc. And then it just became too overwhelming and we stopped collecting. As did a lot of other people and it pretty much died out (or at least became much lower than it had been). Maybe that won't happen with pins since the market is a little more split up (most people are not trying to get every Disney pin, just the ones related to their collections). But it does feel that there is too much coming out and prices are getting too crazy, which can result in burnout. Of course, I will actually be very happy when that happens if it means prices will come crashing down and i can scoop up all the crazy priced stuff at sane prices.

I too share your concern about over saturation of the pin market recently. the numerous licensing agreements, anniversary events, D23, and any branch of Disney offering pins to employees and guests. History does repeat itself, especially in the collectables market, as you stated.
My last collection is a prime example. Early on I started collecting McDonald's Happy Meal toys partly for myself (nostalgia) and because all my kids worked a short time at McDonalds. Everything was fine until McD raised the quantities. A new release was normally 4-6 toys each, then it exploded to 16-20 (beanies) but the final kicker was allowing people to buy the toys without purchasing the happy meal entree. You could not keep up, they were far less desirable, everyone was trying to resell them, Disney/McDonalds partnership dissolved, and the market folded. Shortly thereafter Disney pins arrived (Countdown to the Millennium) an a new (got to have) outlet emerged.
Very Low qty# LE pins might hold their value, but Disney pins as an investment, I don't think so. Do it for the fun.
Remember your kids (me) don't want your Hummel collection!!

Enough said, time to dig out my Halloween McNuggets for display, along with my pins.