Hidden Mickey Pins

JLesgaspi — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:50:51 +0000

Since their introduction into the pin trading community, Hidden Mickey Pins (aka cast lanyard pins) have quickly become the most sought after addition to any collector's lanyard. Each one of these pins boasts a three circle silhouette of the world's most famous character, Mickey Mouse. The tri-circle formation generally appears in a solid color of silver or gold and is gently hidden in the landscape of the enamel pin. But where did the crude iconic symbol come from?

Compass 2012 Hidden Mickey Disney Pins Lot of 4
US $4.99

Disney Pin 2012 Hidden Mickey Undersea Band Collection Lot of 4
US $4.99

Disney Trading Pins Lot of 25 No Doubles Priority Shipping Available
US $12.01

Disney 26 Pin Trading Lot Perfect for the Parks Random Selection
US $12.50

Disney 25 Pin Trading LotFree ShipNo DoublesKeep or Trade
US $10.50

100 Disney Pins Lot Hidden Micke Pins Cast Pins Economic shipping Service
US $51.51

DISNEY PIN LOT OF 100 SUPER FAST SHIPPING $2 LANYARDS AWESOME
US $56.00

Disney Trading Pins Lot of 25 No Doubles Priority Shipping Available
US $10.51

Originally created as an inside joke amongst the Disney Imagineers Hidden Mickeys were hidden throughout Walt Disney resorts and parks in architecture, pathways, decor and even on the silver screen in the animated Disney movies. There have been over 600 recorded sightings of Hidden Mickeys but an official Disney guide has never been compiled. Remember that official Mickeys must be the Mickey Mouse character, must be hidden and must have been intended by the Imagineers.

It wasn't until the 3rd Lanyard pin series when designers began to add the simple Mickey icon to the pins' designs. In 2007 Disney redubbed the series "Hidden Mickey Disney Pins" and 94 of the most popular designs were reissued. They are also known as cast lanyard pins. As with any new craze beware of counterfeiters. Official pins have quality colors that have borders or outlines and a heavy metal base. Counterfeit pins, as a general rule, are made cheaply and weigh less. Be sure that the pin has the official Disney trademark logo stamped on the back. Some pins also have additional information on the back such as the year produced, edition number and whether the pin is a limited edition. Always get your pins from an official Disney pin location to help avoid these knock offs. If you can't make it official selling point for Disney Pins the next best place to find official Disney Pins is Ebay. Just look for lots of good feedback to pick out the trusted sellers. Happy hunting!

Cast Lanyard Trading Pins

JLesgaspi — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:15:45 +0000

In order to promote Disney pin trading between resort guests and resort employees (referred to as cast members) Disney Productions began releasing a collection of pins and Disney lanyards to cast members. Pins in these collections came to be known as cast lanyards. Disneyland and Walt Disney World both have their own versions of these pin releases, but either one is sure to delight guests at both resorts.

DISNEY 2010 Hidden Mickey Series CAST LANYARD PINK MEDAL PIN
US $1.76

Disney 26 Pin Trading Lot Hidden Mickey Cast Lanyard Pins Random Selection
US $13.39

Disney 26 Pin Trading Lot Hidden Mickey Cast Lanyard Pins Random Selection
US $12.50

Disney Cast Exclusive Bolo ID Lanyard Princess Rapunzel of Tangled
US $15.00

DISNEY PIN CHIP DALE TURKEY LEG PICNIC BLANKET CAST LANYARD SERIES
US $.99

WDW Cast Lanyard Series King Tritons Castle from Little Mermaid
US $.99

Disney DLR CAST LANYARD SER A E TICKET 5 PIN RARE SET
US $9.99

DISNEY PIN HIDDEN MICKEY DLR CAST LANYARD 2009 SILHOUETTE POOHs FRIEND OWL
US $16.03

Cast lanyard series King Tritons Castle 2002 disney pin
US $.75

DISNEY PINS DISNEYLAND CAST LANYARD SERIES RIDE TICKETS 4 PIN SET
US $6.99

DISNEY PINS DISNEYLAND RESORT CAST LANYARD E TICKET ONLY PIN
US $.99

DISNEY PINS DISNEYLAND CAST LANYARD SERIES RIDE TICKETS 5 PIN COMPLETE SET
US $9.99

Cast lanyards were originally released at Walt Disney World in 2002. A new series, or group of pins, is released each year to introduce new pins to this line of pins. Initially, Disney pins in this series had the words “Disney’s Cast Lanyard Collection” imprinted on the backside of the pins, but this method of identification became obsolete after the second year.

With the beginning of the release of the third series of pins, cast lanyard pins were marked with a small, black Mickey Mouse head on the face of the pin. These “hidden Mickeys” eventually led to the series being renamed as the Hidden Mickey Pins Collection. Regardless of the name attached to this collection, this series of pins are still released to cast members to trade with guests at Disney properties.

The Disneyland Resort also began releasing its own series of cast lanyards in 2002. This series of pins is substantially smaller than the series of pins released at Walt Disney World, but a special offering of “hotel” pins are also available at the Disneyland Resort. In fact, visitors to the Disneyland Resort are given two of the “hotel” pins to give them a jump-start on their pin trading. Like the collection distributed at Walt Disney World, however new pins are added to Disneyland’s Hidden Mickey Collection on a regular basis.

Encouraging young guests to take part in the fun of Disney pin trading takes on a special importance at Disney properties. Children who are visiting Walt Disney World or Disneyland have extra opportunities to trade with cast members. Some cast members are issued specially-colored lanyards that designate them as being available to trade with guests between the ages of three and twelve only. At Walt Disney World these lanyards are green; at Disneyland these lanyards are teal.

One type of pin is commonly confused with pins from the Hidden Mickey Collection. These pins, referred to as cast member pins, are not released to cast members for trading with guests. Instead, these pins are available for sale to cast members only for their own personal use. Frequently, these pins make their way onto the secondary market making them available to avid pin collectors.

The distribution of cast lanyards to cast members has definitely made an impact in the prominence of trading between guests and cast members. Even guests who visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland often are sure to find a new pin or two thanks to the frequent releases of new pins in the Hidden Mickeys Collection. Disney pin collectors young and old will enjoy the benefits of the cast lanyard program whether they are just beginning their collection or adding to a well-seasoned collection.

The Disney Pins Blog » Hidden Mickey Collection

Hidden Mickey Pins

Cast Lanyard Trading Pins