Limited Edition Disney Pins are very popular amongst Disney trading pin collectors worldwide. That is because these pins are exactly that-limited. What this means is that there will be a certain number of these rare Disney pins that will be manufactured and sold. What makes these Limited Edition Disney Pins so special is that once they sell out, they will no longer be sold on the retail market. This makes owning one of these pins special, and possibly quite profitable.

If you are in the market of buying and collecting rare Disney pins such as the Limited Edition Disney Pins, there are a few things you should know about them. Over 350 Disney trading pins are released each year by the Walt Disney World Resort. Out of that amount, there are usually only ten to twelve new Limited Edition Disney Pins released at that time. Many of these Limited Edition Disney Pins are sold out within thirty minutes of them being released. The Walt Disney World Resort releases many Limited Edition Disney Pins to mark special events in the resort history, and to commemorate holidays and special occasions. Disney also releases limited edition collectible Disney pins at certain events throughout the year such as: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Limited Edition Disney Pins are usually very inexpensive when you first buy them, but depending on the pins you purchase, they may go up in value later on. Some range from a couple of dollars to over hundreds of dollars-depending on the size of the edition and the pin. For people that do not live close to a Walt Disney World Resort or a Disney theme park and want to purchase these collectible Disney pins-the internet is the ultimate tool for buying them and selling them. There is no need to wait in line or deal with crowds-you can order whatever Disney pin you like- and from the comfort of your own home. There are tons of spectacular Disney pins to be found on the internet and you can find some great deals on them if you know what to look for.

Buying a Limited Edition Disney Pin online is easy and knowing the basics of what to look for will ensure you buy only legitimate Disney trading pins. The main thing you want to see on a Limited Edition Disney Pin is the official Disney trademark symbol on the back of the pin. Another very important detail to look for with any Limited Edition Disney Pin is a stamp on the back baring the edition size and a sequence number for that pin. For example, the tenth pin in the collection would read something like L.E. #10 of 500, or something to that affect. If there are no markings similar to these, the pin is probably not an official Limited Edition Disney Pin.

Disney pins are fun to trade and can be a profitable hobby. Of course no Disney trading pin collection would be complete without a few Limited Edition Disney Pins in it.

There are several different signs a collector can look for to confirm that the pin he is looking at is an official Disney pin. Although none of these features alone will confirm beyond a doubt that a pin is “real,” the presence of two or more of these features adds a great deal of credibility to the pin in question.

Many of the features of an official trading pin can be found on the pin’s back. The Disney copyright mark is always a good first indication that a pin is eligible for trading. However, the serious collector should know that some pins do not have the Disney trademark. Vintage pins from the 1960’s or 1970’s may have no mark on their back. Some of these pins may also have the words “Walt Disney Productions” stamped on the back. In general, though, collectors who are trading pins inside a theme park should expect to see the copyright mark on the back of any prospective pins.

Official Disney pins also tend to have the iconic, rubber Mickey head as its back. Certainly, most of the pins sold today feature this style of attachment. However, internet traders or collectors looking for a vintage pin can also expect to see “squeeze” backs, tie tack backs, and even screw on backs. Pins released before the 1990’s simply have the old-fashioned back similar to those used on brooches. Collectors should have an idea what style of back the pin they are interested in should have.

Pins touted as limited edition pins should carry its number on the pin’s back side. For instance, a pin that is one of a run of 500 pins should include a marking that tells the owner where the pin fell in the sequence of 500. If that marking doesn’t not include the sequence number, the pin is probably not an official trading pin.

Finally, no discussion of the authenticity of a Disney pin would be complete without pointing out the existence of "scrapper” pins. Scrapper pins are often manufactured by the same companies that manufactured the licensed Disney pins. These pins were created in excess of Disney’s order quantity or or did not meet the standards required of a Disney
pin. The manufacturer in these situations, however, did not destroy these unauthorized pins. Instead, they are sold on the market.

Fortunately for pin collectors, scrapper pins can look visibly different than their official counterparts making it easier to distinguish between the two types of pins. The method of display for these pins also lends a tip towards separating the two. Scrapper pins are often sold in bags rather than being displayed on the traditional card seen in Disney Pin Trading shops or Disney stores.