How does pin trading work?

Pin trading is one of the oldest and most respected hobbies in the United States. With humble origins in baseball played collectibles from Rochester, NY, the art of pin trading has grown and changed over time. But while it is an important facet of American history, some people don’t actually know how pin trading works or how to get started. That’s what we’re here to discuss, just how does pin trading work? It’s quite simple when you break it down - but here’s your quick guide to how pin trading works! 

The general idea is exactly like any other collectible exchange - get inventory, find what you want, and make offers. This is the basis of how to pin trade and is a generally solid three-step procedure for getting into the complex hobby of pin trading.

You may want to do some research on the next step - determining what you want! Do you want to make a specific collection? Honor a specific character? Or even just have a variety to look at? Make sure you have a clear game plan of what you want to do before going forward, so you know how to do the next steps!

Getting inventory is probably the easiest step of the process. You can buy pins on almost any general retail site like Amazon or eBay, some of them are very cheap (just ensure authenticity)! You can bulk order custom pins, like we do at Lapel Pin Superstore, if you know a specific design will be a hit for trading. You can also design and make pins on your own! 

The next thing you’ll want to do is make offers! Find a community, whether in person or online, and start seeing what’s available! Don’t be afraid to make some aggressive offers or value your collection first! You can make as many trades as you feel comfortable with and control the destiny of your collection! 

One thing to know about pin trading is that there are multiple ways you can participate, each with a different rule set and following. It’s important to note that regulations of one pin trading organization are not always the same as another. For example, if you think a regular pin trader on the Internet is required to trade with you like a Disney World Cast Member, well, you’ll be very disappointed. The general idea is universal, but the individual procedures vary from place to place.

And then you’re set to go! That’s the basis of how pin trading works and is important to know before embarking on your pin trading adventure! Check out our custom pin sales today and let us help you get your inventory rolling, so you can explore all that the pin trading world has to offer.