Disney Trading Pins

I seldom use this platform anymore, but today's post feels like it fits here the best. I want to address something regarding the Wishes Candles that I LOVE and sell. Not the candles themselves, per se, but the collectible hidden Disney Trading Pins inside them. 

Yesterday I shared some pictures of some the hidden pins I've gotten and that many of you have gotten and shared with me. It didn't take long before my Instagram post got majorly hijacked by a self-proclaimed "Pin Expert". I admit, I did start to take the bait, but I thought better of it. Instead I deleted all of his comments, his message and blocked him and moved on. Essentially, I was told I was a lying charlatan that was peddling fake pins in order to exploit people that didn't know any better and I should be publicly flogged for my deceit. Nice, right?

I chose to be the better person and walk away from the fight, but I haven't been able to shake it. So I did more research. (I spent a lot of time researching the company before I signed up for this.) Have they been accused of putting out fakes? Yes they have. Many companies (outside of the immediate Disney family) have been accused of fakes. Have they knowingly passed along fakes? No. I believe 100% that their pins are genuine.

There are a lot of "How to spot a fake Disney Pins" guides out there online, but let me address some of the easiest ways to tell a real pin here & whether the ones sitting right in front of me pass the test.

1) Fake pins are made with inferior metal that is almost always magnetic, real ones aren't. --> Not magnetic.

2) Real pins have a "Pin Trading" Mickey Logo as well as Disney Logo on the back --> Check.

3) The closure on the back of a real pin will always be a metal prong with 1 or 2 tiny little "nubs" on each side of the prong on the back of the pin. (They keep the back from spinning when it's attached to something.) The post on the back will also be welded onto the back, not glued --> Check

4) Coloring - if the coloring seems screwy or if the eyes are missing color, it's a fake. Remember when you are looking at a picture online, you are looking at a picture that was taken in who knows what kind of lighting with who knows what kind of device and transferred who knows how many times. You can't judge coloring based on an online picture. (My pictures have an overlay on them as do most professional pictures online) --> Coloring consistent and as it should be, no hollow eyes.

5) Real pins have smooth edges, fakes have sharp, rough, uneven edges --> smooth as a babies butt.

6) Mickey "waffling" (the teeny, tiny, embossed Mickey heads on the back of the pin) should extend over the edge of the pin if it's real AND should cover the entire back of the pin, not just part of it --> check.

7) Smooth, high-gloss finish is an indication of real pins. Fakes are dull & matte usually. --> Shiny & smooth!

8) Misspellings & typos don't happen on real pins --> Spell-check

9) Hidden Mickeys on the front are a little harder to see because they're so tiny, but if you look very carefully you should see a well-defined shape and the paint color (they're often silver, but not always) should not look smudged at all --> crisp edges, no smudging

10) Weight...fake pins are light-weight while real ones have a heavier, sturdier feel to them because they're made with a much higher quality metal --> no light-weights here.

11) The pin backs. First, these should be black Mickey heads with the Disney logo printed on the underside. Secondly, they should be sturdy, but not hard - they should be pliable rubber. --> check.

12) Common sense goes a long ways in determining fake vs real. If it looks fake, it probably is. If it has all the indicators that it's real, it probably is. I trust my source and I think that's a big part of it too.

Unfortunately the internet has created a culture where everyone is an expert on everything and they often come with a loud mouth a keyboard warrior mentality. This guy yesterday was a "professional pin trader" (that probably still lived in his mom's basement) that was just looking to start a fight. Sadly, there are more out there. 

I didn't take the bait, but it was a good opportunity for me to take a step back and learn. In doing so, I hope that my learning will help you as well. Do I know of an absolute 100% certainty that there will never ever be a fake pin in one of these candles? No, but I do believe this is a good company that vets their sources and has a reputation they work really hard to maintain. I also believe that if a fake were to appear, they would immediately make it right. 

My experience with Wishes Candles have been 100% positive. I love the candles, the scents, the company and the pins that I believe with everything in me are genuine Disney Trading Pins. I'm sorry that there are people out there that are so quick to throw mud and cause fights without doing any research or having first-hand knowledge.