What makes trading pins unique? Plain and simple – it’s the options. Such options include danglers, spinners, sliders, blinking lights, glitter enamel, translucent enamel, and size. We used Cheer Pins this year and they offered all kinds of cool options.
Danglers on trading pins are actually an additional pin that hangs from the main trading pin. You will often see danglers carry a year, like “2004” or an age group of a particular baseball team. Such danglers are usually priced in the .45 to .75 cent range depending on size and quantity ordered.
Spinners are, again, actually another pin that is mounted on each of the main trading pins. And yes, they actually spin. Popular spinners are depictions of a baseball or bat. The additional cost of a spinner is in line with that of a dangler.
Sliders are additional pins that are mounted on each of the trading pins in such a fashion that they slide within the base pin. The most popular type of slider you see on baseball trading pins is a base runner, typically sliding into one of the bases on a field. Pricing varies on sliders depending on the amount of trading pins ordered.
Trading pins can also have one or more blinking lights incorporated into the design. Most often, the color red is used, although other colors are available from some manufacturers. This option typically adds about one dollar to the cost of each trading pin.
Colors used on baseball trading pins are actually mixed enamel that is baked into the design itself. Glitter or translucent enamel is a coloring option on trading pins that adds dimension and captivates the eyes. For about .10 to .15 each pin this can be added by most companies selling trading pins.
Size seems to be one of the more obvious factors when it comes to “tradability.” Most baseball trading pins are 1.5”, but teams with an adequate budget may opt for a 2.0” or larger trading pin. These larger trading pins are almost certain to command a premium when it comes trading time at the baseball field.
You can see that trading pins are far from simple. With all of the options available today by trading pin companies (check out Wild Pins), little league teams across the country strive to make their design the best and most unique. In reality, the only limits are imagination and budget.
Go pin trading!