The value in trading (NOT COLLECTING) is the experience.
Probably the MOST valuable piece of advice EVER given about collecting well, anything, ever!!!!! Don't collect the items because "they are a good investment and will make their value back when you sell 'em". Ohhhhh what Beanie Baby collectors can tell you now! LOL
As much as it would be NICE to have a Disney collectible easily hold its value in the common market (outside of the animation/ fine art gallery/prop aficionado groups) , there was too much potential money sitting on the table for someone else to not to try to profit from the activity. Disney COULD spend $$$$$$$$$$ to have a U.S.A.-based high-security factory where pins are made and documented, etc. but that would seriously push the price for pins to an insane, unprofitable level. And also they need to spend that money investing back into their Parks and the Disney Research Institute.
So yeah... don't get into Disney pins because they are A Collectible Thing That Could Be Worth Money.
Get into Disney pins because they make FUN souvenirs - they can create memories, you can find your favorite character, you can collect from the events you go to...
I have ONE full set of Disney pins in a box that I bought from the
Disney Store waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day, I believe it was for The Rescuers release on VHS. Obviously I won't trade those or even take them from the box.
The only other pin I have is a Christmas Minnie Mouse that was thoughtfully given to us by a veteran couple (he had mostly prosthetics and she was wheelchair-bound) as we chatted in line, waiting for Circus Donald and Goofy at Pete's Circus Tent. They had a MASSIVE CD binder packed FULL of pins and she picked out a duplicate to give to our DD (for no other reason other than she got to be at WDW for her birthday....WOW)!
If I saw pins I liked, would I buy them? MAYBE. More like where would I put them, because I don't like trading away the ones I bought because I liked them...