I'm Baaack - short trip/trading report

[wvrevy]

Back from the three day cruise on the wonder The cruise itself was great, but sincethis is the collector's board, thought I'd stick to the pin stuff...lol

To be honest, I was kinda disappointed in the very little trading going on each night at the "Pin Trading Session". Guess it was just bad timing, but I don't think there were more than 10 or 15 other traders on board, and the vast majority of those were kids. Don't get me wrong, I like trading with kids, as I can usually trade "commons" with them, giving them something that they REALLY want for something I've already got. It's fun, but I was really looking forward to our brief stop at DTD on Sunday between debarkation and our flight home.

Boy, did I ever make a mistake there in getting my hopes up. As soon as we got to the pin trading station at DTD, up comes everybody's favorite short, blonde-headed female shark (which, from my experiences with her in the past, should be known by the same name as a female dog, if you get my drift). So, since she took over an entire table, and we were feeling pretty good about having some decent traders for really the first time at WDW, we looked through her books.

Now, some of you know that I've been looking for an MSEP spinner for a while, and have several pins that, if not alone then at least a couple together, would make a fair trade. Well, this "lady" had TWELVE of them, right there in her many books. So, I let her browse through our book (which was pretty pathetic looking after seeing her monster collection), and she proceeds to not only say "There's nothing in there worth trading for", but then is nothing short of rude about ignoring us as if we didn't even exist.

This kind of person is the type that will kill pin trading, if anything is capable of that. Now, I know that they're her pins and she certainly has the right to refuse a trade, but c'mon !! I've been doing this long enough that I know the "value" of most of these pins on the secondary market, and I have more than one pin that are roughly the equivalent of that spinner. I also wouldn't have minded as much if she hadn't just COMPLETELY blown us off after that. It'd be different if this had been the first time I've seen this b...er...person act like this, but it wasn't. It will be the last time I ever try to deal with her, and I'll encourage anyone else I see thinking about it to look elsewhere.

Happily, she was not the only trader there all day, and we did meet some nice folks and make a few trades. Still, it only took that one person to make the day feel worse than it probably was.

The highlight of the day also involved the shark, however. There was an off-duty CM there trading, and she had the Destination Disney dangle in her bag. Well, shark lady 'bout lost it when she saw that, and just about begged this girl to look through her pins. But the CM had apparently seen and delat with her before, because she not only looked through the pins, she told her "Sorry, there's nothing in here I'm interested in", then smiled and walked away !!! Priceless

 

[suzanneb]

to hear of your RUDE "sharky" experience. .the words "nothing in here worth trading for" in your book you've described are petty and ignorant. If the woman had all the pins, she could have said "I'm sorry I have all of those.." but she had to be unmercifully rude!
I'm glad you had some good trades with "civilized folks"

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I will be down there starting June 29 thru July 4th. I am not familiar with this person. How will I know who she is to be able to avoid her at all costs. From what I have seen in the past, there might be more than one short blonde shark down there, how will I know this one?

Thanks for the warning.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Was the "short blond shark" wearing a pin trading vest?

I'm thinking I met a different "short blond shark" woman back in March.

Key difference: My "short blond shark" woman was exceedingly sweet. . . the better to shark you, my dear.

She seemed so helpful, because our pins were "not that great," so we could trade two for one of hers, or an LE for a cheap pin we didn't recognize, etc.

This was an older lady, with glasses, lots of jewelry, made up well, etc.

I know her first name, but I won't post it.

 

[wvrevy]

Yep, EP...That's the same one. Usually wearing wrap around shades, a pin vest, and carrying (I'm not kidding here) a WDW suitcase full of pins. Again, I don't know if she was rude just 'cause we didn't have anything she wanted or because we had enough that she knew she wouldn't be able to "shark" us. I certainly know there are pins in our trader bag that are more limited and that sell for more on e-bay than that MSEP spinner she'd cornered the market on.

As to her name...Well, I'm not sure, but I think she shares her name with a certain pretty-much-worthless American coin (and I've never met anyone named "Nickel", have you ? )

As for spotting her, it shouldn't be hard. She's exactly as I and others have described her, and she not only brags on her own pins, she'll scoff at any reasonable offer you try to make. She'll take nothing less than an Haunted Mansion Dangle (of which I KNOW she has at LEAST three, 'cause I've seen 'em) for a Mickey for President (which sells for about half the cost on eBay, though still expensive), for example.

The lesson here, I guess, is BE CAREFUL. Don't trade a great pin for something you don't recognize unless you're sure it is what the other person says it is. Don't trade for something just because the other person says it's a "great trader", and don't give up your "best" traders for anything short of exactly what you want. There are an awful lot of folks out there willing to take advantage of new and/or inexperienced traders, and they'll be in a feeding frenzy mode in August.

 

[n2mm]

I know just who you're talking about. When we see her we just walk away. She tends to hang out in DTD most of the time. Alot of times at the Pin Station in DTD. We won't deal with her only because we have heard her comments to others just like the way she treated you. There are lots of good traders out there and find CM traders to be some of the best traders around. We have been doing the WDW trading since Oct. 1999 and know who to stay away from.

 

[wvrevy]

No way !! Another West-by-God-Virginia trader I thought we were the only nuts around these parts...lol

Yes, there certainly are numerous good people out there, many of whom I've had the pleasure of meeting either in person or on these boards. But I just wanted to show how one really bad blonde apple can spoil the bunch.

Where are you in WV, if you don't mind my asking ? We'd love to set up a meet somewhere where either the MD folks or the Kentucky folks can stop by.

 

[Dar20]

Wouldn't you know it, I was dumb enough to trade my Magic Delivery to this particular person... back in my innocent days (and after having no sleep - MVMCP + 12 Days of XMas pin release + Dizpins pin meet = no sleep!!!). Those Magic Delivery pins were my first pins, too.. so you can imagine how much that hurt, to be taken so advantage of. UGH.. I'd give anything to have that trade back. I'd like to think I know better now. Who knows...

I know what you mean about the MSEP spinner. Someone told me the other day they wanted a Mickey for Pres or an Inaugural pin for it. I had to turn away so they wouldn't see me laugh. Whatevah!

Dar

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

You tried to trade with Sacagawea? Wow, that woman has to be over a hundred years old! I am amazed she is still able to wander around especially carrying a WDW suitcase. I heard a rumor that she keeps her teeth in that suitcase too, is that true? That is so awesome that you got to meet her. I saw a picture of her once when I was hiking the Oregon Trail. That is as close as I ever came to meeting her. I wouldn't say her coin is worthless though. I bought one at Wal-Mart and it cost me a buck! I thought things were supposed to be marked down at Wal-Mart? What is up with that?

Jeff

 

[wvrevy]

lol...Sorry Jeff, not Sacagawea, nor Susie B (not to be confused with our own SuzanneB here on the board)....Think much LOWER denominations, to match this particular "lady's" level of character

 

[n2mm]

We are from Charles Town and we'll be at the August pin event, staying at the Music, and going to the meet at Music on the 10th and the Cont. on the 11th. Maybe we'll find each other.

I don't know about you guys, but I just dislike trading with someone whenever they start quoting how much a pin is selling for on the auction site. I want to trade with folks who want the pin I'm trading and to add it to their collection, to give it a good home--call me crazy, but isn't that's what it's all about? We sometimes don't wear our landyards just to nose around and watch trades at pin central to check out if we want to trade with particular people. If we feel comfortable, then out come the lanyards and books.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

The woman that I met did not have a book full of MSEP spinners because it was a month before that pin came out.

Also, the woman I met was definitely not named after any coinage.

And, she definitely did seem to be sugary sweet to everyone.

I think I encountered someone else.

 

[n2mm]

The one I stay away from has very short (almost spikey) blonde (bleached) hair, and almost always has a vest (pin trading type) on. She is usually not too enthiastic and acts like you are boring her with your pins. But I'm sure there are more than just this one. I have to feel good about the trade or I find I will regret it. I've had a few bad trades, but we learn from our mistakes.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

a little "rough around the edges" like maybe you could find her sitting in a bar most nights?

 

[n2mm]

Exactly!!

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

OK. The "rough-around-the-edges" woman is not the woman I met.

 

[Regina]

Hi revy,

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience.

Thanks for the warning. It seems as if this individual will be person non grata among the DIS Collectors.

I really hope that you're not letting this incident ruin your entire trip.

With all that there is to do and see and experience at Disney World this woman is spending her time lugging around pins and looking for the next score.

Who's the real loser here? It sounds like she's the one who's missing out.

Personally, I'd rather explore and have a great time!

 

[Brer-Rabbit]

wvrevy,

I am sitting here laughing so hard, because I too have encountered this lady at DTD on our last trip. I am pretty new to pin trading so my collection is not that large and I was amazed my the size of this lady's collection. I hadn't brought my whole collection with me, I had left most of it at the resort. I looked through her pins and she had multiples of EVERYTHING -- Mickey for pres, jail scene, inauguration, MSEP spinner-- SHe had books and books and bags filled with pins. At one point she told me that she had over $10,000 in pins. I was impressed and kind of disappointed that I hadn't brought my collection.

The reason I am laughing and know that this is the same blonde haired woman is because she not only fits your description to a T, when I asked what she would trade the Inauguration pin for (its my holy grail) she said "only a haunted mansion dangle" -- JUST LIKE YOU SAID!!!!!

I am so glad that I didn't have my collection with me that day -- she probably could have taken me for a real ride.

 

[MadStrawberry]

We had a couple (lady sound like the one we had) here at DL. They haven't been back in awhile. Which I thought we would see them more now that the Mystery pins have been coming put.
Barbara

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

The more you describe her the more I am convinced this is the woman who sharked me on my last trip.

A book full of pins and a fin.


I am so glad someone finally got her - what goes around comes around!!