Here are a few of the guidelines. What we are trying to avoid are the scrappers (inferior pins that Disney doesn't see good enough to sell and dump.....but someone gets hold of them and sells them). They usually have scratches, aren't shiny, pitted, no back info, etc
Pin Trading Etiquette
•The main criteria to judge whether a pin is tradable or not is that it must be a metal pin bearing a “©Disney”mark on the back that represents a Disney Event, Place or Location, Character or Icon.
•Pins should be in good, undamaged, tradable condition.
•Pins from other business units of The Walt Disney Company (i.e.ABC, ESPN) are accepted for trade.
•Operating participant pins that show a Disney,
Disneyland®Resort, or Walt Disney World®Resort affiliation are accepted for trading.
•Plastic pins, rubber pins or other non-metal pins are not accepted for trading.
•“Personalized Name”pins are not accepted for trade.
•“Broche style”or “clasp pins”are not accepted for trade.