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June 7, 2021

The Art of Trading Little League Pins

June 7, 2021

Your slugger will want to learn the art of trading little pins. This fun activity can bring so much joy to a young baseball player's heart. Read about it here.

Little league pins — they've developed a culture of their own. What many people view as a silly pastime is a deep and complex art, with as many aficionados to its name as many other hobbies and pastimes.

You may even be interested in the art of trading baseball team pins yourself. But how can you get started?

As strange as it may seem to admit, the world of little league trading pins has more to it than meets the eye. Taking the journey into the hobby might catch you by surprise. What starts as a fun way to celebrate your child's time playing sports, quickly reveals a group of people of all ages who love meeting up to trade their pins.  

Let's walk you through the art of trading baseball team pins. Read on to learn more.

The History of Trading Pins 

To understand the art of training pins, it's important to understand their long, storied past. Trading pins have been around since 1896 and found their earliest uses in the Olympic games. The athletes wore small patches on their ankles that they would trade with others. 

Trading Little League Pins USSSA World Series

The trading of pins became a tradition, and this tradition transitioned over to the world of little league baseball as well. Now baseball pins are perhaps the most prominent kind of trading pin out there. 

If you want to know the history of little league baseball, check out our article on that right here!

What Pins to Expect 

The Little League World Series is also the unofficial world series of pin-trading.  Different manufacturers and pin fans bring all sorts of different pins. 

Sometimes, these pins are representative of their hometown, their local teams, or their interests. Other times, these pins are shaped like umpires, gloves, and other baseball-related things. Food pins, and pins that feature movie/cartoon characters, are some of the most popular pins out there. You can even customize your baseball pin to really stand out with add-on features such as bobbleheads, sliders, or crystals to name a few!

Where to Trade

A huge portion of the art of trading baseball team pins is knowing where to trade them. The best place to go for this activity is the Little League World Series in Williamsport Pennsylvania, the hub for all things little league. 

For any devoted pin-trader, going to the little league world series will feel like a homecoming. People from all over the country will be there, sporting pins of all different shapes, colors, designers, aesthetics, and sizes.

Trading Little League Pins Cooperstown Trinity 2019

Pin-trading is done inside of the "pin-trading tent", so the whole activity has a fun, official feel. Many people make their pins specifically for this event so that they can trade them for unique pins, and bring joy to others. 

It goes beyond just that, though. The town of Williamsport is well aware of how many people enjoy trading pins. You can find many pins at local stores, and some of the hotels even rent out rooms specifically for pin-trading aficionados. 

The Art of Trading Little League Pins 

Now that you know the basics of little league trading pins, it's time to get into the nitty-gritty of that art of trading. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind when you're trading your custom trading pins. 

Put Your Best Foot Forward

When trading pins, you have to bring a product along that other people are going to want to trade for. Though there are some great pins you want to keep for yourself, understand that some of your favorite pins are probably your favorite for a reason... and they'll probably catch someone else's eye as well.

Make sure you bring a high-quality selection of trading pins so that you can get good deals and impress the other traders in the tent. The more attention you can grab, the more likely you are to trade for a pin you truly enjoy. 

Design Is Key 

No matter which individual pins you have, it's important to organize your pins in a way that's pleasing to the eye. There's no wonder why props designers are so important to the theatre: they understand that even objects as small as a pin need to be organized in a way to make them seem attractive. 

We recommend organizing your collection by color. Individual colors in trading pins won't stand out when they're all paired with each other, but when you put similarly colored pins together, the colors immediately stand out. The pins start working together — much like a baseball team — and are more likely to grab the attention of someone walking by. 

Create a Budget

Make sure that you set limits for yourself on how much you're willing to buy/sell. This doesn't just help you out financially, but it can help you out in the future. You don't want to spend all your valuable pins trading for pins you love this year, only to miss out on all of the cool pins that come around next year! 

Who Trades?

One of the best things about trading pins is that they can be enjoyed by people of all ages. While kids make up the majority of those with baseball trading pins— because they're on the little league teams themselves — parents, cousins, and other older baseball fanatics can often be seen at the trading tent. 

Getting your child started in the trading of baseball pins can help instill a sense of pride in them, and develop an interest that will last a lifetime. 

Start Trading Today 

Little league pins are collectible items that have a deeper culture to them than most people realize. If you are interested in little league pins, you're not alone; take yourself down to Williamsport PA or even Cooperstown, NY, and get trading with other aficionados just like yourself. 

Once you understand the history of trading pins, the pins you can expect to find, where you can trade, how the art of trading little league pins works, and who trades, you're well on your way to cultivating your hobby. 

For more information, complete our form to get started or call us at 888-998-1745

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