Pin Display and Storage

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Posted By: David Keller

I appreciate all the recent threads on pins. I have been collecting Cincinnati Reds pinbacks and lapel-style pins for almost twenty years now and have about 500 different one. Which leads me to my question, I was wondering how the collectors on this site display and store their pins. I'm familiar with the basic frame cases used, but wanted to know other methods, especially when storing them. Please post if you have photos. Thanks

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Posted By: Mike H

Mine are all in a glass top table. You could get a couple of these and fit a lot of pins. This one measures 18" x 23". I like this method because the tables are also functional, the pins can be displayed with other items, and it's easy to change things up. The lid is hinged and the storage area has glass sides about 5" high.
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Posted By: David Keller

Mike - thanks for the picture. I loved the pins displayed with the other memorabilia. Any other ideas out there? I am also very interested in how you store pins, especially the ones too big to fit in coin holders.

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Posted By: Greg Theberge

My meager pin collection is just in a display case along with other period Red Sox pieces, as well as one mounted with a pennant. I know this isn't what you had in mind, but I don't have many pins to show .

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Posted By: Aaron M.

Great display, Greg! I also like to display my pins among the rest of my memorabilia.

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Posted By: Dan

Awesome display Aaron! I really like the Keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn pin.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Great displays guys. Greg and/or Aaron where did you get those small window box display cases for single pinbacks?

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Posted By: Aaron M.

nt

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Posted By: Greg Theberge

Great displays Aaron!

I actually was in contact over that Rooters pin you have there. It's very sweet, but I only collect Red Sox related material. It was soooooo close, but when I saw it, the REA was coming up and I knew Rob had a bunch of great Sox related Rooters material in the auction so I passed. I'm glad it ended up in a great collection.

Dan, The pin came in the box when I won it, but I see these things regularly when I irregularly go to antique shows. I'm sure they're available over the internet somewhere. Mine is actually just cardboard with the soft cotton ball type stuff inside. Aaron's is more of a picture box.

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Posted By: Al Simeone

Hi Dan,
Those cases are actually called insect display cases and you can order them from a company in all sizes. If you go to http://store.gardensare.com/display-cases.html you should be able to find what you are looking for!
Regards Al

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Posted By: Mike H

I think it's time to pear down and upgrade my pinbacks. When I initially became interested in them, I made a number of impulse purchases of unspectacular pins that I simply didn't have. I think I'll have an ebay sale soon. That being said, the number of interesting pins on ebay seem to be diminishing. Anyone else agree?

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I don't search the pinback section of ebay anymore so I haven't really noticed, but I know I've gotten some nice pinbacks of interest to me by doing other searches. Ebay seems to be a buyers market right now IMO as I've noticed items going for much less than they used to.

PS Nice pickup on that White Sox postcard last night...I was one of the underbidders and I cancelled my snipe about 5 minutes before it ended because I noticed something else on ebay that I wanted more than that postcard. You got a great deal on it and you can thank me for cancelling my snipe.

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Posted By: Aaron M.

Mike, since I've been collecting there are usually very few "interesting" pinbacks on E-Bay. I would describe "interesting" as meaning stand-alone pinbacks which are not part of a set (i.e., Sherlock's, Sweet Caporal, etc.), not PM-10's, and are valued at over $100.

But every once in awhile a truly rare, truly high-grade pin will show up on E-Bay (Dan just snagged an ultra-rare Honus Wagner "Sherriff" pin) so you have to stay vigilant. Of the pins that I have displayed above 13 have been purchased on E-Bay over the last few years, while 12 came from private sales or from the major sports auctions, so they really do show up if you are on the look-out.

What you are seeing is simply the extreme scarcity of high-end pinbacks on a level that actually makes the T206 Honus Wagner seem plentiful. Literally, for some of the pinbacks in my display and others I am still on the hunt for only a handful exist. The only difference is that there are very few high-end pinback collectors so the demand isn't in the vicinity of what it is for high-end baseball cards.

That Mickey Mantle pinback on my top shelf display for example is a special PM-10 that was printed up and sold at "Mickey Mantle Day" at Yankee Stadium in 1969. This isn't the common "fantasy" pin of that day that was actually produced recently, but the real one that was sold either with or without the Mickey Mantle Day pennant. It has only been offered twice since I've been collecting (6 years now): once by Rob Lifson in his 2004 auction, and again on E-Bay (the one I got) a couple years ago.

Cost-wise, because the demand isn't at a level for baseball cards, these pins are comparatively very affordable -- indeed they are bargains.

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Posted By: Mike H

Thanks Dan!!! I've been after that post card for a while now. Think of it as good carma for your Nebraska Indians collection...ha ha.

Aaron, I agree with you completely regarding the scarcity of "interesing" pinbacks. I also agree with willingness to pay a premium for such items. You will not be sorry you did. You really can't overpay for the best.