Enamel Pins Thread

I searched the forum, but couldn't find a dedicated thread for folks who collect enamel pins. I know at least a few others on this site collect them! Would love to start a discussion about this, even if it only leads to a few comments from other interested parties.

 

Personal background related to my history with pin collecting:

• I started collecting them almost 3 years ago when my friend Kathleen and I would buy them for each other. I try to do my best in cataloging my collection, although I'm a little behind currently.
• I probably purchase an average of 3-5 pins a month, sometimes more.
• I have a 48.5" x 60.5" bulletin board for displaying them. The one I use employs recycled rubber instead of cork board, which I highly recommend, as cork board comes apart very easily, whereas recycled rubber is self healing.

Some of my favorite pin makers:

1. The Midnight Society
2. Super Team Deluxe
3. Midnight Dogs
4. PSA Press
5. Patti Lapel

Some of my favorite pins:

 

(bump.)

 

Sweet collection, man. I actually just started collecting but all the great pin makers are located in the US, and I'm in Paris. It's hard to justify paying 70+ euros shipping included for a few pins.

I'd also recommend Strikegently. Their stuff is mostly for edgy types though.

 

I've bought a few from makers outside the US. One of my favorites is Tattoo Dave (for Simpsons pins).

Is Strike Gently the same guy who ran that website back in the day? I follow them already on Instagram for their pins and patches.

 

Niiice. I actually just started a pin company (and sometimes music label) called Mint Plus Plus.

Our first pin series Unreliable Visions of the Past goes up for sale in August with 2 designs and we also have a dumb/silly/pandering side-project pin series called Cease & Desist that is happening through Kickstarter. It's all a weird mixture of our favorite stuff–physical mediums of music/video, 90s/early 2000s culture, sci-fi/supernatural narratives and world-building, etc.

You can see what we have planned by visiting our Kickstarter and by following us on Instagram at @mintplusplus.

Last thing that *might* be interesting is we are selling 4 lifetime pin subscriptions for $100 flat. They're being sold as a reward level through our Kickstarter and they get you one copy of EVERY pin we put out for life (no minimum or maximum, could be 5 pins or 500). I put that reward up yesterday and 2 of the slots are already gone. Kind of crazy but also fun.

 

This is awesome. Following you on Instagram, checking out the Kickstarter too. I have some ideas for pins and pin related projects, working on getting them off the ground, it's awesome to see them getting so popular.

 

…andddddd I'm a lifetime backer (so I really hope you guys do well and make more.)

 

Another maker I love is (otherworld), he makes some great original pins and Blink-182 inspired swag:

 

Hell yeah! I'm very excited about what we have planned. Your lifetime subscription, and the two others we've already sold, have basically secured us up to our 5th pin. So, any sales we make from here on out go towards pins 6 and 7 and those sales go towards 7 and 8, etc. Also, some of the pins come with little booklets included and I'm going to give lifetime backers a discount for our tapes and whatever non-pin goods we release, so it should be a fun time. Thanks for taking the plunge with us.

 

Look at this cutie

 

I love enamel pins. Will post my current bag setup. Like to feng shui that shit consistently.

 

I don't think it's the same dude, the original SG would definitely have made a few nods to the old website here and there. And I would have loved it. :)

 

my current setup. From the top - my current keyboard in pin form (mito legacy pulse keycaps on 60% new poker II), a camera, Sam from Trick R Treat, Gordon Freeman figpin, Virtue cider, and Skyrim

 

I love the simplicity of that camera with the clean contour lines. Good stuff!

My first two pins just came in the mail a few hours ago. I'm super happy with how these came out.







Super stoked to get those out. Cool people like @Jonathan will get theirs as part of their Kickstarter rewards and I'm 90% sure I'm going to send these early, as soon as the campaign ends and they're ready. They also come with a mysterious history booklet about each shop, which is still in production.

 

Not a great photo but here's a recent one of my board:

 

Am I covered for variants too with my $100 tier?

 

Yeah! You get every single pin in every variant! So, you'd get all 4 of these ones.

One of the other lifetime subbers also asked me this on Kickstarter, so I think I'm going to send out a more clear message, in case the other 2 are unsure as well. You get eeeeeeverything!

 

Is that a yellow lab and/or g. retriever????????

I have a really small cork board right now but I have some similar wife/couple Polaroids on there too. Gotta pin those memories on there. That's a pretty dope collection. Dig that simple Iron Giant.

 

English cream golden retriever. I sound so silly saying that.

 

I have one of the Absolutepunk.net pins which is really all that should matter here

I also have a You Fail Me hand from Converge

 

I have been wanting to get some pins for a while now and ugh there are so many good ones I don't know where to start

 

I covered some great companies in my first post, but people ask me this all the time – "where do you find them?"

Honestly, start following makers on Instagram. The good ones trade and promote other brands as well, so that's how I find pretty much all of mine. Sometimes I'll get a pin or two gifted to me, and I'll follow the makers.

EDIT: Also make sure to get yourself a cork board (or if you're extra fancy, a recycled rubber one like mine!) Either way, you'll want somewhere to stick 'em all.

 

yeah I have some already picked out from your original reccs haha but ok so how do you find makers on insta?
I will get a cork board/rubber board eventually but right now with my whopping zero thats not a concern lol I'm more concerned with finding the jean jacket I want to display them out & about

 

All excellent points! A denim jacket is important (personally I look awful in them, so I have a jacket from Taylor Stitch that I use.)

Pretty much all makers have Instagram pages. If you follow them, they usually post pins from other makers that they've done trades with (typically the smaller, more indie makers.) This is how I started finding so many. I probably follow 3-5 new makers a week through that method.

Here's some Instagram links of my favorite makers:

The Midnight Society
Super Team Deluxe
Midnight Dogs
PSA Press
Patti Lapel
But Meeemmm
Pin Lounge
7 Deadly Pins

Also, kind of a shameless plug, but if you follow my personal Instagram, I post pins pretty much as I receive them in my stories, and I always tag the maker.