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May 19, 2022

What Are Trading Pins Made Out of?

May 19, 2022

Trading pins make youth competitive sports events and tournaments even more fun. With commemorative or limited edition pins  for nationals, regionals, and team end of year events, baseball players often collect or trade a number of beautiful pins throughout  each season. Trading pins can be highly customized for the team and event with player names, team colors, and the mascot. 

At Baseball Trading Pins, we sell a variety of baseball trading pins available from raised enamel to die cut pins. Each type of pin  can be made from different metals and enamels. In this guide, learn what trading pins are made out of and how the materials vary  based on the type of trading pin you select. 

Baseball Pin

Soft Enamel Pins 

Soft enamel pins are classic baseball trading pins, with metal raised edges and colorful enamel in between. The raised metal designs serve as the divider or edge between each of the colors, keeping the pin neat. The enamel paint comes in a large variety of colors so that youโ€™re sure to find the right match for your teamโ€™s colors.

Generally, there are three different types of metals used as the plating for soft enamel baseball trading pins:

  • Polished nickel
  • Polished gold
  • Spray Black

Polished nickel is a classic silver tone that looks metallic. Itโ€™s a hard and durable metal that creates long-lasting trading pins that are corrosion-resistant. With a high melting point, a trading pin made from polished nickel wonโ€™t melt or warp if left in the car.

Polished gold provides pins with a gold look. Gold is one of the stronger metals available and it is durable. This means that pins made from polished gold look great for longer, as you wonโ€™t have to worry about scratches, dings, and normal wear and tear that you might find in a weaker metal.

Spray black trading pins have a black tone. However, the metal itself isnโ€™t black. Rather, the metal is painted to make it look black. Many teams love the dark lines and contrast provided by spray black pins, especially for the contrast it provides against bright colors. It can make small details pop and look more defined.

Most of the baseball trading pins you see at tournaments, games, and team events are soft enamel pins. These pins are colorful and look great.

Die Struck Baseball Trading Pins

Soft enamel pins can be made with a die struck manufacturing process. The ability to use this process depends on the design and the metal selected. Not all metals can be used for all designs. This often comes down to the shape of the pin and the complexity of the design.

What are Trading Pins Made Out of?
What are Trading Pins Made Out of?

Die struck pins are created when a hammer is struck against a thin sheet of metal against a hardened steel die. This makes a pattern or an impression into the metal pin. This process can create intricate, fine lines and details on your baseball trading pin. Many of the trading pins you see in youth baseball are made using this process.

Eye-Catching Upgrades

The types of upgrades you select for your soft enamel trading pins can change the materials used to make your soft enamel trading pin. We offer blinkers, glitter, crystals, bobble heads, sliders, spinners, danglers, and glow in the dark pins. Each of these upgrades requires different materials to make the pin. The pin may need LED lights, different types of crystals, and mechanisms to make danglers and spinners work. It simply depends on what upgrades you select.

Sometimes teams want to create limited edition versions of trading pins to give away at special events. Opting for a black out or glow in the dark version of the teamโ€™s or divisionโ€™s pin or logo for the special event can be a fun way to commemorate it.

Offset Printed Trading Pins

Offset printed trading pins print a design on a piece of iron sheet metal. Each individual pin is stamped into the sheet metal before a layer of protective epoxy is added to keep the printed surface smooth and in good condition.

These pins can be made in a variety of custom shapes and thicknesses. Since the process is quicker and itโ€™s more affordable, many teams and organizations opt for offset printed trading pins when they need an order quickly or want to place a very large order.

The inks and pigments used in offset printed baseball trading pins are vibrant and come in many hues. These trading pins can also feature more detailed designs that would be impossible to mold into metal.

Selecting the Right Trading Pin Material

The first decision that you have to make in the process of ordering trading pins is to determine what kind of pin you want: soft enamel pins or offset printed trading pins. In some cases, this is determined by how quickly you need the trading pins shipped and your budget. Generally, offset printed pins require less time to make and are less expensive. When your initial design goes to the design team, they will select the appropriate metal based on the design.

Baseball Trading Pin

Partnering With the Best Trading Pin Company

The metal your trading pin is made from matters in terms of its durability, appearance, and quality. Whatโ€™s equally important is the company manufacturing the pins. Having well-produced pins with crisp edges and perfectly applied enamel makes a difference in the final version of the trading pin.

Baseball trading pins are collectorโ€™s items that youth players, siblings, coaches, and their families keep for years. Thatโ€™s why it is so important to purchase high-quality pins made from durable materials. These pins are corrosion resistant, scratch resistant, and beautiful. The people that trade and collect them will love to showcase the pins. For more inquiries about the different baseball trading pins we sell, please be sure to reach out and complete our online form and we will be happy to assist you further. We can provide quotes and estimates based on your specific quantities and needs.

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