( 
)Collecting Movie Buttons 7 Pinbacks
Buying and selling Movie Memorabilia today is a very demanding area of collection, including buttons & pinbacks. You have originals, reproductions, copies, fakes, self-made replicas, signed & unsigned, made for a movie and actually used in a movie, and so many more variants.I collect pins, buttons, and pinbacks. I have selected a specific area of interest to be exclusive for original movie advertisement, movie prop, and movie related. I do not presently collect DVD, VHS or WALMART buttons. I have been collecting for over 25 years and have over 1000 different buttons without duplicates, 3-5000 with duplicates. My favorite search is Movie Buttons no magnets .
They range from small to large, square to round, with and without lights, lindicular, paper, plastic, metal with all kings of shapes. The key to collecting is not for the money, or the cost, but for the pleasure of collecting something you enjoy. I love movies, I love collecting, and posters become stagnant for the reason that I hate changing them. Buttons are small, lightweight, easily displayed on work partitions and make conversation.
Presently I have a project on my honey-do list to panel my walls with a cloth material to display the entire collection. I do not intend to destroy my walls, nor do I recommend anyone else take such a measure, unless they have a similar passion as I do. I also hope to one day produce a price guide/book for this type of collecting.
I do not collect or have any other value to the buttons for dresses with stars on the paper packing material, nor do I collect the cerial buttons with tthe stars on them. Just movie.
PRICING and determining the value of a button.
When I look to buy a button I want to know several things, most I can determine just by looking at the button.#1-Is the button original? I want to know if it was released from the movie company like FOX, UA, NewLine, and etc. Was it made for the theater chain or a premier promotion that happens before the release of the movie. Even pre-release advertisement at conventions for comic books, sci-fi, books and more. If the pin/button is dated, one must look to see if it is the release date of the movie or the "New on DVD XX-XX-XX" date. Most theater buttons are not dated unless they have a meaning to the movie for example the re-release of the "Omen" 6-6-06 would be a good indicator that this is a theater button, not a DVD.
#2-Condition of the button will be fair to good. Excellent/Mint are non-existant because of the way they are shipped to the theaters. They are shipped in plastic bags that rub and scratch the pins against themselves. If I ever find out where they are manufactured I would try and get the pinback from the source and try to get mint buttons (a dream of mine). Minor rubs and normal scratches do not affect the value of the button, tears, cuts, bends, pull aways do reduce the value considerably.
Older buttons will be rusty. Metal does rust, and should be expected on older buttons. To reduce this effect keep you buttons stored in a cool dry area. This should reduce the aging process. Vasiline (in an extremely thin coat) for those that you intend to keep a long time and not go to professional help, can be used to minimize the rusting. Should only be done on the exposed metal only and after the rust is removed (if it exists) by a professional restoration expert. Plastic bags are a substitute as well.
#3-Number of buttons produced will have an effect on the pricing. Since I have yet to find the source to collect the information of numbers produced, one can only tell by the availability of the item on ebay and other places. The more buttons in circulation, the lower the price. The fewer the buttons the higher the price. Example "Revenge of the Jedi" 
title and advertisement of posters and memorabilia were recalled back to FOX by George Lucas. Most of those items were destroyed. A few were snuck away by collectors and fans. In the past 2 years I have seen 3 buttons with that title from the actual release come up for sale, and I bought all 3. The poster sells for several hundred dollars, the button's value to me is about the same price. Where as the movie "Van Wilder" must have bought the button factory because I have so many and they are still for sale. Another set of rare buttons are the Jerry Lewis productions made pinbacks for at least 4 of his films, and I did not know this until this year.
title and advertisement of posters and memorabilia were recalled back to FOX by George Lucas. Most of those items were destroyed. A few were snuck away by collectors and fans. In the past 2 years I have seen 3 buttons with that title from the actual release come up for sale, and I bought all 3. The poster sells for several hundred dollars, the button's value to me is about the same price. Where as the movie "Van Wilder" must have bought the button factory because I have so many and they are still for sale. Another set of rare buttons are the Jerry Lewis productions made pinbacks for at least 4 of his films, and I did not know this until this year.#4-Copies and fakes. How can you tell? I just can because there are variations in fakes and copies. Also, there is usually 1 or 2 sellers on Ebay and they follow the same style, same price ad. Where-as a theater button will come from everywhere and those are marked with the studio information. Older pinbacks and buttons were made by "Whitehead and Hoag" 
carry their mark. All those kids selling their buttons when they get home from work gives a basis of what is real and what isn't. EMO/PUNK buttons are home made, or movie company ok to print a graphic and make a button out of it. Most are done without permission and you can make yourself with a machine and a box of supplies for under $100. A key to these is that they sell in a set of many for about $5-$10 dollars.
carry their mark. All those kids selling their buttons when they get home from work gives a basis of what is real and what isn't. EMO/PUNK buttons are home made, or movie company ok to print a graphic and make a button out of it. Most are done without permission and you can make yourself with a machine and a box of supplies for under $100. A key to these is that they sell in a set of many for about $5-$10 dollars.I value my collect by originality, rarity, and condition. A new theater button is free if you can talk them out of it. The value of a new film is about $.25-.50 cents. Add $1 for shipping and handling. I really hate people who charge me more than $2.00 shipping and handling. Keep in mind that the cost of shipping and handling DOES NOT INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE BUTTON !!! It may be your costs, and to you worth it, but it is NOT the NEW VALUE of the pinback/button.
Increased age adds to value, except when there were some many produced that your neighbors still have them stuck in a drawer somewhere. A button intially costs about $.25 to make and depending on the popularity of the movie should be no more than $.50 for something that is freely given by the theaters to their patrons and employees.
Add about $.10 a year for 1st 5-10 years
Add $1.00-$2.00 more over 5 years (not per year).
Between 10-20 years they start at $10+.
Over 20 years $20-30+.
I have paid $100 for a button that was over 40 years old, and I have paid $20ish for a pinback that was almost 100 years old. It depends on the numbers of buttons made, and what the button is worth to you as a collector.
Don't rush to buy a new movie release button.
When buying on Ebay, shop around. Sometimes even wait for a week or so. If it is an older pinback it may not be available again for a long time, so keep that in mind if you have a passion. New releases will have the first wave of sales for $5+shipping. Don't be trapped/suckered into that wait for when the price goes to a market that is acceptable, or run to the theater and ask one for free.If one person is selling from the theater in a hurry to make the money, more will too as the movie stops showing, and people take off the pin from their jacket and show the next new button. The lower the demand, the lower the price. Free is always good when you become friends with the people at the theater.
BUYER BEWARE !!! The shipping con.
SHIPPING & HANDLING --- When you shop watch out for high shipping prices to scam you. The weight of a package and the button costs about $1 to send anywhere in the country. The mailer costs about $.19 or less when bought in bulks of 10 or more. If mailed from home the seller makes out, but mailed from the post office is about another $1.00 in gas these days, lastly $.80 on a listing for ebay and fees for paypal. No where have I seen a post office greater than 5-10 miles away from my home or business. The most I spend on shipping and handling these days is about $1-$2max, and I really gotta want that button to pay that $2.00.Use the resources of Ebay and PAYPAL, they are there to help you when you need it, or when you just have a question.
Good Luck at the Auctions and if I beat you to it, I am sorry, but I really do want that button... Good Hunting & Collecting !!!
Sincerely,
Randy aka Randman01
Guide created: 06/01/06 (updated 08/12/08)
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