Pin trading, as a hobby has been around for a long long time. Personally, I began collecting pins 20 years ago (haven't done much trading, so much as collecting), but, even then, the trading of pins was long established as a means of showing friendship and comradery with those whom you meet. According to the Disney Official Pin Trading website, trading such as this had been the norm at Disney properties. It has also been a huge draw at the Olympics (pin trading pavillions that require no passes, tickets or anything special to be able to share with folks from many nations) Really, it was only a matter of time until they capitalized on the phenomenon and make it even bigger than it already was. Disney had been manufacturing pins for years and years. Now, they mushroomed what was already a pretty big operation (I still remember buying flag pins at a shop located near WS - and I still have those pins) and made it even bigger by expanding the "official" pins and encouraging CMs to not only acquire them, but to trade with guests (it was already happening anyway, so why not work it out to make a little more money). Anyway, that is a brief history of pins (as I know it). I hope this was helpful.