4 Places to Find MLB Collector Pins (and How to Make Your Own)

If you're starting a collection, filling a gap in one, or looking to create something that doesn't exist yet, the question is simple: where do you actually look? Here are four places to find MLB collector pins, arranged from the most official to the most creative, including what to do when the pin you want isn't for sale anywhere.

1. Ballpark Team Stores and Official MLB Channels

The most direct route is also the most reliable. Team stores inside the ballpark and the official MLB Shop online carry licensed pins you know are authentic, from standard team logos to commemorative pins tied to specific events like the All-Star Game, Opening Day, or a postseason run.

This is where you'll find the officially licensed collectibles, often released as limited seasonal sets. Because they're produced in fixed runs, the event and anniversary pins can climb in value once they sell out, which makes the team store worth checking early in a season rather than late.

The trade-off is range. Official channels cover official subjects, current teams, current events, current designs, and stock rotates quickly. If you're after a specific retired pin or something outside the licensed catalog, you'll usually need to look elsewhere.

2. Collector Marketplaces and Specialty Sites

For vintage, discontinued, or genuinely rare pins, the secondary market is where the hunt gets interesting. eBay, dedicated sports memorabilia shops, and collector auctions are where hard-to-find pieces surface, sometimes ones that haven't been produced in decades.

A few things worth keeping in mind before you buy:

• Check authenticity carefully. Ask for clear photos of the back as well as the front, buy from sellers with a strong track record, and compare against known catalog images when you can.
• Expect a wide price range. Common pins go for a few dollars; a sought-after "grail" piece from a championship year can run into serious money.
• Watch for reproductions. The rarer and more valuable a pin, the more likely a fake exists. If a deal looks too good, slow down.

Specialty sites reward patience. The pin you can't find today may show up next month, so it's worth setting alerts and checking back rather than overpaying in a hurry.

3. Pin Trading Communities and Events

Here's where baseball pins stop being merchandise and start being a hobby. Pin trading is a culture of its own, strongest at youth tournaments like the Little League World Series and Cooperstown Dreams Park, but alive anywhere collectors gather, including Facebook groups, forums, and local trade nights.

Trading isn't about buying, it's about meeting people. Teams and fans bring extra pins to swap, and a pin's worth is measured less in dollars than in the story behind it: who you traded with, which tournament it came from, the season it marked. If you're new, the etiquette is easy to pick up. Bring pins you're willing to part with, be friendly, and let the trades happen naturally.

There's one detail about this world that leads straight to the fourth option. At tournaments, teams don't buy their pins off a shelf, because the pin they're trading is their own. Each team designs a unique pin with its name, colors, and year, orders a stack of them, and trades them all week. Which raises the obvious question for any fan club, amateur league, or group of friends: what if the pin you want is one that doesn't exist yet?

4. Make Your Own Custom Pins

When no store sells the pin you're picturing, you make it. This is the route for fan clubs, amateur and beer-league teams, youth squads headed to a tournament, or anyone who wants a design that's genuinely their own, not a logo you can already buy.

Before you order, it helps to know what separates a good custom pin experience from a frustrating one:

• Minimum order. Some manufacturers require you to order hundreds at a time. If you're a small fan club or a single team, look for one with no minimum so you're not stuck buying more than you need.
• Design help. A good maker turns your sketch, logo, or rough idea into a production-ready design, ideally at no extra cost, and shows you a proof before anything is manufactured.
• Turnaround. If you need pins before a specific tournament or event, ask about production time up front. Two to three weeks is typical, with rush options when the date is tight.
• Finish. Soft enamel gives a textured, dimensional look at a friendlier price; hard enamel is polished smooth for a more premium, durable feel. Either works well for trading pins.

One important note: creating your own pin means creating your own design. Custom makers produce original artwork, your fan club's crest, your league's logo, your team's name and colors, not replicas of MLB team marks, which are trademarked. The fun of a custom pin is that it's uniquely yours in the first place.

This is where a maker like PinProsPlus fits the bill. There's no minimum order, so a ten-person fan club and a full amateur league get the same treatment. Design help is free, you approve a proof before production, most orders ship in about 15 business days, and shipping inside the USA is free. For a group that wants its own trading pin without committing to a giant run, it's a practical way to go from idea to a finished pin you can hand out and trade.

Ready to design your own? Get a free quote in about an hour and see your pin before you commit to anything.

Which Route Is Right for You?

It comes down to what you're after:

• Want official and authentic? Start at the team store or MLB Shop.
• Hunting something rare or vintage? Work the collector marketplaces, carefully.
• Looking for the social side of the hobby? Get into pin trading at tournaments and in collector communities.
• Want a pin that's entirely your own? Design and make it.

The truth most longtime collectors land on is that the best pin in the case usually isn't the most expensive one. It's the one that tells your story, your team, your season, your group of friends. And that's the one pin you can't buy anywhere. You have to make it.

Got a design in mind? Start your custom pin with PinProsPlus, free design help, no minimums, and free US shipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy official MLB pins?Official, licensed MLB pins are available at ballpark team stores and through the MLB Shop online, including commemorative pins for events like the All-Star Game and the postseason. Stock is often limited and rotates by season.

Are baseball trading pins worth money?It depends on rarity and condition. Limited event pins and pins tied to championship seasons can appreciate, while most trading pins hold more sentimental than monetary value, which is a big part of their appeal.

How do I make custom baseball pins for my team?Choose a custom pin maker, share your design or idea, approve a proof, and place your order. Look for no minimum order, free design help, and a turnaround that fits your tournament schedule. Makers like PinProsPlus offer all three, with delivery in about 15 business days.

What's the difference between soft enamel and hard enamel pins?Soft enamel has recessed color between raised metal lines for a textured, dimensional look at a lower price. Hard enamel is polished flat and smooth for a more premium, durable finish. Both work well for collector and trading pins.

How many trading pins should a team order?Most teams order roughly 75 to 200 pins per season, depending on roster size and how much trading they expect to do at tournaments. A common guideline is 10 to 15 pins per player, and ordering a few extra is always safer than running out mid-tournament.

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