Hidden Mickey Disney Pins

Are you one of those people who love Walt Disney’s characters, and especially “the boss” Mickey Mouse?  Then Hidden Mickey Disney pins may delight you and offer a new hobby you can embrace.  In the process of this new-found joy, you may also find fellow hobbyists all over the world sharing this passion for our little friend.  The collecting of these unique and artistic pins brings pleasure to many people and has resulted in clubs and online support groups that offer friendships to many like-minded people.

Many of us grew up with Mickey Mouse and probably have seen most of his one hundred and twenty cartoons.  Some may even still be in black and white!  And if you are old enough to have lived through the 1950’s you almost certainly remember the Mickey Mouse Club.  You may even still have one of those black Mickey hats with the big ears!  What an influence he had on thousands of children.

This wonderful little guy came on the scene back in 1928 and quickly became the signature symbol for Walt Disney and all the creations that emerged from this artistic genius.  Mickey is now the “official” greeter at Disneyland and still a delight to children of all ages that visit each year.

Originally, Mickey was represented as three circles, a round circle for the head and two for the ears.  Gradually the Disney artists fleshed him out, but this symbol still reminds most everyone of Mickey.  “Hidden Mickey” images refer to hidden representations of the circles symbol, that appear in various Disney creations.  These can be detected in drawings, landscape, foods, whatever.  The artists are very creative!  It is said that the hidden Mickey phenomenon began back in the 80’s when the Disney production artists began having some fun imbedding partial or complete impressions into the various designs they were creating for their employer.  It became a fun and challenging game not only to produce these hidden images but also to see who could find these representations.  Obviously, the idea caught on and has now blossomed into an integral part of the Disney persona.

Today, as part of Disney’s marketing of their products, pins are produced periodically and in limited editions.  These “Hidden Mickey Pins” are issued by the Disney organization with specific criteria established as to their size and standards.  For example, there must be a “hidden Mickey” on the front; the back must be silver, and there will be a small box on the reverse stating what number this pin is in the series and how many are being produced, as well as an H.M. indicating it is an authentic production.  Once produced, the pins are then distributed at random to the cast members of the Disney Parks and Resorts.  These employees in turn can trade the pins during the day with guests.  However, each cast member is only allowed to trade two pins per day.  When guests check into the Disney Hotels, they are given a list of the pins and if they are interested they can research further on the official Disney pins website.  It can become quite an adventure for guests finding the pins and persuading the cast members to make a trade.  Collecting of the pins has become a popular hobby for many.  Some pins may be found in the gift shops and many avid collectors find previously issued pins at Disney Conventions and in auctions online.

Periodically a new set of pins, or additions to a previous set, are produced. This has spawned an active trading community as collectors search for pins to complete sets they have been accumulating. The pins are not limited to only pictures of Mickey, but may contain other members of the Disney groups such as Minnie Mouse, Pluto, etc.

So beginning collectors may ask, “How do I identify a “Hidden Mickey Pin”? The criterion is quite precise. One must see a small Mickey head silhouette on the front. And there will be a silver backing on the reverse side of the pin with a back-stamp that states H (Hidden).M. (Mickey) Pin.

If you are eight or eighty you may find this hobby one that will delight the child in you. Few of us have forgotten the delight we found in this wonderful little mouse. He represents a time of joy and laughter that still entertains children throughout the world. Few collectors would tell you that they collect only for the monetary value of the pins. Rather, most do it for the sheer delight they find in this nostalgia. If you attend a Disney Convention you will no doubt see members sporting vest, hats or other articles of clothing with hundreds of these pins on display. Hidden Mickey Pins are treasures of the soul to these Disney fans.