New to Blizzard pin collecting? Bringing a collection to BlizzCon for the first time? Or just wondering why people are walking around Anaheim carrying binders full of tiny metal Arthases, Tracers, Diablos, and Murlocs? You've come to the right place.
Pin trading has become one of the great traditions of BlizzCon. For some collectors, finding a long-sought-after pin can be every bit as exciting as a game announcement. For others, the pins are almost secondary—the real fun is meeting other Blizzard fans, comparing collections, and making new friends.
The best part is that you don't need a huge collection to participate.
You can show up with five pins, make your first trade, and you're officially a pin trader.
BlizzCon 2026 takes place September 12–13, 2026 at the Anaheim Convention Center, with on-site registration beginning September 11.
Blizzard has now released detailed information about the 2026 Darkmoon Faire, including a redesigned Trading Post, a dedicated Select Vintage Pins board, a FiGPiN Mini Set board, trading tables, and several new collectible experiences.
Whether this is your first BlizzCon or you've been collecting Blizzard pins for years, here's what you need to know before heading to Anaheim.
The Biggest 2026 Pin-Trading Change
The official Darkmoon Faire Trading Post looks meaningfully different from the trading-board setup longtime collectors may remember.
Blizzard has announced four board categories for 2026:
- FiGPiNs Mini Set
- Select Vintage Pins
- Capsule Magnets
- Capsule Keychains
That means pin collectors should pay particular attention to the Select Vintage Pins and FiGPiNs Mini Set boards.
Where Does Pin Trading Happen at BlizzCon?
The short answer?
Almost everywhere collectors gather.
You'll see people carrying pin bags, binders, display boards, lanyards, and other collections throughout BlizzCon weekend.
But there are a few places you should know about.
The Darkmoon Faire is the main convention trading area, but trading continues outside the convention as well, particularly around the Hilton and the fountain area on Friday night.
The Darkmoon Faire
If you're interested in collecting at BlizzCon, you'll definitely want to visit the Darkmoon Faire.
For 2026, the Faire is located on North Hall: Level 2 and is open Saturday and Sunday during normal BlizzCon show hours.
Blizzard says entry closes at 7:00 p.m. PDT each day.
Entry is first-come, first-served, and Blizzard has warned that capacity restrictions may be in place throughout the day. Entry lines may be paused or closed when the Faire reaches capacity.
Go earlier than you think you need to
If the Darkmoon Faire is one of your major BlizzCon priorities, don't leave your first visit until late in the day. Capacity can affect entry, and some of the most interesting collector opportunities may be better early.
The Faire includes trading, collectibles, shopping, games, gachapon machines, Adopt-A-Plushie, Duck Pond, digital rewards, themed food and drinks, and a stage area.
Blizzard has also confirmed that the Darkmoon Faire is cashless.
If this is your first BlizzCon, read our Darkmoon Faire for Beginners guide for a broader walkthrough of the Faire.
For a collector-focused strategy based on the newly announced 2026 setup, see our BlizzCon 2026 Darkmoon Faire Collector's Game Plan.
The 2026 Trading Post
Blizzard is calling the official collector trading area the Trading Post.
It combines Blizzard-managed trading boards with tables where collectors can trade directly with one another.
The four announced official boards are:
Select Vintage Pins
FiGPiNs Mini Set
Capsule Magnets
Capsule Keychains
Blizzard says the boards will be stocked at the beginning of each day and then evolve through fan trading over the course of the weekend.
The Select Vintage Pins Board Could Be a Big Deal
Of everything Blizzard announced for the Trading Post, this may be the most interesting part for longtime pin collectors.
Blizzard is specifically calling one board Select Vintage Pins.
We don't yet know exactly which pins Blizzard will use to stock it.
But the wording alone makes this board worth prioritizing.
Check the Vintage board early
Since Blizzard says the boards are stocked at the beginning of each day, the opening inventory may include some of the most interesting Blizzard-selected pins.
But don't check only once.
Because fans will continue trading pins onto and off the board, something interesting can still appear later.
Our plan: check it early, then revisit it periodically.
Don't Expect the Old Board-Flip Routine
One of the most fun parts of pin trading at previous BlizzCons was waiting for Blizzard trading boards to change.
Longtime collectors often remember boards being refreshed or "flipped," creating another opportunity to hunt through a new selection.
Blizzard's description of the 2026 system sounds different.
The boards will be stocked at the beginning of each day and then evolve through trades made by attendees.
That suggests the board itself may function more like a constantly changing trading inventory than something collectors should simply stand around waiting to be completely refreshed.
Important: We Haven't Seen It Operate Yet
Blizzard has not explicitly said that board flips are gone.
We're basing this strategy on Blizzard's description of boards being stocked at the start of the day and then evolving through fan trading.
Once we see the Trading Post operating in person, we'll update this guide if the actual process is different.
The FiGPiN Mini Mystery Set Is a Major 2026 Change
FiGPiN returns as the featured pin partner for the Darkmoon Faire, but the 2026 format appears different from what longtime collectors are used to.
Blizzard has identified a FiGPiNs Mini Set board, and the new release appears to center around a FiGPiN Mini Mystery set.
That matters because the Mini Mystery set appears to be filling the role traditionally occupied by the standard-series blind-bag pin set at BlizzCon.
Does This Replace the Traditional Blind-Bag Series?
We don't know yet.
Blizzard has not said that the traditional numbered blind-bag pin series is permanently discontinued.
What we can say is that the FiGPiN Mini Mystery format appears to be the mystery pin collection Blizzard is emphasizing at BlizzCon 2026.
The dedicated FiGPiNs Mini Set trading board also makes sense for a mystery product.
Open duplicates. Bring them to the Trading Post. Look for the ones you still need.
That part of the BlizzCon collecting experience should feel very familiar even if the pins themselves look different.
The Trading Tables Matter Too
Don't focus so much on the official boards that you overlook collector-to-collector trading.
Blizzard has confirmed dedicated trading tables at the Trading Post.
The tables are first-come, first-served, and collectors will need to check in with an attendant.
Each table session has a 30-minute limit.
Thirty minutes is enough if you're organized
Keep your traders easy to browse and have your wishlist ready on your phone. You don't want to spend half your session digging through a backpack.
The tables may end up being one of the best places in the Faire for actual collector-to-collector trading because you can sit down, open your binder, and trade with people who are there specifically to do the same thing.
Don't Forget the Rest of the Faire
Even if pins are your main focus, the 2026 Darkmoon Faire is introducing several other collectible formats.
The new capsule machines appear to be centered heavily around magnets and keychains, based on the dedicated Capsule Magnets and Capsule Keychains trading boards.
That appears to be a change from recent BlizzCons, where exclusive Velcro patches were a major capsule-machine collectible.
There's also Adopt-A-Plushie, Duck Pond, digital rewards, and additional Faire merchandise.
If you're interested in more than pins, the new Darkmoon Faire Collector's Game Plan goes much deeper into what we'd prioritize.
Keep Your Eyes Open for Unexpected Collectibles
Here's one of the traditions newcomers often don't know about.
At previous BlizzCons, Blizzard pins and collectibles have sometimes appeared in unexpected places around the convention.
So...
Pay attention to your surroundings.
Look around booths. Watch what Blizzard staff are doing. Talk to other collectors. Keep an eye on community chatter.
Part of the fun is not necessarily knowing where the next interesting collectible is going to appear.
Blizzard has not announced a dedicated hidden-pin activity for BlizzCon 2026 at this point.
Until then, consider this your warning:
Collectors notice everything.
How Do I Know What a Pin Is Worth?
This is where pin trading can get complicated.
Not every Blizzard pin has the same value.
A pin's desirability can be affected by things like:
- Rarity
- Age
- Character or franchise popularity
- Gold or special variants
- BlizzCon exclusivity
- Employee exclusivity
- Limited production
- How the pin was originally obtained
- Current collector demand
But here's something important for new collectors:
A trade doesn't have to have identical dollar values to be a good trade.
Maybe someone has a $20 pin you need and you have a $30 pin you don't care about.
If you're both happy with the trade, you made a good trade.
That doesn't mean value should be ignored. You should have a general idea of what you're trading, particularly when dealing with rarer pins.
BlizzardItems can help with that.
Use the BlizzardItems Pin Database to identify pins and view information about their series, rarity, release, and estimated market value.
Our market pricing is based primarily on historical sold listings—not simply what someone happens to be asking for a pin online.
That's an important distinction.
Anyone can list a pin for $500.
That doesn't mean someone has ever paid $500 for it.
Don't Be Afraid to Trade With Serious Collectors
You'll recognize them.
Someone opens a binder and suddenly you're staring at years of Blizzard history.
Don't assume they won't want anything you have.
Collectors aren't always looking for the rarest pin in the room.
They may be trying to finish a particular series.
They may need the exact common pin sitting in your trade bag.
They may collect one specific character.
Or they may simply enjoy helping a new collector get started.
Ask.
The worst thing that happens is they say no.
Use Your Phone as a Trading Tool
You don't need to memorize every Blizzard pin ever released.
That's one of the reasons we built BlizzardItems.com.
If you see a pin you don't recognize at BlizzCon, search for it.
You can use BlizzardItems to:
- Identify pins
- Search by character or franchise
- See what series a pin belongs to
- Check rarity and release information
- Review estimated market values
- Track your personal collection
- Build your wishlist
- Check whether you already own a pin
- Share your collection with other collectors
Before BlizzCon, we strongly recommend getting your Collection and Wishlist up to date.
Your wishlist becomes particularly useful when someone asks the inevitable question:
"So... what are you looking for?"
Instead of trying to remember 30 pins, pull out your phone.
Carry Your Traders So They're Easy to Reach
Your trading setup matters more than you might expect.
If every possible trade requires unpacking your entire backpack, you're going to make trading harder on yourself.
Keep the pins you actively want to trade somewhere easy to browse.
A binder works well for larger selections. A pin roll can be useful if you're carrying a smaller group of active traders.
And keep your personal collection separate from your traders.
How to Carry, Store & Travel With Your Pins →Friday Night: Join the BlizzardItems Pin Trading Meetup
You don't even have to wait for BlizzCon to officially begin.
We're hosting a community Blizzard Pin Trading Meetup on Friday, September 11 at 5:00 PM, before BlizzCon opens Saturday morning.
📍 Near the Hilton roundabout/fountain, under the Hilton sign
The meetup is open to everyone.
Experienced collector?
Come trade.
Have five pins?
Come trade.
Never traded a pin in your life?
Definitely come.
This is intended to be a friendly community trading event, with an emphasis on trading rather than selling.
Bring your pins, your wishlist, and whatever you're hunting for.
We'll also have plenty of experienced collectors around who can help answer questions.
Brand New? Here's Your BlizzCon Pin Trading Game Plan
If you've made it this far and are still thinking:
"Okay, but what am I actually supposed to do?"
Here's our advice.
Before BlizzCon
1. Get 5–10 pins you're willing to trade.
They don't need to be incredibly rare.
2. Create your BlizzardItems collection.
Add the pins you already own.
3. Build your wishlist.
Find a few pins, characters, or series you'd love to come home with.
4. Keep your traders separate from your personal collection.
You don't want to accidentally trade something important.
Friday
5. Come to the BlizzardItems Pin Trading Meetup.
This is probably the easiest possible introduction to the community. Tell someone you're new. Seriously.
Saturday & Sunday
6. Visit the Darkmoon Faire early.
Entry can be limited by capacity, and the Trading Post boards are stocked at the beginning of each day.
7. Check the Select Vintage Pins board.
Then come back later to see how fan trading has changed it.
8. Check the FiGPiN Mini Set board.
If you're collecting the new Mini Mystery set, use the board to help turn duplicates into pins you still need.
9. Use the Trading Post tables.
Sessions are limited to 30 minutes, so keep your traders and wishlist organized.
10. Talk to other collectors.
See someone carrying a pin binder? There's a pretty good chance you already have something to talk about.
11. Make a trade.
Don't obsess over making the "perfect" first trade. Find something you like. Offer something you're willing to give up. If you're both happy...
Congratulations. You're a pin trader.
One Last Piece of Advice
It's easy to get caught up in rarity, prices, gold variants, exclusives, and trying to "win" every trade.
Try not to.
Some of the best things you'll bring home from BlizzCon aren't going to be the rarest items in your collection.
They're going to be the pins where you remember who you traded with and the story behind getting them.
Pin trading gives you an excuse to walk up to another Blizzard fan you've never met and start a conversation.
"Hey... are you trading?"
That's all it takes.
You might walk away with a pin you've been hunting for.
You might walk away with a new friend.
Very often, you get both.
We'll see you in Anaheim.
Happy trading!
— BlizzardItems