Pin #493: Grand Canyon Railway

I bought this pin when I rode the Grand Canyon Railway.  It is a really great train ride and I recommend everyone trying it once.  I bought a lot of pins and souvenirs when I went.  This one is simple and understated, but well-designed nonetheless.  The gold font on red background really looks good.

Pin #492: Spokane Clock Tower

This is another pin I bought during my trip to Spokane.  It shows the Spokane Clock Tower that is a prominent feature in town.  I felt compelled to buy the pin because the site is significant to the town.  And it is represented quite nicely on the pin, also.

Pin #491: Another Grand Canyon Pin

This is another pin I bought at the Grand Canyon.  It's a nice looking pin, but I pretty much bought it because I had bought all the other pins already.  Over a two year span I think I bought all the pins that were sold at the Grand Canyon.  Yea, sometimes I go a little nuts.

Pin #490: Tomorrowland

This is another Disneyland pin representing one of the different lands.  This one is for Tomorrowland, and it might just be my favorite.  It has the retro spaceman and font and is reminiscent of the beginning days of Tomorrowland in the late 50s and early 60s.  I love that retro era stuff.  Plus, Space Mountain is in the background!

Pin #489: Arizona Centennial

In 2012 Arizona celebrated its 100th year of statehood.  This pin was released to honor that feat.  It features the state flag in the center of the pin.  I don't remember if I bought this pin or if it was a gift, but it represents a major part of my life since I've lived in Arizona for 16 years now.

Pin #488: Cuties Goofy Bobble

This pin was a gift from a friend.  She found out that Goofy is my favorite Disney character and bought me this pin.  It's part of the Cuties collection which was released in 2005 and features a traditional Goofy with an oversized head that is attached to a spring, so it bobbles.  And it makes me smile!

Pin #487: SALT 3 Year Anniversary

I was given this pin after I reached 3 years working at the SALT Center.  I had never heard of a 3 year pin before, but I guess it's a big deal.  I'll get another one next year when I reach 5 years as well.

Pin #486: 2012 Big 10 Championship Game

My dad went on a business trip to Indianapolis and his hotel was pretty close to Lucas Oil Stadium.  He went to check out the stadium and found some pins while he was there.  This was one of them.  His trip was not that long after this game was played.  I'm not really a fan of either of these two teams, but I appreciate that my dad thought of me.

Pin #485: Captain Hook Haunted Mansion Stretch Portrait

This is the second of the Haunted Mansion stretch portrait pins that I received as a thank you gift from a friend.  This one features Captain Hook and his nemesis, the crocodile.  As I mentioned before, this is a really cool series of pins.

Pin #484: Shoe Soles

I really don't know where this pin came from or what it is for.  My mom got it from someone randomly and gave it to me.  I've never been able to read what it says on the pin because it is really tiny.

Pins #482-483: Statler and Waldorf

I found these two pins during my last trip to Disneyland in March.  I traded for them at the Westward Ho Trading Company in Frontierland.  That's one of the main pin trading outposts in Disneyland.  They have a lot of pins there, and had a huge board of traders.  I had two pins from the Cars set I bought that I was willing to trade, so I went in and looked.  At first I just saw the Waldorf pin, but then a cast member pointed out the Statler pin and I was set!  These pins are actually part of a Hidden Mickey series of cast member pins from 2007 that was released at Walt Disney World.  I guess they made their way across the country finally.  And I'm glad they did!  They are two of my favorite Muppets, so I'm very happy to have them in pin form!

Pin #481: Israel Olympic Team

Another cool Olympic pin representing a different country!  This one for Israel is really cool.  It shows a menorah-like torch holding up the Olympic rings, all in the colors of the flag.  Very neat.

Pin #480: Disneyland Ticket Book

This really cool pin is a replica ticket book from Disneyland's early days.  Guests used to have to purchase separate admission for each ride at the park.  They could also buy Value Books, like the ones represented by this pin, which included the A through E tickets corresponding to the various attractions.  The E ticket was introduced in 1959 with the opening of the Matterhorn and was used for the park's most popular attractions.  When I saw this pin, I had to have it because I love the history behind it.

Pin #479: Judge me by my size, do you?

This is a clever pin featuring Yoda.  It shows Yoda at a ride measurement line, wearing Mickey ears and eating some ice cream.  It's very funny.  I honestly can't remember if this is a pin I bought or if it was a gift.  I remember looking at for awhile but passing over it to buy other pins, but I might have actually bought it at some point.  Or it might have been a gift since people know I love Star Wars and Disney.  If you gave it to me and I forgot, I apologize.

Pin #478: Cozy Cone Motel

This pin was part of the Cars set that I bought during my last visit to Disneyland in March.  I liked this pin, which is part of why I bought the set.  It is a replica of the sign of the Cozy Cone Motel and it just looks cool.  You sort of get the feel of the neon lights when looking at it as well.

Pin #477: Experience the Joy of Teaching

This pin was given to me by someone.  It reads, "Experience the Joy of Teaching" on an apple.  The apple has become a symbol for the teaching profession.  I used to be a teacher.  Yep.

Pin #476: Costa Rica Olympic Team

This pin represents the Costa Rica Olympic Team.  It features the Costa Rican flag and the Olympic rings.  It was another pin that came from the collection my mom got from a client.  I have a lot of Olympic pins and it's always cool to have pins from different countries.

Pin #475: Walt Disney Studios

This is a pin advertising the Walt Disney Studios and features the four most popular animated characters from the studio: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald.  I don't remember where exactly I got this pin, but I like it.

Pin #474: Eleanor Roosevelt Stamp

This is another pin that came in that collection my mom got from one of her clients.  At least I think it is.  It's another replica stamp pin featuring Eleanor Roosevelt.  Stamps were only 20 cents back then.  Must have been nice.

Pin #473: Jedi Training Academy

This pin was a gift and advertises the Jedi Training Academy at Disneyland.  It features Mickey Skywalker and Darth Goofy battling it out on the Death Star.  It's a cool looking pin.

Pin #472: Chichen-Itza

This is a pin from Chichen-Itza in Mexico.  It really is a beautiful pin with the temple in the background and a brightly colored parrot in the foreground.  It would definitely be a pin I would buy for myself, but this was a gift.  I don't remember exactly who gave it to me, but I am appreciative.

Pin #471: Gonzaga University

I got my Masters degree at Gonzaga University.  Most of the program was online, but one of the classes required a three day seminar up in Spokane.  It was really cool to actually get to see the campus and feel like I was a part of the university.  I bought this pin while I was there.  It is a simple pin and features the church steeples from campus on a background of blue, one of the school colors.

Pin #470: Tron Legacy Mystery Pin #2

This was the second pin in a Tron: Legacy mystery pin set that I bought.  I'm a huge Tron fan so I felt compelled to buy this set and see what I got.  This pin features Sam Flynn in a kicking pose on an orange game play background.  It also glows in the dark like the other pin from this set.  I kind of wish I had gotten one of the light cycle pins, but this one is cool too.  And I will continue to buy any Tron pins that I see.

Pin #469: Fantasyland

This pin represents Fantasyland at Disneyland.  You can see Sleeping Beauty's Castle with Aurora, Dumbo, and a spinning tea cup, all of which are featured prominently in Fantasyland.  I bought it because I thought it was a cool looking pin and I liked the idea of having pins representing the different lands at Disneyland.  I have a few others from the other themed lands as well.

Pin #468: Grand Canyon Kokopelli

This is another pin I bought during a visit to the Grand Canyon.  It is a kokopelli.  I really just bought it because I had bought just about every other pin at the Grand Canyon.  Plus, this one is shiny.

Pin #467: Bureau of Prisons Badge - Alcatraz

I bought this pin during my last visit to Alcatraz.  It is a replica of a prison officer's badge.  I just thought it was really cool and very unique to Alcatraz.

Pin #466: Haunted Mansion Pocket Watch

This is another example of why the Haunted Mansion has the best pins.  It's a pocket watch style pin featuring the clock face from the ride.  I absolutely had to buy it when I saw it.  It is just too cool!  Plus, I really love the bronze finish.  The pin was released as part of the 40th anniversary celebration for the ride.  I bought a lot of pins that year.