Cynthia's 2013 LLWS: The Currency in Williamsport: Pins, Pins, Pins!

While I'm not a Pin Trader myself, I'm not unfamiliar with the phenomenum. But the Little League World Series takes it completely to another level.

Most every tournament participant has a custom-designed pin -- something that reflects on their personality, their home state, their culture, or even their favorite cartoon character. There are pins that have dangles, pins with sliders, pins that light up. Big pins, little pins, and everything in between.

There are the avid collectors who meet daily to barter and trade at a specially designated tent (see below). They bring tons of pins collected over the years, and folks are sitting underneath the tent and typically overflowing into the grass. I have no idea who sets the value of any particular pin. How do you know if you are getting a good trade?

There's a pin for the security crew, the volunteer ushers, the parking lot volunteers, the medical staff and "Team Uncles" (local volunteers who act as hosts for the teams).

Umpires have pins, teams have pins, and every vendor has pins to lure you to their tent (Get our trading pin at 1:00 and 3:00 today!!). The ESPN crew members have pins (rare, and highly coveted), and if you are doing the plate, Ray gives you one when he comes to "mic you up."

One thing I can tell you: Custom designed pins are expensive. I'm pretty sure Wilson Trophy Company profited more from my trip than did Delta Airllines.

They are almost like currency. I've "tipped" the parking lot attendants with a pin. When asking "is this seat taken?" before watching a game, I tip whoever lets me take a prime spot.

I carry about 50 pins in my purse, so I'm ready. But inevitably, I get asked "Do you have a pin?" . . . when I DON'T have a pin. The kids (and adults) have figured out where the umpires come out on their way to a game, but they haven't figured out we can't carry pins with us then.

Here are a few of my favorites so far.