Remember trading cards back when the World Cup sticker album was a thing — when your duplicate was someone else's treasure? At camporee, the giant Pathfinder campout, the same magic happens: thousands of youth circulating with pins, patches, and keepsakes to trade. It's friendship, collecting, and diplomacy — all held together by a tiny metal clasp.
What is pin trading at camporee?
Let's start from scratch. A camporee is the gathering that brings together dozens — sometimes thousands — of Pathfinder clubs camping in the same place. And a pin is a small badge, usually metal, with a clasp on the back, about the size of a coin. Put the two together and you get one of the movement's most beloved traditions: pin trading.
It works like trading World Cup stickers. Every club, association, or union creates its own pins. What's common in your city might be a rarity to someone from the other side of the country — and vice versa. That's where the art of negotiating comes in: show your collection, chat, make an offer, and seal the trade with a handshake.
These items even have an affectionate nickname: tradeables. The category includes pins, patches (embroidered emblems), keychains, and souvenirs made by the club itself. By the end of camporee, the collection becomes a travel diary: each piece is a memory of a conversation and a new friend.
Where did this trend come from?
The tradition began in the United States, where the event is called a camporee. The official Pathfinders wiki records that pin trading began at the first North American Division Camporee, at Camp Hale, Colorado, in 1985. Other church publications place the boom in the early 1990s — either way, the trend took off around that time and never stopped.
Things got so serious that, in 1996, the first 'pin trading school' appeared, to teach how to trade respectfully. And in 2014, the practice became an official honor — those skill badges Pathfinders earn — called Pin Trading in the international honors handbook.
Today, pin trading is a guaranteed draw at the world's biggest gatherings, from the International Camporee in the United States to South American camporees — and it grows with every edition.
Is pin trading allowed? What the official manual says
Yes — and it's not just 'tolerated': it's encouraged in writing. The Guidelines Manual for the VI Camporee SAD 2027, published in 2025 by the South American Division (SAD, the Adventist Church's administrative headquarters for eight South American countries), includes the official packing list for every participant. Right next to Bible, ID, and sunscreen, one item says everything about the event's culture.
In practice, this means the organizers expect you to show up ready to trade. At camporee, the downtime between activities is where the magic happens: lines, meals, and visits to neighboring campsites turn into little trading fairs.
What is a trunfo — and why is it worth its weight in gold?
Trunfo is what South American Pathfinders call the official keepsake of a camporee, tied to event registration. At the VI Camporee SAD 2027, the official registration chart lists 'trunfo quota: yes' for Pathfinders and for nearly every club role, from director to cook — the exception being staff children ages 0 to 9. It's the physical proof of 'I was there.'
And that's where the value lies. Think of a marathon medal: nobody buys it in a store — only the people who crossed the finish line earn it. Since SAD has held few continental camporees (the editions cited in the manual are 1984, 1994, 2005, 2014, and 2019), every old trunfo is a collector's rarity.
Worth stressing: the rule bans selling without authorization, and it exists precisely to protect you from counterfeits. Trading between Pathfinders is a different story — that's the event's culture. Even so, many people treat their own trunfo as a non-negotiable piece of their collection.
| Edition | Year | Confirmed fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1st SAD Camporee | 1984 | Trunfo protected: sale and replicas banned without authorization |
| 2nd SAD Camporee | 1994 | Trunfo protected by the same official rule |
| 3rd SAD Camporee | 2005 | Trunfo protected by the same official rule |
| 4th SAD Camporee | 2014 | Trunfo protected by the same official rule |
| 5th SAD Camporee | 2019 | Last edition before 2027; trunfo also protected |
| 6th SAD Camporee | 2027 | Barretos-SP, Alpha (Jan 5-10) and Omega (Jan 12-17) editions; registration includes trunfo quota |
Continental camporees cited in the VI Camporee SAD 2027 Guidelines Manual (numbering inferred from the sequence: the 2027 event is officially the sixth).
How to trade without messing up: the 3 golden rules
Since the trading schools of the 1990s, pin trading has had a motto quoted worldwide — and it fits any camporee anywhere.
In practice, three golden rules cover almost every situation. 1) Trading isn't selling. If money is involved, it's not a trade anymore — and selling official material without authorization is prohibited. 2) Ask politely and accept 'no.' Just like on the school playground: nobody has to give up their rare piece. A 'no' on day one can turn into a 'yes' on the last day. 3) Start with what's yours. Pins from your club, your association, and your region are your starting stock: common to you, exotic to someone who traveled far.
Veteran bonus: arrange trades during free time, away from ceremonies and the schedule, and put effort into presentation — a clean pin with the clasp in place is worth more in a negotiation.
Have fun, be fair, be friendly.Classic Pathfinder pin trading motto, spread by trading schools since 1996
What to pack in a tradeables kit?
You don't need an extra suitcase. A beginner's kit fits in a pouch: 10 to 20 tradeables are enough to cover the whole camporee. Go for pins from your club and region, embroidered patches, and creative souvenirs made by your own club — an exclusive item sparks more interest than anything bought in a store.
To display their collection, veterans use a hat, a vest, or a small felt pad — the manual itself mentions bringing souvenirs 'to trade and display.' On the official uniform, though, every patch has a set spot by regulation: before pinning anything there, check the correct patch placement.
Mind the logistics: bring spare clasps (the little rubber backs vanish easily), a zippered case or pouch, and jot down your most special trades. Losing a rare pin on the Barretos lawn is a sadness that lasts the whole camporee.
Why will Camporee SAD 2027 be historic for collectors?
The VI Camporee SAD 2027 is set to be the biggest trading marketplace South America has ever seen. Around 120,000 participants are expected at Parque do Peão, in Barretos-SP, split into two editions with identical programming: Alpha (January 5-10) and Omega (January 12-17), with roughly 60,000 people in each, coming from eight countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Translated for collectors: pins from eight countries circulating on the same lawn. It's a chance to score a tradeable from Peru or Uruguay without leaving São Paulo. If your club is going, it's worth talking to the leadership now about creating an official club pin for the event — showing up with an exclusive piece means better trades.
Want to plan it right? Check out the full guide to Camporee SAD 2027: dates, registration, and how each edition works.