The Complete Handbook of Pinback Buttons

Chapter 1: Understanding Pinback Buttons

A pinback button, at its most basic, is a piece of stamped metal or plastic with a design on its face and a pin or clutch mechanism attached to its reverse. This is the only definition you will need going forward. It separates these items from all other forms of badges, stickers, patches, and magnets because of one very specific, non-negotiable physical characteristic: the mechanical fastening element is always attached to the back. Understanding this core identity leads us directly to the mechanics, which is the relevant part. The design on the front is the product, but the mechanics of the back are the engineering. If the mechanism fails, the product fails, no matter how good the front looks.

When you pick up a pinback button, what you are interacting with is a system of three primary components working together: the outer shell (which you see), the inner lining (which you mostly do not), and the fastening mechanism (which is the most critical part). The outer shell is usually referred to in the industry as the "planchet". A planchet is stamped from a sheet of metal, commonly steel, aluminum, or tinplate. The metal is chosen for its cost, magnetic properties, or resistance to deformation. The front of the planchet is then coated. For most conventional buttons, this means a printed paper insert is cut and laid over the convex face of the planchet, and a clear, plastic film—called the "mylar"—is secured over the top. The