By Eesha Kothini, @eeshakothinti | Sussex Hamilton High School, WI
At ICDC 2026, pin trading was practically nonstop. The conference was buzzing with people trading, bargaining and searching for the pins that were gaining popularity in real-time. Some pins came in with “high value,” while others unexpectedly gained traction as word spread among students.
The following pins were among the most desired and frequently discussed throughout the conference:
- Labubu pin
- "6-7" pin
- Drake-themed pin
- Alani Energy pin
- NeeDoh pin
- Stranger Things pin
- Puerto Rico stand pin
- Playa Bowls pin
- DECA Rancher pin
- Polaroid camera pin
These were the pins that consistently spread the most and got brought up throughout the conference.
Some were connected to brands or pop culture, while others caught attention fast and stayed in demand because everyone wanted them at the same time.
And even with all the new hype this year, shout-out to some of the older pins still holding relevance: China and LeBron from ICDC 2025 were still getting mentioned and traded for, proving that once a pin becomes high-demand, it doesn’t always disappear from the conversation.
Overall, the pin economy at ICDC was less about rankings and more about what people decided was worth chasing in the moment. Once something caught on, it spread fast and suddenly it was everywhere.
