Even if you think a pin's the ugliest thing you've ever seen in your entire life, it may be considered valuable. You can simply trade it away later on for a pin you like more. You may also wish to display your trading savvy by prominently displaying valuable pins. When to Trade As soon as you arrive at Maryland, get the permission of your coach, and go trading, because the best deals are at the beginning. You can actually go up to the busses as teams arrive and start trading right away.
Most people have a horde of pins from their own states, and are eager to diversify.
Since the comparative value of pins hasn't yet been established, this is a good time to get a variety of pins from different states. Unload the pins you think will be least valuable. Of course, the pins you've unloaded could turn out to have been valuable ones. This is a risk you'll have to take. During the first day or two, when in doubt, make the trade.