# What are these fuzzy pins? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360 "2023-03-19T14:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/1 "2023-03-19T14:47:26Z")
A place nearby had a large amount of “free stuff” yesterday. On examination it mostly garbage bag after garbage bag of Easter Egg kits, Valentine’s Day cards, and, well, mostly other things that didn’t interest me. I did grab a few useful things, though (a nice Olympia rolling bag, a CD player/FM radio/Bluetooth speaker, bags of individually wrapped cotton masks) and a few things _theoretically_ useful, just not now (an unused case for a Kindle Paperwhite–I could some time own a Kindle Paperwhite). But I grabbed one thing specificly _because_ I had no idea what purpose it had, and was curious. A plastic box (originally in a snug-fitting plastic bag) sectioned to contain 10 fuzzy blue pins, each around a cm in diameter. They seem to be something packaged with intent for repeated use/safe storage. Possibly part of some type of uniform? Lots of stuff there was school-supply related, so this could be, too. (I suspect someone will instantly recognize them.) [![](https://i.postimg.cc/bJ971CTN/fuzzypins.jpg) ](https://i.postimg.cc/bJ971CTN/fuzzypins.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/2 "2023-03-19T14:57:01Z")
A Google image search turned up a bunch of sites selling nail pompoms that look very much like these. Maybe re-purposed for cheerleading? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/3 "2023-03-19T15:17:20Z")
Some kind of beret accessory? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/4 "2023-03-19T16:40:38Z")
Perhaps they’re button covers for a marching band uniform? Or at least meant to be attached to a band member’s tunic in a pattern resembling buttons. So akin to the 6 buttons on this outift: [https://www.bandshoppe.com/shop/marching-band/marching-uniforms/custom-uniforms/custom-marching-jackets/custom-marching-band-jacket-20808-20808/default.html](https://www.bandshoppe.com/shop/marching-band/marching-uniforms/custom-uniforms/custom-marching-jackets/custom-marching-band-jacket-20808-20808/default.html) ---
**Author:** ![EnolaStraight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/5 "2023-03-29T01:57:44Z")
Buttons for a coat like this? [​23ec84ff202b94ce989606bf0c4203ea–feather-coat-feathers.jpg (736×1104) (pinimg.com)](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/23/ec/84/23ec84ff202b94ce989606bf0c4203ea--feather-coat-feathers.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2023, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/6 "2023-03-29T10:37:45Z")
Tribble scalps? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/7 "2023-03-29T12:58:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Tribble scalps? - Someone figured out where their head is? Not even Dr. McCoy could do that. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/8 "2023-04-01T02:09:14Z")
Flair ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-fuzzy-pins/981360/9 "2023-04-01T07:34:58Z")
there’s a cool forum on reddit dedicated solving problems like this. > **[r/whatisthisthing](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing)** > > r/whatisthisthing: If you have an object and you don't know what it is, this is the place for you to search for an answer. We may not know the "why" … It’s fun to browse, and the comments usually provide good answers, too.