When it comes to collectables in the Star Trek world, one of the most reliable lines of merchandise were pins that fans could wear or display to replicate the brave Starfleet heroes on screen. For many fans, back in the day the go to place for these was Hollywood Pins’ collection as they churned out every Starfleet emblem from all era’s, rank pins and even a few commemorative pins including limited edition anniversary designs and Starships.
Several other contenders have came and gone providing the coveted icons of Star Trek fandom, including the Roddenberry Store and QMX. However, the latest supplier – FanSets – seem to be the most enthusiastic yet.
Starting out with character and commemorative pins, FanSets has become the forerunner for collectables in the market, not just for their Star Trek output, but other licenced properties including heavy hitters DC and Harry Potter franchises amongst others.
Blowing up during the first run of Discovery, FanSets seemed committed to catering to every fan’s favourite. Not just the Kirk’s and Picards, which are often a massive go-to for anyone who takes an action figure license, but focused on everyone and every thing.
Their enamel character pins of course have the Captains, the huge fan favourites that we’d watch week after week. They also have M’Ress, the often forgotten about addition from The Animated Series. They have Queen Arachnia, from that one episode of Voyager. They’ve got the Salt Vampire, Vina… and thats just the full body character pins.
Other additions have included logo’s for the La Sirena and Cerritos bar; Starship pins from the Reliant to Shenzhou; Props such as the Original Series tricorder and the Horga’hn; and more including specific episode and season commemorative pins as well as specially designed anniversary collectables.
Though the real excitement comes from a more recent addition to their line up: The Star Trek Delta Collection.
For over ten years now, the Starfleet Delta market had been dominated by QMX who produced pins for the 2009 Star Trek film, recoloured versions for Star Trek Beyond and more including Discovery and TNG era pins. However, after years of items being listed as “coming soon” we needed a new hero to step into the field.
Starting out with character and commemorative pins, FanSets has become the forerunner for collectables in the market, not just for their Star Trek output, but other licenced properties including heavy hitters DC and Harry Potter franchises amongst others.
Blowing up during the first run of Discovery, FanSets seemed committed to catering to every fan’s favourite. Not just the Kirk’s and Picards, which are often a massive go-to for anyone who takes an action figure license, but focused on everyone and every thing.
Their enamel character pins of course have the Captains, the huge fan favourites that we’d watch week after week. They also have M’Ress, the often forgotten about addition from The Animated Series. They have Queen Arachnia, from that one episode of Voyager. They’ve got the Salt Vampire, Vina… and thats just the full body character pins.
Other additions have included logo’s for the La Sirena and Cerritos bar; Starship pins from the Reliant to Shenzhou; Props such as the Original Series tricorder and the Horga’hn; and more including specific episode and season commemorative pins as well as specially designed anniversary collectables.
Though the real excitement comes from a more recent addition to their line up: The Star Trek Delta Collection.
For over ten years now, the Starfleet Delta market had been dominated by QMX who produced pins for the 2009 Star Trek film, recoloured versions for Star Trek Beyond and more including Discovery and TNG era pins. However, after years of items being listed as “coming soon” we needed a new hero to step into the field.
Every Star Trek fan, at some point in their life whether they’ll admit it or not, has wanted to slap on the badge of their era and just take that brief moment to feel like a Starfleet officer. Then of course, we shove it in a drawer or put it on display and try to remember we’re adults (sometimes).
But a lot of us are also ridiculous perfectionists. And over the years we have bought what can honestly be summed up as a bit crap. Even going back to Hollywood Pins in the 90’s, while they produced some good things such as the Future Imperfect pins and some pretty good rank sets from the movies, they also gave us a paper thin Generations uniform pin and a Monster Maroon pin that looked like it had melted in the sun.
QMX raised the bar with the sets they delivered on. So Fansets moving from enamel pins to one of the most coveted collectables in the Trek world was a big step. And I’ll admit, I was hesitant to jump on board. But thankfully, they delivered!
FanSets Delivery (right) & Personal Display (left)
While the line is only just beginning, what they have on offer so far has impressed a cynical and picky fan like me. The best in their Delta’s set, for me, is their 2399 era Starfleet pin from Picard.
The pin comes in two layers, with the backing in the accurate gun metal grey with a shiny silver hollow delta laid on top. In terms of accuracy, it’s spot on perfect and manages to look better in person than it does on the show. For a company that mostly produces colourfully painted enamel pins, the quality and construction are of a really high standard.
Available in both traditional two-post pin and magnet form, it’s marketed as a collectable and not a prop replica or cosplay piece. Presumably due to license restrictions. However, since I don’t work for Fansets I’d recommend the magnetic pin for anyone looking to spice up their costumes.
Another that impressed from their range was the pin from Lower Decks. Which they should be credited for in bringing to life. In the animated series, the crew’s pin is really just a 2D shape. FanSets, with approval from CBS, have taken that 2D shape and given it some extra dimension, which has transformed what could have been a fairly dull piece into something that takes that simplistic design and transforms it into something more appealing to the eye.
Some products in the Delta line, so far, don’t quite match the appeal of competitors. The Discovery Command pin for example doesn’t have the texture details of the QMX version, and the pin introduced in Generations – while coming with a matte finish more closely resembling the painted plastic seen in screen – does fall into the trap of the overly-wide gap in the backplate.
However, despite one or two stumbles, whats come from FanSets Delta range so far has been excellent. The matte textures on both the Generations and Picard pins have been applied to the All Good Things version, offering the most accurate depiction of the alternate future design so far. And with their plans to expand to other era’s, the products will only improve over time.
FanSets continues to add to their collection. Both in their character pins, and in their delta’s. With their work so far, it’s quite exciting to see where their Deltas line itself will go. They’ve already teased some interesting products, such as 3D models of the 32nd Century pins from Discovery’s third season. However, most of us should be sitting on edge over one promise they’ve made…. The TWOK era pins.
Whether an officially licensed product, made from the original company or independently created, the TWOK pins have never been made to a standard close enough to resemble what we’ve seen on screen.
With FanSets working on creating the pins, with Anovos’ John Cooley, as well as their ability to craft matte-metallics in comparison to Hollywood Pins and QMX’s extreme shiny’s, when FanSets uses their catchphrase #DeltasDoneRight – I not only hope they can live up to that, I believe them!
About the author
[Retro Review] Space Seed
By chance, the Enterprise comes across an ancient Earth ship drifting through space. On board they find a whole bunch of people held in suspended animation, wake up the leader of the gang and accidentally unleash one of the most iconic villains of the franchise. Being coy with his identity at first, ship historian Marla McGivers becomes fascinated with a glimpse at the past while Kirk and the rest of the non-historians figure out that he just happens to be one of the most notorious war lords in Earths history... Star Trek, Season 1 , Episode 22 For all the action and adventure of deep space and the idea of using alien make up to mask more down to earth stories, Space Seed gives the first real glimpse of Star Trek's history. Khan is a relic of Earth from long […]
Resistance Is Optional: Choose Your Adventure!
Our trials of bringing the fleet together have been hit and miss with scheduling and dates being a bit slim. So we're opening the floor to the fleet to pick the next date and theme! You can make your selection below on what works best for you ahead of our next fleet event! The final outcome will be shared at Europa on Facebook and in Fleet Alert in the Officers Hub as soon as we have a comfortable number of notes. For more information or to get direct updates on non-Discord online events, you can the subscribe to Twitch channel, visit twitch.tv/sfcq2. Google Meets events are hosted by our google account - you can add sfcquad2@gmail.com to your whitelist to ensure direct notification. Info and invite confirmations may also come from jt@sfcq2.com directly.
Sixty Year Mission…
It's been a really weird year already for the world of Star Trek fans. We started 2026 with a new venture into a strange new future with Starfleet Academy. Then just as the show had won people over, we found out it's the latest in a long list of recent productions to get a cancellation order, is a bit of a weird way to start the 60th anniversary of a legendary franchise. The past few years we've kind of spoiled. Growing up it was exciting to have Deep Space Nine run alongside the Next Generation. In modern times we had multiple shows going at once with Discovery's launch spawning a new world of story telling from revisiting Picard in his post-Starfleet years, to animated comedy with Lower Decks, to finally telling the story of Captain Pike and even a peek […]
[Retro Review] Let This Be Your Last Battlefield
Often shown in highlight reels and quoted in discussions about Star Trek's more forward thinking messages, Let This Be Your Last Battlefield is at it's simplest, a story of the ridiculousness of segregation. En route to a vital mission of mercy, Kirk and his crew end up in the middle of a political minefield. Interrupted in the mission by a stolen Federation shuttle carrying an injured alien, Lokai from the planet Cheron, they're soon further interrupted by Commissioner Bele, an official representing Cheron who announces Lokai as a political traitor and demanding custody. One asylum request later, Kirk's stuck between the two trying to find the right course of action knowing he has orders to follow beyond the situation. The separation between Belle and Lokai is a simple context. And also a strangely charged one looking at it from a […]
[Treknology] The Holodeck
An immersive experience in itself, the Holodeck is one of the many creature comforts that help bring comfort and entertainment within the life of a starship years from home that not only acts in creating a live action gaming environment, but as a useful tool for educational simulations, experiments and the occasional Hirogen nightmare! The holodeck is a complex device. Essentially a simulated environment generator, the holodeck is usually a vast room that used a combination of forcefields, matter replication and visually manipulative holographic systems to create an immersive environment that one or multiple people can use to not only see and hear, but physically interact with. Able to replicate anything from historical settings to an entirely original landscape, the holodeck ios Knightmare in ultra high resolution without a headset or guide, but a physical interaction with a created world […]
A Fistful of Sisko
In the past few years, Star Trek has made several nods to it's past. But while The NExt Generation and Voyager had their continuations, Deep Space Nine continued to 'black sheep' of the family with it's history and name drops being few and far between. Until Academy when we had an entire episode based around the legend of Starfleet's most complex captains. Starting his show as a widower and single parent, Benjamin Sisko started his time in Star Trek as a reluctant hero turned religious icon who's become a prime figure in Bajoran history, the Federation-Dominion war and much more. If you missed his series, first of.... why?! And also, if you want a quick intro - here's our Sisko top five to see what the fuss is all about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzBkvzPoofQ IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT Season 6, Episode 13 Lets […]
Related
Relay Recap: July 2024
All Features Universe Categories Fleet Alert Comms GORN GIRL recap; july 2025 Picking up on the Season 2 cliff-hanger, Strange New Worlds returned to our screens this month to find Captain Pike and his crew on the edge of war with the Gorn as Season 3 was finally released!Exploring new worlds and new problems, the Enterprise crew are back in action on Paramount Plus and we're keeping ourselves up to date with weekly episode discussion threads on our FB Continuing Mission Group & Weekly episode reviews from Admin ! Explore... Episode Reviews Spoilers Group ACROSS THE UNIVERSE As we look back on Pike's adventures on the Enterprise in the prequel series, Paramount also gave us a look at whats to come next as Entertainment Weekly and SDCC's Star Trek Universe panel gave us a sneak peek at the reopening of […]
Quartermasters Stores Review: Hero Within Field Jacket
These days Star Trek can, and is, a collection of tales with multiple settings. From secretive science experiments, to unimportant Starships. In the 1990's Star Trek was seen as only one thing: A crew exploring space on the Enterprise. And there was even pushback to there being a different Enterprise and crew in the 80's before the launch of The Next Generation. But producers of the time weren't worried about cries of heresy as they came up with a new plan to expand the Star Trek Universe with Deep Space Nine.
