Hi, I'm Ken, and I'm America's #1 golden age animation glazer.
You can take janky, film-shot cel animation from my cold, dead, gesture-drawn hands. I love laughter lines, I love unintentional shadows on linework, and I love the era before anyone could afford Blue in every character design. If my day job paid me better, I could stop forcing it on you guys for good.
They won't, unfortunately, so, it's your problem - again!
WHY?
CHALLENGE COIN CRITTERS are a tribute to Disney collectibles and military memorabilia from the 20th century.
Bright-eyed, cheeky cartoon creatures have been a staple of American culture for almost a century, getting us through some of our toughest times. Animated animals are some of the first, universal symbols we see of strength, kindness, and unlikely heroism and friendship.
Whether we cling to a loyal dog or a brave bird from our childhood, or we center our entire creative identity around them, critters drawn for the screen have shaped all of us. We can't get enough of them. But, in times like these, we can at least take them away from the companies lining their pockets with our uncertainty and anger.
I've always had a soft spot for soft enamel, and I wish more creators designed around its strengths instead of just throwing it to the Temu bootleg dogs. In a time of interesting economics, KEN'S PIN HUSTLE finds them a solid way to provide affordable treats to expect in the mail while we figure out what the hell is happening with our country.
Soft enamel pins have raised lines and a strong focus on depth and detail. Each pin features an animal, a name plate, two cute footprints, and a woven metal border. The background of each pin has a painted metal color with a smooth epoxy layer to emphasize the artwork - this is black on standard pins. Normal campaign pins are brushed, burnished gold, which is impossible with hard enamel. Exclusive bonus pins are shiny gold or rustic silver.
I hope you'll give this sturdy, economical pin project a shot. And, if not, I'll have something a little more standard next time!
CHALLENGE COIN CRITTERS are 1.5" antique soft enamel pins.
Whether you like to collect your pins or wear them with you on your daily adventures, C3's are made for both! These tough little pins are built with two vertical posts to cling tight to a lanyard, whether you're bringing them to a bustling hobby con, or for some moral support in the ER trenches. Wear your little coin crew with pride and never worry about them looking weird sitting sideways.
We recommend out-and-about CRITTER COINS get secured with locking backs, which you can snag in the addons.
WHAT'S MY $2.75k PAYING FOR?
C3's base funding goal is the KEN'S PIN HUSTLE regulars: the Cockatiel, Budgerigars, and Green Cheek Conure. You know them, you love them, chances are - real or pin - you have at lease one of these little bastards in your house at this point.
Thanks to Honey Dadger, we have two more base pins!
If CHALLENGE COIN CRITTERS reaches its first funding goal, the Honey Badger and Eurasier 1.5" pins will be available. Ben wanted to make some of his favorite animals available to everyone, and I wanted to pay my car insurance. Win win!
We love ugly girls at KEN'S PIN HUSTLE: the Turkey Vulture and Axolotl 1.5" coin pins will both be ready to go home with you if we hit our first goal!
While these two wrinkly, pink critters aren't exactly the poster children for cute, we think they're perfect in their own way. Clearly, other people do too, because they were willing to pay me a lot to make you look at them.
If you like genuinely cute critters, you should go check out grind3h's campaign, Silly Critter Collection. She's got a bunch of birds, and for her side of things, a darling little cockatiel pin.
Our other sponsor slots are the Alligator, Foo Dog, Thoroughbred Horse, Paint Horse, Draft Horse, Owlbear, Red Panda, Snughoul, and Striped Hyena. Our Corgi was also guaranteed by a very passionate backer. All of these pins are available to backers as a 1.5" coin pin option.
If you're interested in adding a critter to C3's roster, too, check out the custom tiers. We have a couple different options that net you a seat at the designer's table and some special pins.
It's a KEN'S PIN HUSTLE campaign! Sure, the economy is in shambles, but, this is the HUSTLE. There's no way the dry humor and mocking your purchase decisions is what's keeping you coming back.
Two 1.5" gold plated earlybird pins: one with a rooster on a teal background, another with a barn owl on a dusty rose background.
Our normal early bird pin is a bright, cheery rooster ready to face the day, but, frankly, I know you people. I know none of you are up before 1 PM if you can help it. Some of you are sitting sipping Starbucks out of a bottle at 3 in the morning writing about kissing that one red Final Fantasy cat boy with tongue. If nothing else, KEN'S PIN HUSTLE prides ourselves on inclusivity, so, we've got an alternative owl for you. Just lay off the caffeine after midnight, OK?
The first 75 C3 backers will get an early bird pin of choice: early bird rooster or night owl. These are 1.5" pins with shiny gold plating instead of the standard antique finish!
This colorway is exclusive to the C3 campaign. Antique gold standard versions of these pins will be available during the survey.
A 1.5" black American akita pin with a silver metal and dusty rose metal background.
I lost my QA for the HUSTLE in October. Anyone who follows my work knows she was a treasure, and through years of declining health, she was my greatest supporter. She inspected thousands of outgoing packages for rips, tears, and bad vibes over her time helping me run the shop, and did more for me than I can describe in a blasé campaign listing.
Akitas are mythologized for their loyalty. If you've stuck with this wild ride for at least one other HUSTLE campaign, you'll get a free antique silver 1.5" American Akita memorial pin. Thanks for being here, clowns.
This colorway is exclusive to the C3 campaign. An antique gold standard version of this pin will be available during the survey.
Hey, we're part of PINTOPIA 2026! This year, we're partnered up with Henrieke Goorhuis, who, for some reason, agreed to work with me.
Back both C3 and Henrieke's THE HYENA FAMILY for a free pin from both of us: on my end, you'll get a BIG coin pin featuring three of the four hyena species, and on hers, you'll get a girthy cockatiel.
You'll need to purchase at least one pin tier from each of us, but, otherwise, go grab 'em! Henrieke's an bastion of Western animation, wildlife illustration, and combining them to make something amazing. If you love old Disney, theme park mascots, and weird animals (you do, you're here already), check her out. Like, now. Find her stuff here and stare at all the critters she'll be offering this Pintopia.
CHALLENGE COIN CRITTERS is a Pin Safari project! Back us, plus two more SAFARI banner campaigns, for a free 3.5" polaroid sticker. Ours features two cockatiels enjoying a healthy, stable, cockatiel interaction.
Henrieke's HYENA FAMILY is also in the banner: if you back us both, then at least one other person, you're set!
Once our $2,750 goal's reached, the party's not over yet! We have dozens of animal coins to unlock.
All pins shown are 1.5" antique gold hard enamel unless specified.
FOR THE BIRDS - $3.5k
FOR THE BIRDS is our first stretch goal tier, at $3.5k. This'll unlock the Blue Jay, Crow and Pigeon 1.5" coin pins. These soft-billed sons of bitches sell neck and neck with my parrots. Profess your blue jay pride, carry a cheery corvid, or proudly don a soft-eyed pigeon.
THE TRASH MAN TIER - $4k
Hey, it's trash CAN, not trash CAN'T. Get some day-to-day encouragement from America's favorite thankless wildlife, with the $4k Raccoon, Opossum and Skunk pins. Represent your favorite neighborhood nuisance with one of these stinky little underdogs.
CLASSIC CANINES - $4.9k
Dogs and doglike critters have fascinated media and mythology, across cultures and across centuries. Whether you fancy yourself a cunning coyote, a loyal wolf, or you just spend your paycheck keeping my lights on with Nick Wilde in sock garters, this one's for you - $4.9k unlocks the Fox, Gray Wolf, and Coyote coin pins.
THE CRITTERS TIER - $6.2k
Everyone knows there's only two kinds of animal: cat, or dog. Birds? That hisses and bites you, that's a cat. Fish? I dunno, it likes water, gotta be a dog. Hyena? Lemur? Otter? You can decide for yourself. Celebrate your favorite third party critter with $6.2k's Spotted Hyena, Ring-tailed Lemur, and River Otter pins.
POINTY BIRDS - $6.9k
Parrots get a lot of air time in this shop, but maybe it's time to show our favorite light pole loiterers a little love. Don a majestic raptor with our $6.9k Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, and Red-Tailed Hawk coin pins.
...by the way, you ever heard what a bald eagle really sounds like? Go google it. Promise. It's worth thirty seconds. Real winner representing my homeland over here.
BIG CATS - $7.7k
KEN'S PIN HUSTLE receives regular complaints about our lack of cat options. While we strongly deny that this is a biased decision due to our bird-serving business, we will never pass up on a chance to profit off a new demographic. Put your claws away... our $7.7k goal is Lion, Lioness, Tiger and Snow Leopard coin pins!
MYTHICAL, LIKE MY TAX RETURN - $8.5k
Fantasy and animation have always gone hand in hand. Wear some everyday magic with our $8.5k mythical creatures. Let our Dragons, Unicorn and Griffin remind you to keep dreaming, keep imagining, and hang in there 'till a happier ending's possible for us all.
YOU LITERALLY JUST MADE THESE ONES UP - $9.4k
You know, as ubiquitous as they are now, kobolds were only invented in the 80s? True story. Some of you guys are older than them. If you like your fake animals a little fresher than the dragons, our Protogen, Kobold, and Sergal $9.4k goal is for you!
...yes, the highly advanced digital dog thing has the Don Bluth laughter line. You knew what you were getting into, here.
DISNEY DOGS - $10k
Dog breeds are bred for specific traits, and those personalities make them fantastic characters. Brave German shepherds, persistent huskies, and loyal labradors grace movies, comics and games just as much as they inspire personas. They go hand in hand with an animation tribute set. Our $10k milestone is the German Shepherd, Husky, Dalmatian, Corgi, and Labrador coins!
Regardless of funding, our corgi pin is sponsored! Roundbirdart committed a noble act of bribery to save him from the trenches of deep campaign unlocks for everybody. "Personally motivated?" Nonsense. That's a patriotic act of heroism.
COLOR ALTS - $10.5k
We can't please everyone, but, we can cover a few bases. $10.5k brings a couple of other options to our pin roster.
The black German Shepherd, black Labrador, black Wolf, cartoon Crow, chocolate Labrador, lutino Cockatiel, gray Husky, white Tiger, white Wolf, yellow Budgerigar (and his white budgie friend) and rainbow Unicorn unlock with this tier!
All of the alt colors are standard antique pins except the rainbow Unicorn. This is an anodized rainbow plated pin and will come with a $2 upcharge.
UNDERRATED AFRICA - $11.75K
Lions? Elephants? Sure, whatever. Africa has lots more to offer than the big fancy guys. This tier has some of the continent's most interesting critters - and, the ones my zookeeper and illustrator customers find to be their favorite personalities. $11.75k unlocks the African Wild Dog, Secretarybird, Shoebill, and Meerkat 1.5" coin pins.
BACKYARD TRESPASSERS - $12.3k
Featuring some of your favorite local nuisances, this tier unlocks at $12.3k. Celebrate (or lovingly mock) your regular lawn vandals with these 1.5" pins, including the Whitetail Deer, Gray Squirrel, Cottontail Rabbit, and Cardinals.
ASCENDED TRASH MEN - $13.5k
There's lots of garbage to go around, so why not make a few more scavengers to keep things clean? $13.5k unlocks our Wolverine, Brown Rat, and Bearded Vulture 1.5" coin pins.
POINTY BIRDS 2 - $14k
"Pointy? Ken, those are owls, they look pretty round." Shut up and let me tell you about the stretch goal. Don't patronize me, loser.
The Screech Owl, Barn Owl, and Snowy Owl 1.5" coin pins unlock at $14k.
COLOR ALTS 2 - @ 15k
This tier will bring:
Whiteface cockatiel option
Red Western dragon option
Blue Eastern dragon option
Bald eagle gryphon option
Red husky option
Palomino (solid) horse option
Red rain (pinto) horse option
Gray (draft) horse option
GIANT PINS - @16k
Our cross-collab pin with THE HYENA FAMILY is a big one, featuring all 3 major hyena species. It seems like you guys like the idea, so, I put together a couple more group pins!
All of these pins are 1.75" - the normal C3 pins are 1.5". They are larger and can fit more detail than our standard CHALLENGE COIN CRITTERS options.
MONSTERS - @20k
As promised, if we hit the mythical $20k milestone, I owe you guys a vote tier.
This tier will bring the Werewolf, Chupacabra, Jackalope, and Jersey Devil pins. Frankly, if we get close, I'll toss Mothman in for fun, too.
That's where we'll cut CHALLENGE COIN CRITTERS off, but any funding past $20k will be unheard of for KEN'S PIN HUSTLE!
Late May-early June: Fulfillment begins, custom tiers ship first
Late July-August: C3 pins available for KEN'S PIN HUSTLE retail buyers
Due to extenuating world events, delays are possible. This timeline's an estimate from my previous adventures with pin delays. It's sadly not impossible that we'll have some additional issues that push stuff back.
Expect updates every 2 weeks during production (at the very least) with the status of CHALLENGE COIN CRITTERS' manufacturing and fulfillment. Any issues with production will be sent immediately to backers.
Surveys MUST be filled out in the ~2 week period and payments completed to guarantee the rewards you'd like. I can't promise stuff for backers with late surveys or payments. Unanswered surveys and unpaid pledges are considered forfeit after 3 months of campaign close (May 12th).
Details about how I handle delays, surveys, late pledges, and other issues can be found in the project FAQ.
Are you an international HYENA FAMILY backer, a little hesitant to back KPH stuff because of stupid high costs? Are you a US backer in love with our wonderful friends, the Dutch pin artists, but not in love with international shipping prices? You're in luck! We're cheapmaxxing this campaign, and we're gonna get your crap across the pond one way or the other.
If you are a United States C3 backer also receiving The Hyena Family items, you can get both shipped from KEN'S PIN HUSTLE. At this time you will be charged a small fee on top of estimated domestic US rates.
If you are a United States HYENA FAMILY only backer, you can get your items shipped from KEN'S PIN HUSTLE. You will be charged a small fee on top of estimated domestic US rates.
These two options are the first chance for United States customers to purchase Henrieke Goorhuis's work outside of conventions. Please check her campaign for more information.
If you are a European Union HYENA FAMILY backer also receiving C3 items, you can get both shipped from Henrieke Goorhuis. You will be charged a small fee on top of EU rates.
Cross promotion? Cheerleading? That's what banners are for. We got over twenty people in PIN SAFARI, and while you should go check everyone out (since it's my banner), I can't buy from all of them.
Remember: backing three or more SAFARI artists will get you a free sticker from all of us. Backing Henrieke's HYENA FAMILY will get you two free pins.
We're getting unprofessional. We're getting personal. My walls can only hold so many pins. I gotta make this shit count.
Here's some high quality critters for PINTOPIA 2026.
Pin Safari
Pins and plush for animal lovers, based on wildlife around the world!
3+ project backers get a 3.5" vinyl sticker from each SAFARI campaign they pledge to.
Go on an adventure with us this PINTOPIA, and collect some photos to remember the journey.
Each of our artists has made a fun, colorful scene featuring a creature from their campaign. How many can you collect?
📌 Pintopia 2026
Pintopia 2026 / Pins • Plushies • Ita Bags
This project is participating in the BackerKit event Pintopia 2026, a celebration of enamel pin, plushie and ITA bag project featuring an all-star lineup of creators crowdfunding together from January 22 – February 12, 2026.
