Why the grading scale?
As pins are handcrafted items, they cannot be 100% perfect. These grading scales exist to help buyers choose which pins and prices they prefer according to the extent of the pin's 'flaws'. Though pins cannot be absolutely perfect and carbon copies of each other, they all have their unique qualities and are still beautiful!
Things to know about pin grades:
Pins are made in batches, therefore each batch's production team differs from one another. This means that certain batches may be more well made than others. So when grading, I grade them according to the standards of said batch. These will be clearly stated in each pin listing, so please do refer to those (and not solely on the info on this page) when purchasing! :)
Pins with glitter elements are tricky to work with due to the nature of the glitter materials. They are more susceptible to misplacement so seeing one or two (or more lol but dw, these will be noted in the grading scales) glitter flecks in places they don't belong is a usual occurrence. They are also more expensive to make.
Pins with gem and chain attachments are tedious to make, and gems are fragile to work with. Some of these gems also have to be sourced from other factories to custom fit the pin designs, so prices tend to be higher when these are present in pins.
The bigger the pin, the more costly it is to produce. The same goes with the amount of colours and detailing present. Pins with screenprinted details are also more expensive to make, and also cannot be printed perfectly as they're hand printed.
Soft enamel w/ epoxy pins:
Due to the nature of the production process, dust gets caught under the epoxy more so please do take note of this factor! It means that I won't be grading this factor as heavily as I do for non-epoxy items.
The grading scale:
* Below's grading scale is a general explanation of each grade. If there are specific flaws that should be mentioned regarding certain pins/batches, it will be mentioned in its respective listing. For reasons behind this, please refer to "Things to know about pin grades" *
A Grades/Standard Pins:
These are pins that are the best of the batch, and are ideal for collectors who buy pins mainly for display purposes. They may or may not have a few minor flaws and in general, flaws from A's/Standards require close scrutiny to identify, or require harsher lighting to be visible. If a minor flaw is visible to most/all of the pins, they are still noted as Standards due to the batch system.
B Grades:
These have one or more minor flaws that are slightly more visible and doesn't require much harsh lighting to be visible.
C Grades:
These have more minor flaws than B's and are more obvious at first glance.
Seconds:
These are pins with the most noticeable flaws. Please note that though these are cheaper than the rest, they are most heavily flawed.
Super Seconds:
Like seconds but worse 😂
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Flaws may refer to (but are not limited to):
- glitter issues (misplacement/uneven etc.)
- plating issues (electroplating errors, scratched/chipped metal, oxidation issues etc.)
- screenprinting issues (misaligned, missing prints etc.)
- enamel issues (underfill/overfill/streaks/scratches etc.)
- dents/scratches/dust particles