Pin grading

Pin grading is not a universal practice among artists; some practice it, while others do not. Each artist has their own grading scale, with some being more lenient and others more strict. Remember, all pins are handmade, so no pin is perfect, and slight variations may occur between units.

Below is my personal pin grading system.

How I Inspect My Pins

I inspect my pins in natural sunlight, holding them at arm’s length. I check the surface for gouges, scratches, and scuffing, rotate the pin to examine the sides for missing plating, and ensure the back posts are secure and the backstamp is present. I pay less attention to the sides and almost none to the back.

I grade the pins by hand, so occasional mistakes may happen. As all my pins are handmade, individual items from the same series may have slight differences. Only collectible items are graded.

A Grade

A Grade pins are allowed to have some minor mishaps that can be noticed only upon very close inspection and are not visible in normal conditions. Here’s the list of blemishes that can occur:

  • small, singular nicks on the enamel or metal
  • overturned glitter
  • small specks of dust
  • encased posts with slight wiggle (but working perfectly)
  • plating imperfections, scratches or scuffing
  • enamel underfill, air bubbles, scratches or overfill

A grade pins are what you expect to get when you buy a collectible item. They are sold at full price.

B Grade – Happy Accidents

The pins may have some flaws that are clearly visible when inspecting, but otherwise are perfectly functional and can be worn and enjoyed. What you can see on a Happy Accident pin (please remember that one or two/three of those may occur, not ALL of them):

  • noticeable areas of underfilled enamel
  • scuffed enamel or metal
  • imperfections on the metal plating
  • visible air bubbles
  • merged metal lines or enamel pockets
  • missing enamel on a small portion of the pin
  • enamel staining on the sides or back of the pin
  • overfilled enamel that floods some metal lines
  • missing plating (larger areas may be missing on the back of the pin)
  • small gouges or marks on enamel
  • large areas of imperfection of the metal on the sides of the pin

As mentioned, these pins are perfectly functional (I don’t sell broken items) and can still be worn if you don’t aim for perfect aesthetics. I sell them with a noticeable discount.

B2 Grade – Freebies

Sometimes a pin has too many flaws to be considered a Happy Accident, but is still too good to be sorted into Junk. I keep those pins and sometimes add them to the order as a free gift.

Junk Grade – Unhappy Accidents

Pins that are damaged or too defective are not sold. I collect them and send to the recycling center.

Star Grade – Collector Pins

I typically select 2-3 perfect pins from a series and keep them as S Grade to show off and for photo sessions. These are not sold.

Oopsies

Oopsies are pins that I made and then realised I designed them wrong (wrong size, colours, detail,s etc.). I sell them at a discount, but do not distinguish between A/B grades.

If you have more questions regarding item quality, check my F.A.Q. page.