Confused about “pin grading”? I’m here to help!
Because hard enamel pins are casted in metals and then filled with hand-poured enamel, pins naturally have minor imperfections. Each one is different so they need to undergo a grading system before I can sell it. After all, it’s not fair to sell something that only has a few scuff marks as the same price as something that has deep scratches or air bubbles.
Pins will still have some wear and tear after it finds a home. Enamel is not scratch-proof so try not to treat it as if it can withstand all the elements thrown at it!
Please note that different pin makers may have slightly different grading standards as “perfect” means different things to everyone! This is how I grade my pins using the manufacturing standards of the “20cm” rule!
A Grade:
This is the absolute best of the bunch. There are only very minor imperfections, and it is nearly perfect to the natural eye.
B Grade:
There are a few more visible imperfections in these than in A Grade. There may be some slight overfill or underfill of enamel in certain areas, or there are longer scratches in one or two areas, but overall, the finished look has not been affected.
C Grade:
In every batch, there may be a few C Grades, or none at all! There are imperfections that can be seen more visibly on the pin but it is still wearable! These may have scratches that might be a little longer/deeper, overfills/underfills in the enamel that are a bit more obvious, a slightly warped shape, etc. However, if you like to wear your pins out and about, this is great! If you are like me, I prefer to only bring out items that are already worn so I don’t have to worry about “ruining” it more!
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