All enamel pins are made by hand, which means that no pin is perfect. Every maker also grades differently, so please see the grading policy below to get a better idea of how I personally grade pins. Please make sure to thoroughly read before purchasing. By purchasing a pin, you are agreeing to my grading policy and all other applicable policies.
**NOTE: Sides and backs of pins are not considered when examining for flaws, but I will try my best to ensure the posts are not bent and that any potential side flaws do not detract from the overall beauty of the pin.
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PRE-GRADING PROCESS
Upon receipt of pins from my manufacturer, all pins are removed from their packaging and cleaned with a microfiber cloth. I then go through each pin, remove excess screenprint to the best of my ability, clean the pin quickly again with the microfiber cloth, THEN proceed to grade it. Batches that are highly flawed are returned to my manufacturer and all presale buyers (if applicable) are notified of the delay.
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A-Grades are the best of the batch and can contain minimal visible flaws. The flaws are often only visible up close, under strong lighting, and from specific angles. Some examples of flaws on A-Grade pins are:
- Slight under/overfilled enamel
- Minor surface marks/scratches - not visible at an arm's length
- Small dust/air bubbles in the enamel
- Minor screenprint offsets
B-Grades contain pins that are still in great condition, but contain either more noticeable flaws than A-Grades, or more than 5-6 A-Grade flaws. The flaws are often barely visible at arm's length. Some examples of flaws on B-Grade pins are:
- More visible under/overfilled enamel
- Small surface marks/scratches
- Dust/air bubbles in multiple areas of the enamel
- More noticeable screenprint offsets or screenprint errors
- Minimally visible facial flaws - do not detract from overall appearance of the pin
C-Grades contain pins that have significantly more noticeable flaws, or a high number of A/B-Grade flaws. They are pins that did not quite make the cut for A/B-Grades, however, I do not sell pins with defects significant enough to heavily detract from the overall beauty and design of the pin. Some examples of flaws on C-Grade pins are:
- Significant under/overfilled enamel
- Numerous surface marks/scratches - visible at an arm's length
- Major screenprint/color errors
- Visible facial flaws
PRESALE PINS
All preorders are sold as MIXED GRADE pins, which means that the pins can range from A-Grade to B-Grade depending on the overall quality of the batch but will always be the best pins in the batch.
I will never send out a C-Grade pin for a preordered pin. If you receive a pin that is a C-Grade according to the policy above, please reach out to me within 7 days of receiving your pin to arrange for an exchange at no cost to you.
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P4P/PAY FOR PRODUCTION PINS
Open pre-order pins that are priced exactly at production cost are UNGRADED. This means that pins are wiped down and quickly looked over, but can range from A-Grade to C-Grade depending on the manufacturing process.