Enamel Pin Grading
WHAT ARE ENAMEL PINS?
Enamel pins are wearable pieces of art created by designing a metal pin and adding vibrant enamel colors to its surface. These pins often feature intricate designs inspired by various themes, including pop culture, art, and fandoms. Enamel pins are carefully crafted through a detailed hand-made manufacturing process to ensure quality.
Enamel pins are graded based on their overall quality and condition. The grading scale considers factors such as air bubbles, enamel underfill, imperfections in metal plating, surface scuffing or scratches, paint pooling, and other minor details. Grading helps customers understand the condition of the pin they are purchasing, allowing them to make informed decisions based on their preferences. Each pin is inspected and assigned a grade, ranging from mint or near-perfect to those with minor imperfections. This grading system ensures transparency and helps collectors choose pins that align with their standards and expectations.
ENAMEL PIN GRADING
A GRADE Enamel pins are considered top-quality and near-perfect. Minor imperfections are not easily noticeable and maintain a high standard of A Grade.
- A nearly flawless aesthetic pin.
- Smooth and vibrant coating.
- Well-defined metal lines.
- Secure and functional pin-back.
- Slight offset in screen printing.
- Minor front plating imperfections.
- Minor imperfections air bubbles and enamel underfill.
- Light imperfections in metal plating.
- Light surface scuffs or faint scratches.
- Minimal nicks on enamel or metal.
- Minimal presence of dust particles or overturned glitter.
- Slight paint pooling on screen prints.
- Occasional missing plating or enamel spillover.
- Light specks of dust on soft enamel pins.
- Polished and professionally presented.
B GRADE Enamel pins in this category may have slight imperfections such as small air bubbles, minor scuffs, or tiny enamel underfills. These flaws are usually not prominent and may not detract significantly from the overall appearance.
- Broad sections with imperfections visible on the sides.
- Various imperfections are scattered across the metal.
- Presence of multiple air bubbles in the enamel.
- Partial loss of enamel on a small section of the pin.
- Very noticeable dust particles on soft enamel.
- Observable offset in screen printing alignment.
- Multiple under-filled enamel, noticeable across the pin.
- Substantial areas of missing plating on the back.
- Some missing details in the screen printing.
- Areas with sparse glitter, insufficient sparkle, or too much.
- A singular section with unfilled enamel.
- Staining of enamel is noticeable on the sides or back.
- Absence of certain metal lines in different areas.
- Overfilled enamel causes flooding in specific metal lines.
- Moderate scuffing on enamel and metal surfaces.
- Small gouges or marks are present on the enamel.
C GRADE Enamel pins may exhibit more noticeable imperfections, including larger air bubbles, enamel underfills, or surface scratches. While the flaws are apparent, the pin remains aesthetically pleasing for wearable purposes, but would not be considered good for collectors.
- Visible imperfections, such as larger scratches or noticeable flaws.
- An uneven enamel coating is noticeable in several areas.
- Colors may exhibit significant variations or inconsistencies.
- Metal lines may lack sharpness in multiple places.
- The design may show noticeable inconsistencies.
- Pinback may have visible imperfections.
- Despite visible issues, the item still retains some appeal.
- Substandard quality enamel or metal craftsmanship.
- Missing or incorrect back stamp.
- Significant areas with low-fill.
- More than one unfilled enamel area.
- Broken or missing pin posts.
- Color-changing enamel does not exhibit color shift.
- Sections where enamel is entirely missing.
- Prominent and easily noticeable scuffing in extensive areas.
- Large or deep gouges evident in the enamel.
- Prominent or deep scratches present in the enamel.
- Wide sections with under-filled enamel.
- Numerous defects or imperfections in the metal plating.
- Large and multiple air bubbles present in both soft and hard enamel.
- Multiple areas with misapplied glitter.
- Significant or multiple sections with missing metal lines.
- Multiple instances of enamel staining or discolored enamel.
D GRADE & LOWER Enamel pins in this grade may have significant flaws, like larger and more noticeable imperfections in enamel or metal. These pins are often sold at a reduced price due to their visible defects. These are not for sale and are recycled.
- Numerous substantial flaws impacting the overall aesthetic.
- Enamel coating displays unevenness and significance.
- Colors exhibit noticeable inconsistencies or fading.
- Metal lines lack sharpness and exhibit prominent issues.
- The design showcases major inconsistencies and errors.
- Pin back may have flaws affecting functionality.
- Overall appearance is significantly marred.
It's important to note that the specific criteria for each grade can vary among manufacturers and sellers. Always check the grading system provided by the source to understand the condition of the enamel pins accurately.
