PRODUCT GRADING SCALE

Please read over the product grading guide before purchasing any items.

ENAMEL PINS

Pin grading is subjective, and varies from maker to maker.
Since enamel pins are handmade items, they rarely, if ever, will appear 'perfect'.
Blushsprout offers multiple grades available for purchase. Regardless of grade, pins may exhibit natural variations that prevent them from being perfect.
We will always do our best to send out the highest quality pins available from each batch.

 GRADE DESCRIPTION

Perfect / Collector's ("S")

Blushsprout does not sell/offer perfect pins.

Standard ("A")

The highest quality of pin that Blushsprout offers. May exhibit minor variations and/or imperfections.

  • Superficial surface speck or mark on metal or enamel surface, usually only visible from one angle
  • Slight low enamel fill in minor area of pin, only visible from one angle
  • Imperfections on the back or side of pin - only the front is considered while grading.
  • Slight darker flecks of glitter and/or small specks of stray glitter (on glitter pins) in non-central areas of the design such as the face.
  • Slightly misaligned screenprinting (only applies to pins with screenprint)
  • Other superficial imperfections that are only visible upon very close-up inspection and/or from looking at the pin under certain lighting or from a specific angle.
Seconds ("B")
Seconds pins have one or multiple imperfections listed below, and therefore slightly discounted. This grade is perfect for collectors who enjoy wearing their pins around (and who love a good discount). One of the most common pieces of feedback I receive is that my Seconds grading is "indistinguishable from most Standard-grade pins" - but regardless, Seconds pins will have some sort of guaranteed imperfection.
  • More noticeable smudges and/or staining on the metal or enamel surface
  • Mild-to-moderate metal oxidization
  • Noticeable and/or deeper surface scratches that span across the metal and/or enamel
  • Moderately loose backing posts
  • Lower fills in larger or visually important areas (low enough to be visible when the pin is viewed from nearly any angle).
  • Missing screenprint (minor details only)
  • Missing area of enamel (very small, minor areas only)
Seconds Bin Grade ("C") These pins are only available in my convention "seconds bin", or online during special sales. C-grade pins may exhibit the same flaws as B-grades, except more severely. For this reason, these pins are very heavily discounted and only available for purchase at conventions in my "Discount Bin". 
C-grades may have larger areas of unfilled enamel, very deep scratches, distracting dots/marks across the enamel, etc. 


DYED METAL PINS

Due to the production nature of dyed metal pins (which involves more unpredictable paint & print application), dyed metal pins are sold as two grades: "MIXED GRADE" and "B". All of our dyed metal pins will exhibit some sort of imperfection(s), as this is the nature of the product. If you have strict grading standards, please understand that this type of pin may not meet more perfectionist expectations.

 GRADE DESCRIPTION
'MIXED GRADE' A mix of "A-Minus" and "B-Plus" grades. The pins are not quite "A"/"Standard" grade, yet also not quite full "B"/"Seconds" grade. Mixed Grade pins may exhibit small streaks, bubbles, specks, divets, imperfect print in tiny areas, and miniscule chipping (only on backs or sides). Most of the time, imperfections are only visible if you tip the pin at a specific angle under the light. 
B This grade will have one or more flaw(s) noticeable from all angles. Similar possible flaws as found in B-grade regular metal pins (see above).