Grading Scale

Updated July 11th 2025

Enamel pins

A = best of the batch, very few flaws when viewed up close. Each unit is hand-filled and polished by manufacturing staff, so the pins may have tiny inclusions in the enamel (e.g. specks) or scuffs along the metal.

B = noticeable but still minor flaws, e.g. bubbles in plating, pitted plating visible even when viewed front-on, stray fibres or larger spots in enamel, shallow scratches or dents in enamel, isolated scratches in screenprint, pin pricks in peripheral areas.

C = very obvious flaws, e.g. large stray fibres, oxidised blue/green blemishes, exposed base metal along edges, pricks or gouges in central areas, very poor plating, misfills.

I consider C-grades unsellable at a regular price, so they are excluded from my calculations for manufacturing cost per unit. Typically the only way to get them is through the Weighted P4P/Freebie listing at random, either for a heavily discounted price or for free with a discount code. The discounted price covers miscellaneous losses in my shop, mostly from P4P projects.

 

Intermediate A-/B+ grade for special effect designs

A-/B+ is a mixed grade that is good enough for most people, but not quite good enough for me! If you are only a bit picky, you can still get a nice pin with A-/B+. If you are very picky, you probably just want an A.

These pins may have one or more tiny bubbles, tiny specks of dirt, lines or small spots under screenprint, or minor plating flaws that are visible from around 20~30cm away, but not noticeable at arm's length.

 

Pay-for-production (P4P) designs

P4P products are only very loosely graded so that the best of the batch go out first. They may have minor flaws, but defective items are removed during quality checking.

In purchasing a P4P item, you are acknowledging that what you receive may be anywhere from an A to a C-grade according to the above scale. I always endeavour to exclude C-grade items from P4P stock, but especially for preorder runs, this may not be possible.

If you are disatisfied with the quality of a P4P item you have received, you can request to purchase another copy provided I have extras available, but I will not send out free replacements nor provide any refunds. P4P policy here →

 

 

Think the pin you received is not the grade you paid for?

I'm sorry to hear that you aren't satisfied! Please send photos and/or video of the issue via email to [email protected] so we can discuss options. 

If you received a B-grade when you paid for an A (or A-/B+), I can either:

If you received a C-grade when you paid for an A or B, I can either:

* Depends on whether I have stock available to send a replacement.

Because A and B-grades are both considered "sellable" grades, I cannot outright refund the full cost for a B-grade item that was sent in error. I will, however, absolutely refund the full cost for accidental C-grade items, because they should not have been dispatched in the first place. For items you believe to have been damaged in transit, please see the Shipping page.

If you paid for a C-grade item, you cannot claim a refund or free replacement, even if you are dissatisfied with the flaws.

I also ask that if you receive a replacement item, do NOT resell or trade the flawed item. It is incredibly disrespectful and you will be banned from my shop as a result. Please consider gifting it to someone instead!