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How to "value" artist proofs and Pre-Producton pins.

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How to "value" artist proofs and Pre-Producton pins.
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I just got back from the Love is an Adventure pin trading event, and now I have my first Artist Proof (AP) and Pre-Production (PP) pins.

I know there is no definitive answer to my question, but I am trying to get some guidance how to value these pins when trading.

I have some LE 400 AP's
I have an LE 500 PP (Jack Skellington Puzzle)
I have a PP of a Limited Release Pin (Pin 117899 DLR -Halloween Time 2016 - Chernabog)
and I have some APs from a Limited Release set Alice Through the Looking Glass.

My question is how to value these for a fair trade (I collect Ariel pins that do not have Eric in them). It it fair/reasonable to ask for a limited edition Ariel Pin in exchange for an Artist Proof of an otherwise less desirable pin (such as the Alice through the looking glass).

I also understand the the PP pins are limited to three. So I have no clue as to how to value them. One trader at the event really wanted my Jack Skellington (before he even saw the back and learned that it was PP). But as I don't collect puzzles and don't know how to value PP pins, I did not trade it.

Can someone give me advice as to how to tread in these new waters? I understand I will likely receive multiple opinions as to how to value these pins, but your input will be helpful as it will give me a sense of how to formulate my own opinion and valuation.

Thank you,

Fr. Brian
 
I haven't had a great deal of experience trading AP or PP pins , so I can only give you my personal opinion
AP pins :
Unless there are major differences to the main pin (usually doesn't happen but it's possible) or the pin has been heavily scrappered / faked (Guarantees the authenticity) I wouldn't assign them any greater trading potential than the regular LE version .
PP pins :
Personally I don't look for these , there are collectors out there for these pins and the prices asked can be really high . I just don't see the value myself .
 
First, I'm glad you were able to make it to the LiaA event. I hope you had an amazing pin-filled experience and came away with wonderful shiny new treasures, great memories, and maybe made a few friends along the way!

That's a great question. I just wish I had an equally great answer to give you ... . My own $.02 regarding AP/PP pins, for what it's worth, keeping in mind that that at the end of the day, a pin's value is highly subjective and only is worth what another person is willing to give up, whether through trade or currency, to acquire it:

I know that some people consider AP/PP pins a class of pins unto themselves, value them higher than the standard released version, and believe they should be traded/sold accordingly. How much higher, as a general rule, I don't know. As a general rule, I have little-to-no interest in AP/PP pins. The only exception for me is when an AP/PP meets both criteria for me:

1. It has to belong to a theme/category/character I collect
2. The pin MUST be visibly different from the standard version released. That is, I must know that it is different/special WITHOUT having to look at the back and check for the stamp.

When an AP/PP pin meets both criteria, I will actively pursue it and gladly trade or buy it at a higher value than the standard value because, to me, since the pin is visibly different than the version mass produced and sold, it isn't actually the same pin - it's rarer, more valuable and justifies a higher trade/sale value. If the only difference is a back stamp for which you need to search to identify the pin as unique, I don't consider the pin special enough to merit much, if any, of an increase in value - especially since pins aren't displayed with the backs showing (at least mine aren't).

If you decide to value the AP/PP pins the same/similar as the standard released versions, you can get an approximate idea by using their average selling price as a guide. I would take the last month's selling prices, discard the high and low as outliers, and average the rest. Even if you decide to value them a little higher, that should give you an approximate starting point. I hope this helps - congratulations on acquiring them and happy trading!

 
I think the old concencus was that ap/pp added 10% to the value. So if the pin was going for $10 then the AP version $11 or $12.. very few people add considerable value over the 'regular' and most consider it 'another pin' and consider it equal to released version.

Personally they are 'another pin' but if I end up with an AP of something I collect I usually keep both but otherwise I'm ok with either version and I won't over trade for an AP (though if I could find the AP of last years contemporary gingerbread display I'd pay a premium)
 
I have a couple AP/PP pins in my traders, I think the quality of the enamelling is far better and more glossy, compared to the pins from the general run. But of course, I've only had the experience of the couple I've owned.
 
Just an FYI, the older high-end pins (Disney Auctions, DisneyShopping.com) used to have three different AP pins in different colored metals (gold, silver, and "black"/more of a dark gray); the idea was that Disney tried the pin in all three colors and picked one for the regular release.

I don't usually treat the newer AP pins a whole lot differently, but if you happen to have one of differently-colored older APs, they can be worth a lot of $$.
 
I have a lot of Wonderland AP's and PP's in my collection and enjoy adding them when I can find them.

As -em said, the general thought is that park APs/PPs are worth about 10% more than the original pin's value, but I give it a little extra weight if it's one for my collection - maybe 20% extra. So if it's a $5 booster pin, maybe it's worth $6. If it's a $20 LE, it's probably worth about $25, etc. (But for most people, as you've seen, who don't collect them, "AP" is just "Another Pin" and no extra value is distinguished.)

As noted, this is just for park AP's. WDI AP's tend to go higher. And the DA or DA P.I.N.S. or DisneyShopping APs/PPs/protos are a separate class and can command much higher. Both of these categories are pins I collect more than park APs/PPs because they are much rarer.

Park APs have historically been suggested as at least two dozen made per pin, with PPs somewhat less.
 
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I, personally, do not put any more value on PP or AP pins. I do not really look for them and don't collect them as a category. I actually pulled a few off of the Boards at the Pin Event and "gave them away" to a fellow pin Trader who does collect them.

Mike S.
Figment919
 
We have several AP's and PP's that we acquired at pin events. I know some put a higher value on them. For me, I indicate if a pin is an AP or PP mainly because I don't have the original card, so this will help identify that it is an actual Disney trading pin.
 
Personally, I just like AP/PP pins because they've been part of the artistic process in designing the pin. I believe that most people consider PP's more valuable than AP's, because of that there are fewer PP's produced than AP's, but honestly I don't see much of a difference. That being said, I think it's a bonus - but a small one. If I like a pin, I can live without it being an AP. Still what matters the most to me at the end of the day is the subject matter, and I think that most people feel the same way. And if you're looking for a dollar amount, I believe that the 10% addition is a good estimation. It really just depends on who you're trading with/selling to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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GoofyinMadison said:
We have several AP's and PP's that we acquired at pin events. I know some put a higher value on them. For me, I indicate if a pin is an AP or PP mainly because I don't have the original card, so this will help identify that it is an actual Disney trading pin.
Click to expand...

That's good to know! I didn't even of using it as a way to guarantee that it's an authentic pin. Good tip!
 
If its something I collect, and end up with an AP/PP, I tend to keep both it and the regular version, but don't go out of my way to collect them. I don't really trade/pay "more" for them vs regular version - more of an "oh thats neat" for me personally.

The exception being the older DA pins - again I don't specifically look for those, but would trade/pay a bit more for those if I was looking for one for my collections and that was the only option to acquire (which is often that case - many of those older pins don't come up for trade/sale often, AP/PP or regular)
 
Disney Auction PP pins and A/P Sets are extremely limited and difficult to find. They usually sell for a lot more than the regular edition.
 
Thanks for posting this question and all of the replies. I wondered about the APs too. It seemed as though they were slightly more desirable to trade while in line at the event.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
^ There is generally more excitement/interest for them during or around a pin event when people are getting them than the rest of the time. Other than for those of us who specifically collect them all the time.
 
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