Email from Hot Art / ACME that I received today (I saw a similar post yesterday on Facebook). I must have subscribed for updates since I do get emails with their monthly releases.
FYI: They are also cutting down on monthly pins (2 pins instead of 4 pins). Golden Magic pins (the circular pins) are still available in a subscription.
Dear valued members,
We are continuously asked to give our thoughts to the price of the ACME LE 100 pins. Are they too high and unreasonably priced? Here is what we like to point out:
- The ACME Art Pins are officially licensed. They are the real deal. Every aspect of the production goes through a rigorous vetting by the Disney company to their exact standards of color, quality material and on model. Art and pins have to travel the globe up to five times if everything goes well and more if changes are required. It is a costly and time-consuming process. You have the Disney guarantee to the quantity, quality and accuracy on model.
- ACME Art pins are made by the top official factory in the world with the finest materials. This factory is the only ones who can do many of the unique techniques ACME ask for. Some are so challenging only their managers can work on them, leading to long finish times for production and higher costs.
- ACME's team of world-class artists are paid for the work done. Easy to absorb what the price point of limited-edition Art but substantial for the pens at such a small price in comparison.
- A substantial licensing fee is paid for each and every pin.
- Incredible levels of detail. Some of these pins have up to 99 screens on them as well as multiple plains and materials. Never compromising the interpretation of the art for cost.
- A lithograph is included as a bonus that in the art community has a retail value of at least $50 in and of itself. Inclusion was a requirement of the license.
- Beautiful real wood packaging worthy of these groundbreaking pins.
When you add it all up the ACME pricing is amazing. No one else has been trusted to make official limited edition pins outside of Acme. It is a testament to their love of all things Disney, pins themselves and their ability to bring their groundbreaking premium quality to this hobby.
If you look at this from the pin side of things, the pricing is very fair. While we have not seen a limited-edition of 100 in a super jumbo size pin direct from Disney in a while, we can compare the price of a recent large 20th anniversary DSSH Toy Story pin in a limited edition size of 150. Retail price was $179. That is WITHOUT the extra artist and licensing fees paid by ACME, as well as the increased fees simply because they are not Disney and cannot achieve the type of discounts such a large company can.
From the Art side of things, these pins are an absolute steal in comparison to anything other Art collectible with such a small Limited edition size such as a giclee, and a giclee costs much less to make than a pin. They have had great crossover appeal.
We know directly that money was lost on a few of these first LE 100 designs for the sake of maintaining the integrity of the artists vision. We hope you see the incredible value of these official pins and that they are made for the love of the product and art more than the profitability. You will most likely never see OFFICIAL beautiful large pins of such small edition sizes again. Only your recognition of their value and continued support will let ACME know they are valued and appreciated.
Thank you and keep the questions coming to
info@hotart.hk.
