Wondering the cost of custom baseball trading pins? Wonder no longer! Check out this article to learn how much you should budget for your pins.
Everybody wants their team to have the coolest pin. It's a great way to build team spirit. It also makes it easier to find other pin collectors willing to make a trade.
But you also have to be realistic when putting your design together. Not every team has the budget to throw together an expensive pin with all the bells and whistles.
So how do you balance creating custom baseball trading pins that your team can be proud of with a sensible budget?
Let's look at the different design elements that go into a pin, how much they cost. By the end of this article, you will know where to spend your money.
1. Types of Pins
There are several different types of pins. Each one has pros and cons.
They do vary in price, but each type of pin will cost you about $2.00-3.00 per pin, assuming you are placing a bulk order of 200 1" pins with no special features.
Cloisonne Pins
Cloisonne pins are the most traditional type of enamel pins. Their completely smooth surface gives them the appearance of fine jewelry.
This type of pins works best for designs with clearly defined regions of color separated by bold lines. If this sounds like the type of design you want, the cloisonne process will make your pins pop like no other.
And, because they have a smooth surface, you can add additional details like color gradients to cloisonne pins with a silkscreen process. This makes cloisonne pins the most versatile type of pin.
The only drawback here is the expense. The extensive polishing and painting process that goes into these pins drives up the price.
Soft Enamel Pins
Soft enamel pins are very similar to cloisonne pins. They are best for designs that have clearly separated areas of color that can be defined by a thin metal border.
The big difference is that they do not have a flat surface. Instead of being polished to a flush, glossy surface, the enamel is recessed into each region of the design, and the metal borders are slightly raised.
This can be in itself a striking design element, but it does limit some of your creative possibilities. Because the surfaces of these pins are not smooth, they can not be silkscreened to add additional fine detail.
On the plus side, these pins are a bit more affordable because they don't have to go through the extensive hand-polishing process of cloisonne pins.
Die Struck Pins
Die struck pins are essentially soft enamel pins that aren't filled in with color.
The all-metal, monochromatic design also has a timeless and dignified aura. They have the look of an engraved ring or watch.
Of course, you lose out on color, but not every design needs color. For the same reason photographers sometimes still shoot in black-and-white, some things just look better with a classic look.
These pins cost about the same as a soft enamel pin.
Printed Pins
Offset printed pins are typically offered as an option for sports trading pins.
Offset printing provides the most accurate reproduction of a digital image. If you want photographic realism, this is the way to go. If you do decide to go with offset printing, be prepared with a high-resolution image file. If your image is blurry, it will be blurry on the pin. This is the most expensive type of pin.
2. Plating Options
Plating refers to the look of the metal used to make your pin design. There are a few standard options to choose from as well as a few specialized possibilities.
Standard Metal
Standard metal pins are the most common and cost-efficient choice. Common color options are gold, silver, copper, and black. These will have a shiny, polished finish.
This type of plating usually comes at no extra cost to you.
Antique Metal
These pins come in the same colors as the standard metal pins but have a different texture. They have been treated with steel brushes and special paint to give the pins a weathered look. These are a little more expensive, but give your pins a sense of rugged strength.
Dual Plating
This option combines two pins into one. You can get the bright colors of a cloisonne pin mixed with the classic look of antique metal.
This option requires two pins to be made and adhered to each other, so this is the most expensive option.
Iridescent Plating
This option will really make your pin stand apart from the rest of the pack. Using modern technology, these pins are made from anodized metals that have a rainbow-like finish that is sure to catch everyone's eye.
3. Add-Ons
Here's where we get to the fun stuff. These are the extra touches that will make your pin into something people will really want to remember!
Moving Parts
Add a spinner, dangler, or slider to give your pin that extra bit of sparkle. This adds about $0.50-$1.00 per pin and gives you design an interactive quality.
Lights
You can add lights to your pin for about an extra $1.00-2.00. This includes an off-switch, and you can get blinking lights or even multiple lights.
Epoxy Finish
This gives you a design that smoother-than-smooth look. A clear epoxy resin coats the entire design, giving the pin a unified and flawless appearance.
Finding the Perfect Custom Baseball Trading Pins for You
If you're placing a bulk order of about 200 pins for your team, you can expect to spend about $450.00-$500.00. There are a host of add-ons you can use to boost your design, but they will drive up the cost.
We hope you have found this article helpful. If you have any further questions about custom baseball trading pins, please don't hesitate to get in contact with us! You can also use our website to generate a free quote for your upcoming pin order.
