Bob,
Regarding pricing...this is one of my favorite elements of pinback collecting. With cards there is a great deal of standardization and accumulation of pricing data, SMR, etc. With pins, it's more of a feel and what you see in the market.
I love the fact that while condition is obviously relevent, it doesn't drive the value of a pin up, but will push it down. Pinheads (for the most part), don't care about a little rust, minor scuffs or scratches, and perhaps a touch of foxing. This is one of the reasons that professional grading hasn't caught on with pins. I don't know a single collector who submits pins, or purchases graded pins without busting them out. Grade simply doesn't matter as much as scarcity and the "look" of the pin.
Paul's guide is INVALUABLE, but it really is a guide rather than a value meter. Some prices are right on with current markets, others are less so. When you get into it, you will quickly discover what is rare and what is not. I have spent countless hours flipping through Paul's book and highly recommend it. I would love to see volume II some day Paul
