PP23659    Maleficent Diva Event Variation/Prototype?

This pin is identical to the Maleficent/Dragon pin from the Diva event at Disneyland (PinPics #2939). It has the same finish, shape, size, weight and detailing as the event pin with a couple of differences.

First, the dragon is on gold metal (about two shades darker than the gold for Maleficent) instead of the event's silver finish. The slight difference in the gold adds to the 3D depth. I have compared this pin to the PinPics graphic for the event pin and the illustration in Tomart's 3rd Edition "Guide to Disneyana Pin Collection". All of the colors are "true". That is, the hues and shades of black on the dragon and Maleficent are the same, the purple of the robes, the green face and hands and even the tiny yellow orb on the reddish brown staff match. The gold lines, including the tiny ones on Maleficent's headdress, also match with no blurring of the lines or differences in angles. Every edge and angle to the flames, robe sleeves and the dragon's tail, wings, claws and neck spikes also appear to be identical.

The back of the pin has the hatching common to other Disney pins. It has a recessed rectangle and is stamped with "the copyright symbol (circle C) DISNEY" on the first line and "CHINA" on the second with none of the crooked letters or slight blur the counterfeits sometimes show. The copyright symbol, type and spacing of the letters is similar to other Disney pins.

The pin's previous owner received it from a Disneyland Cast Member over a year ago. It came in a purple velvet box. The inside front cover is white "satin" and is stamped in gold gothic letters (similar to the type used for the film and associated books, etc.)-"Walt Disneys Sleeping Beauty". The inner lid also has the same sort of diagonal red ribbon and red pull tab on the purple pin card to which the pin is attached. Holding the card up to the light and looking at the back cardboard reveals that the only holes in it correspond to the dragon pin.

The pin may be from an early production run or is a prototype, although it doesn't say AP. Does anyone know if all Artist Proofs are so designated or is this something that happens occasionally or is a recent practice?

It may also be a counterfeit. However, it seems odd that someone would be so skilled as to duplicate this pin to this level of quality (it does not show the kind of color errors that the counterfeits typically have and I would think the tiny lines would be next to impossible for another artist to duplicate) and then make the obvious error of not keeping the dragon silver. Also, why go to the trouble of creating a Disney type box (also high quality) but not make a duplicate of the Diva box. Finally, if one is going to risk getting caught using a Disney copyright, why not use the Diva one to make a flawless duplicate.

Another pin collector pointed out that this could also be an error pin where the gold was used for the dragon instead of the silver although the lack of the Diva stamp makes me think this is unlikely. Yet another postulated that since this pin came out in 2000, perhaps it was originally planned for the 40th Anniversary of Sleeping Beauty (1999) for sale at the parks and/or Gallery Stores but, due to production problems, may have been delayed and then re-scheduled for the Diva Event instead.

I am still trying to track down more information. If I find out additional data, I will update this description.