Olympic pins

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Olympic pins are one of the most popular collectables created for the Olympics. There are many kinds of Olympic pin, divided into several collectable fields.

[edit] Fields

Olympic pins are commonly broken into major fields, which share a common reason for being produced. For example, souvenir pins are produced to be sold to the general public.

The following is a list and definition of the different fields of pins.

1) Souvenir pins are produced to be sold to the general public through retail outlets.

2) Sponsor pins are produced by sponsors and suppliers of the games for distribution to customers or employees. Generally, these pins are produced to advertise the participation of a company in the Olympic Sponsorship program. There is also a group of companies that are not affiliated with the Olympics in any way, but use ambush marketing techniques to associate their products with the Olympics. Many times these companies make pins which are collected with the Sponsor pins.

3) National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Team pins. Each committee will usually have a pin specifically made for the use of that committee. Often the pin will have a national logo, symbol, flag included on it. The NOC will usually give the pins to the delegation members from that country to do with as they please. Many times the delegation members, athletes, coaches, administrators, and guests then trade those pins for pins to bring home as gifts or souvenirs. They are also called team pins because the most common way to get these pins is from members of the individual Olympic Team. For example, there is a pin for the members of the Russian volleyball team, or the United States basketball team. These pins may or may not have the Olympic rings, dates or other logos.

4) Media pins are made for the different media outlets that attend the Olympics. Many of these outlets are official broadcasters and thus are allowed to use the logo, mascot, and symbols of the particular Olympic Games. Unofficial media outlets may produce their own pins. However, these may not feature the Olympic symbols.

5) Olympic Organising Committee (OOC) pins are made for internal use and these are particularly collectable. These pins are given to employees and volunteers. The pin will often relate to a particular section of the Committee such as the technology section, the communications sections, protocol section or even the governing board. Sometimes the pin will relate to a specific event or holiday such as New Year, Christmas, or 1 year to go until the games.

6) Bid Pins are produced by committees that are seriously investigating the possibility of bidding for the Olympics. The Olympics are awarded about 7 years before the games are supposed to occur. With the bid process generally taking 3 or 4 years, committees are formed to work on a bid 10 to 12 years before the games they want will occur. A bid committee at any stage of the lengthy bidding process can create pins for presentation and publicity.

7) International Olympic Committee (IOC) pins are made by the IOC for many reasons. The Olympic Museum sell some pins at its gift shop. The members of the IOC are given pins to trade at the Olympic Games. The Olympic Committee also creates pins for specific events and departments. The most collectable pins made by the IOC are those given to those who attend the IOC Sessions. These session badges are usually very large, finely made, and very rare. There is usually a pin made for the individual sessions. Most of the time it is similar to the Session Badge, but smaller and more common.