Last Updated on May 15, 2021 by Netropolitan Museum
Triplets. Blind mice. Coins in a fountain. Strikes. Musketeers. Wise men. Turns. Good things really do come in threes, especially in figure skating, and specifically in the three pins—gold, silver, and bronze—issued to commemorate the 1979 European Figure Skating Championships, held in Zagreb, Yugoslavia (today, Zagreb, Croatia).
The small trio of pins is among the few known “sets” to have been created for a major figure skating championship. The play in the colors of the pins—to mirror the color of medals awarded to winners in the event—is a creative touch. Each of the three stickpins measures 1/2″ square (approximately 1.3 cm).
The small trio of pins is among the few known “sets” to have been created for a major figure skating championship.
Thin, lowercase letters “ep” (for “Evropsko Prvenstvoare,” or “European Championships”) in relief serve as the central design element on the pin. The event location, in all capital letters, is tucked inside the counter of the letter “p” while the event year is split on either side of the descender of the “p.” A skate blade anchors the bottom and signifies the sport for which the pin was issued. A fine, pebble-style texture on the pin’s surface adds subtle dimension and shimmer under light.
Enjoy Good Things Come in Threes. 1979.
1979 European Championships Gallery
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