Last Updated on December 28, 2021 by Netropolitan Museum

1984 World Junior Championships at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins

Nearly 50 years ago at the 1972 Olympic Winter Games, the brilliant Janet Lynn arrived in Sapporo, Japan, and not only enchanted the people of Japan—forming a bond that lasts even today—but the world alike. A little over a decade later, Sapporo would again host top-level figure skaters at the 1984 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in the same arena where Janet immortalized herself during the 1972 Games.

Reusing facilities built for Olympic Games is not uncommon in the world of sports. Less common is reusing an existing event logo for a new or different event. But that was the case when the logo of the long-contested NHK Trophy competition pulled double duty for the 1984 World Junior Championships. The championships took place in December 1983 and were held in lieu of NHK Trophy that year, which had begun in 1979 and historically had been contested in the fall. The logo “rollover” made good sense, and leveraging brand recognition never hurts. Figure skating pins for major championships held in Japan are typically excellent in quality and well-designed. And although the pins from the 1984 World Junior Championships are not exceptional, they are clean and modern.

The logo of the long-contested NHK Trophy competition pulled double duty for the 1984 World Junior Championships.

Two pins, both circular in shape, are shown in the gallery. At the center of the main pin is a silhouette of a skater in motion, appearing to glide on a back outside edge and leaving a clear arc on the ice. The illustration is reminiscent of fashion drawings, with elongated limbs and slender proportions. With arms fully extended, the skater’s hands blend into the inner circle, done in a medium blue, and hint of the oneness that a skater has with the ice. To the left are the location and year: “Sapporo ’84.” The swash-style font used for the year suggests the tracings made by a blade on the ice, particularly evident on the numeral “8.” The block letters used for Sapporo contrast well. Along the outer circumference, on the shiny base metal of silver, are the event name and year: “World Junior Figure Skating Championships ’84.” Snowflakes are used as small decorations between words.

A companion pin, identical in every way except color—being a brilliant red instead—was given to officials and competitors in the event. Each pin has additional information on the reverse, also identical. In stacked format are the year and event name: “1984 World Junior Figure Skating Championships” and below that a shameless plug for the NHK Trophy competition: “The 5th Anniversary of NHK Trophy.” NHK Trophy resumed in 1984 and today is part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The reverse of one pin is also shown in the gallery.

Enjoy this week’s figure skating pins blog: Sapporo Skates Again. 1984.

1984 World Junior Figure Skating Championships Pin Gallery

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