Let It Snow(flake). 1974.

Posted on by Netropolitan Museum

Last Updated on January 22, 2022 by Netropolitan Museum

1974 Canadian Championships at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins

Called “Hub City” partly because of its strategic location at the geographic center of Canada’s Maritime Provinces, Moncton, New Brunswick, welcomed Canada’s finest figure skaters for the 1974 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. An unusually shaped event pin, a hexagon, marked the occasion and repeated the shape used for the pin that commemorated the 1972 World Championships, held in Calgary. The hexagon would make another appearance on a major championship pin in Canada when it was used for the the 1987 Skate Canada event.

Made simply of a shiny, silver-color base metal, the pin represents a snowflake, which are known to always be six-sided. At the center of the cutout-style pin, displayed proudly, is the much-loved Canadian symbol, the maple leaf. Radiating from the center is the structure of the “snowflake” that supports the stronger outer layer. The event year, name, and location are arranged somewhat awkwardly around the circumference: “1974 Canadian Figure Skating Championships, Moncton.” The lettering and maple leaf are in counter-relief and stand out well against the smooth finish, making the 1974 Canadians pin one of the slickest-looking snowflakes you’ll see.

Made simply of a shiny, silver-color base metal, the 1974 Canadians pin represents a snowflake, which are known to always be six-sided.

For a sport that is largely contested during the winter months, only a few figure skating pins for major championships have been made that feature a snowflake motif. The 1974 Canadians is among them. And of the hundreds of pins in the collection of The Netropolitan from just World, European, U.S., Canadian, Skate America, and Skate Canada events, fewer than 20 of those represent a snowflake or include an illustration of a snowflake.

Enjoy this week’s figure skating pin blog: Let It Snow(flake). 1974.

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