Last Updated on April 26, 2023 by Netropolitan Museum

Profile: Lapel Pins – 1988 World Junior Championships, Brisbane, Australia

Australia has had a difficult time putting on major figure skating events it has won the right to host. But it isn’t for lack of trying. It’s been more a run of bad luck than anything. First, Brisbane was unceremoniously dumped by the International Skating Union (ISU) as host city for the 2000 World Figure Skating Championships (with just seven months’ notice) in favor of Nice, France. Then, the opportunity for Sydney to host the 2021 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships was taken away when the event was canceled because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. However, the land down under has had a bit better luck with the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, having successfully hosted that event twice, in 1988 and again in 1996. In today’s blog, we take a look at the pins that commemorated the first ISU event ever held in the southern hemisphere: the 1988 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

On a gold color base metal, the main logo pin features at its center a stylized outline of the Australian continent, with the small diamond shape representing Tasmania. Tucked into the curve on the left is a series of icons representing aspects of the event: a globe (the world competitors), a skate blade (the sport), and a kangaroo (the host country). Although these icons certainly do their job and are nicely sized and arranged, they lack cohesion and instead come across as three separate thoughts strung together. Tucked into the opposing curve is the year, event name, and location: “1988 World Junior Figure Skating Championships Brisbane.” The most striking aspect of the pin is the rich green color, a highly unusual and rarely seen choice as figure skating pins go. The color likely was chosen to mirror the lush foliage of summertime in Brisbane in December, when the event was held. The rectangular pin features gracefully rounded edges and measures approximately 1‑1/4″ x 1″ (3.2 cm x 2.5 cm).

Today, we take a look at the pins that commemorated the first ISU event ever held in the southern hemisphere: the 1988 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Also from the 1988 World Junior Championships is a special issue pin marked “Judge” that carries the same design elements and wording as the main logo pin, although the arrangement of the year, event name, and location differs slightly. A gold-banded area along the bottom, which sweeps up gracefully at the sides, encloses the word “Judge” and makes clear the wearer’s role. This pin would have been made in highly limited number and likely is one of a series produced for those with a named role in the event. It measures approximately 2″ x 1‑1/4″ (5 cm x 3.2 cm).

Enjoy this week’s figure skating pins blog: 1988 World Junior Figure Skating Championships Pins: They Come from a Land Down Under. And be sure to read the museum story for more information about figure skating pins.

Pins Gallery: 1988 World Junior Figure Skating Championships

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