1978 Canadian Figure Skating Pins: Lighting the Way.

Last Updated on January 12, 2025 by Netropolitan Museum

An iconic symbol of Victoria took center stage on the event pins

Victoria, British Columbia, on Canada’s scenic west coast, is renowned for its charming blend of old-world elegance and natural beauty. The city boasts landmarks like the historic Empress Hotel and its iconic afternoon tea, the stunning Butchart Gardens, and the world’s tallest freestanding totem pole. Victoria’s streets are also famous for their unique lampposts—around 1,600 in various designs, each one adorned with hanging baskets of vibrant flowers. These distinctive lampposts not only light up the city’s busy thoroughfares but also were a key design element on the official pins made for the 1978 Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

Crafted from a gold-colored, shiny base metal, the main logo pin is filled with white and blue enamels, while the art elements and lettering are rendered in the gold base color. The event name stretches across the top three-quarters of the pin against a white background, while the event location and year appear in the lower quarter, flanked by maple leaves. Illustrations of a male and female skater in an elegant mirror pose adorn the lamppost at the center, and a royal blue border neatly frames the pin.

Pins Gallery: 1978 Canadian Figure Skating Championships

The Netropolitan takes pride in the provenance of many of the pins and medals in its collection, including the large version of the 1978 Canadian Figure Skating Championships pin. Acquired from Gary Beacom, the pioneering Canadian skater of the late 1970s and early 1980s, this pin stands out with a unique design. Although similar to the main logo pin, it features a different color palette and was likely produced in limited quantities, reserved for competitors, officials, and select others. The lamppost and skaters are filled with a vibrant yellow-gold against a white background, and a matching blue border neatly frames the pin. Notably, the iconic Canadian maple leaf appears in blue. As a province historically tied to the British Crown, the color blue—often associated with the British Empire—might have been used to evoke the royal heritage of British Columbia.

That’s this week’s figure skating pins blog: 1978 Canadian Figure Skating Pins: Lighting the Way.

This blog was originally published at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins on May 28, 2022, and has been updated with new and expanded information.

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