1977 European Figure Skating Pin: Finland, Finland, Finland! II.

Last Updated on October 18, 2025 by Netropolitan Museum

A folksy pin marks the event, but perhaps was a missed opportunity to showcase national pride

In late January 1977, the top skaters from around Europe gathered in Helsinki, Finland, to determine the best on the continent in singles, pairs, and dance. Somewhat surprisingly, it was the first European Championship to be held in the Nordic country, although neighbors Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all had previously hosted the event. Nine of the 12 medals available that week were won by competitors from what were, at the time, Communist-bloc countries. Only Dagmar Lurz (Federal Republic of Germany), Susanna Driano (Italy), and Robin Cousins (Great Britain) were able to slip past the Iron Curtain and carve out a medal of their own. Meanwhile, to mark the occasion of the 1977 European Figure Skating Championships, a simple, folksy pin was issued.

Pin Gallery: 1977 European Figure Skating Championships

The 1977 pin features an epoxy dome over a hot-stamped/printed design, a process that was gaining popularity because of high efficiency and low cost. Although the pin lacks the production value that cloisonné would exhibit, it carries a quirky charm all its own. One must wonder, though, why the event organizing committee did not draw more inspiration for the pin from their own country. There is so much, such as Lapland’s endless summer sun and winter’s Northern Lights, dramatic landscapes carved by ice and water, glassy lakes by the thousands, or sweeping stands of silver birch. It feels like a missed opportunity to allow Finland’s natural beauty to shine through in the design.

A silver-colored base metal lies beneath the epoxy dome-covered design, which features an overall off-white background and stylized, crossed skate blades enclosed in a dark blue circle. At the time, this element was used as part of the Finnish Figure Skating Association’s brand. Note the heart shape that is created where the toe plates meet. Below the logo, also in dark blue and in a font that perfectly complements the design, is the event name, year, and location: “European Figure Skating Championships 1977 Helsinki Finland.” As is often seen on European pins, English is used rather than the host country’s native language.

Of note is a production flaw typically seen in the 1977 Europeans pin: small bubbles, usually no more than the size of a standard pinhead, within the epoxy. It also is common for the off-white background to have heavily yellowed over the years, particularly around the pin’s edges. In nearly 45 years of collecting, The Curator of The Netropolitan has rarely seen the pin without at least a few bubbles and almost always exhibiting yellowing.

The Finnish capital would go on to host other major figure skating events, including the 1983 World Championships, where the event pin would again use the crossed skates motif. And if you’d like to have a bit of fun while learning more about Finland, enjoy this 2005 performance of the Fisch Schlapping Song from Monty Python’s Spamalot.

This blog was originally published at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins on February 20, 2021, and has been updated with new and expanded information.

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