1988 Skate Canada Pins: The Winds of Change.

From Thunder Bay to collectors' hands: a transitional pin set In 1988, the long-established and successful brand for the Skate Canada event, held annually each fall, began to show signs of transformation. A title sponsor had been added, and with it came a shift in how the competition was presented and remembered. The change is… Continue reading 1988 Skate Canada Pins: The Winds of Change.

1983 World Figure Skating Pin: Finland, Finland, Finland!

The pin issued for the 1983 World Figure Skating Championships features rounded corners and a colorful palette of blue, white, and red. At the top of the pin are the event year and name: "1983 World Figure Skating Championships." A heart is used as a separator between the year and the word "World," an element borrowed from the identity of the Finnish Skating Association in use at the time. A large, stylized skate blade in blue dominates the lower portion of the pin, which also features the location: "Helsinki-Finland."

1947 European Figure Skating Pin: Alpine Glory.

At the 1947 European Figure Skating Championships, held in Davos, Switzerland, the well-made pin of the Internationaler Schlittschuhclub Davos was given out as a memento to competitors and others associated with the event. The 1947 pin is one of only a few issued for a European Championship to feature a flower, in this case the much-beloved and well-known Edelweiss of Switzerland and Austria.

1938 European Figure Skating Pin: Compass and Creativity.

The pin made to commemorate the 1938 European Figure Skating Championships for pairs is an unusual stamped metal design that features a colorful fabric ribbon adorned with a metal embellishment at the tip. Not only does the pin mark the occasion of the European Championships, but it also celebrates the 70th anniversary of the formation of the Troppau Eislauf Verein (TEV).

1983 Canadian Figure Skating Pins: Flowing Like a River.

When a championship pin told the story of a city and its river Figure skating pins take all shapes and sizes, often blending athletic symbols with regional or cultural imagery. Few examples capture this creativity better than the 1983 Canadian Figure Skating Championships pins, issued for the event held in Montréal, Quebec. Shaped like a… Continue reading 1983 Canadian Figure Skating Pins: Flowing Like a River.