1981 European Figure Skating Championships Pin: An Ordinary Day in Innsbruck.

Profile: Lapel Pin – 1981 European Championships, Innsbruck, Austria After hosting two Olympic Winter Games (1964 and 1976), along with many other major sporting events, the Tyrolean city of Innsbruck, Austria, was well qualified to welcome Europe's best figure skaters for the 1981 European Figure Skating Championships, held at Olympiastadion. The post-Olympic year brought few,… Continue reading 1981 European Figure Skating Championships Pin: An Ordinary Day in Innsbruck.

At Least the Shape is Nice. 1955.

Triangle shapes are not often used for figure skating pins, making the one that commemorates the 1955 World Figure Skating Championships somewhat unique for this reason. But the pin stands out for another, less stellar, reason: the lightweight alloy from which it is made. The pin is decidedly not the calibre of those seen for previous World Championships, nor is it a particularly good representative of the fine city of Vienna, where the event took place at the famed Wiener Eislauf-Verein (Viennese Skating Club). Pins from earlier and later figure skating events held in Vienna are exceptionally well done (see blog links below).

A River Runs Through It. 1957.

Not all figure skating pins are either notable or memorable, which are common criticisms offered here at The Netropolitan. Neither of these criticisms, nor any others, can be said of the pin that marks the occasion of the 1957 European Figure Skating Championships, a large and impressive specimen that reflects the importance of the event.

Inclement Weather. 1967.

The 1967 World Figure Skating Championships had the distinction of being the last to be skated outdoors. Although the weather was cold, rainy, and miserable in Vienna, the skating was (mostly) exceptional. Perhaps a lesser known distinction is that the event was commemorated with a significant number of lapel pins, primarily issued to competitors, event officials, media, and coaches.