subject: Olympic Fans Barter For Games Memorabilia [print this page] The practice of trading pins at the Games and displaying them on a custom lanyard dates back to the 1800s when athletes began exchanging badges -- first to distinguish themselves from officials and from the media and later as a hobby.
While the pursuit of Olympic medals is reserved for athletes, Olympic spectators compete in the decidedly less strenuous pastime of collecting and trading pins.
The practice of trading pins at the Games and displaying them on a custom lanyard dates back to the 1800s when athletes began exchanging badges -- first to distinguish themselves from officials and from the media and later as a hobby.
At an Olympic Games it is common to see hundreds of spectators donning custom lanyards picked up from vendors in the Olympic Park or purchased beforehand in their home countries.
Olympic officials as well as members of the media are distinguished by custom lanyards displaying their affiliations. However, often those working the Games have collected so many pins the custom lanyards are difficult to see.
While at the Games, spectators barter with one another trying to secure pins depicting other countries, sporting associations and popular companies.
A wide range of pins signals that the owner has experience at other Games, offering strangers a point of departure for conversation.
While, at first, many spectators scoff at the popularity of Games pin trading, it is easy to be swept into the habit because it provides spectators with such an easy means to meet people they would not otherwise encounter.
The popularity of pin trading at the Olympics was amplified at the 1984 Los Angeles Games where a barter market took place outside the LA Coliseum, attracting more than 10,000 people each day.
Olympic sponsors wasted no time branding pins and by the time the 1988 Calgary Games got underway company-sponsored trading centres were cropping up within the Olympic Park.
Since then, the popularity of Olympic pin trading has only served to bolster the popularity of lanyards at events which attract a high volume of attendees. Custom lanyards are often found at conventions, concerts, fundraising events and tradeshows.
It is common to receive custom lanyards as trade show giveaways.
Regardless of venue and occasion, there is etiquette around trading pins.
Any pin displayed on a lanyard is one that is considered for trading. Those who do not want to trade a specific pin, shouldnt wear it.
Pins are only to be traded rather than purchased.
And, should a bad trade take place, the recipient accepts that the offending pin ought to be thrown out rather than continue in circulation.
A variety of custom lanyards are available in Toronto. Event organizers are encouraged to consider lanyards as an easy and compelling way to promote an event.
