Collecting Olympic Pins
Most Olympic collectors start their hobbies by collecting pins. This is because pins are relatively inexpensive, easily available and often given away by sponsoring companies, organizations and media. Probably the most popular of all Olympic memorabilia, most Olympic pins fall into one of the following 6 categories:
Sponsor Pins: Pins from corporate Olympic sponsors and advertisers, international and local, usually given away free.
NOC Pins: National Olympic Committee, pins are official pins produced by individual NOCs for use by their athletes and official for gifts and trading. Also called 'athletes' pins'.
Media Pins: Pins from host broadcasters and the hundreds of radio/TV stations and newpapers covering the Games.
Bid Pins: Organizing Committees from cities vying to host future Games commonly uses pins as gifts.
Security Pins: Local police, fire and other security services often trade pins during the Games.
Commemorative Pins: Also called souvenir pins, these are pins related to the Games sold through shops and the internet. These are heavily hyped by manufacturers before and during the Games.