An Overview of the Trading Pin's History

Have you ever wondered where trading and collecting trading pins originated? Here's a quick rundown of the trade pin's history.

Collectible trade pins have been around for almost a century and are still popular among sports fans, players, and collectors. However, trading pins are more than just eye-catching ornaments. Trading pins as a hobby is as much about tradition as it is about rooting for your favorite team or athlete.

Knowing the history of the trading pin can only make you a more desirable trader. Not to mention that you'll feel a connection to people who initiated the custom and have a chance to make history yourself.

If you've ever wondered about the origins of the trading pin, you've come to the correct place. We'll go through how it all started and why collecting baseball trading pins should be a priority for your club in this post. Continue reading to find out more.

The History of the Trading Pin

Once you've learned everything there is to know about the history of trading pins, you can share your knowledge with other pin dealers to help keep the practice alive. The history is what makes it all so fascinating in the first place. And, regardless of your affinity with the hobby, you'll be better equipped to locate meaningful pins for yourself and your friends or family.

It's difficult to think of a reason NOT to collect trading pins in this day and age. Many sports clubs, from juvenile leagues to professional organizations, create, design, and trade pins to boost team spirit among players and supporters. Some people trade pins as a hobby, even if they rarely attend the events for which the trading pins are manufactured.

Origins

Many baseball pin traders have certainly heard the story of how baseball pin trading began. Baseball, in particular, had its start in the 1920s in Rochester, New York, when a local bakery started selling pinback buttons with local baseball stars on them. The bakery sold the pins in four-packs for sale or trade.

However, the true genesis of the trading pin began around the end of the nineteenth century in Athens, Greece. It was the first Olympic Games in which athletes, judges, and officials all wore various colored cardboard discs to identify themselves. Wearing, exchanging, and trading such pins evolved into the tradition that we know today.

Exclusivity

Trading pins became popular after the first Olympic Village opened in Paris in 1924 since athletes had more frequent interaction with each other and officials. Each country had its pin. It wasn't long before fans became interested in trading and collecting pins, prompting Olympic officials to limit the number of pins manufactured to retain exclusivity.

By 1948, pin trading and collecting had become popular pastimes. Sports fans began arranging trading activities, and the habit quickly gained popularity.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola recognized an opportunity to join in the fun and established an official pin trading facility at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary. This was the first time a corporation got into pin trading, and it was a huge success. Some people came to the Games solely for the pinning and not to witness any sports.

Since Coca-Cola began to promote and dedicate itself to pin trading, it has been known as the number one spectator sport in the Olympic Games. There are now thousands of designs and millions of pins and collectors worldwide.

Disney

Pins have always been available for purchase and collection at Disneyland parks. However, pin trading was not launched at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida until the Millennium Celebration in 1999. The California Disneyland Resort quickly followed.

Pin swapping is very widespread in Disneyland Parks across the world. This was the first time in history that a firm unrelated to sports got involved in the custom of trading pins, and it was a huge success. Disney has its pins and trading traditions, including Disney Cruise Lines.