The Elusive We Won! Pin

The Vancouver Sun runs a sidebar in its Road to 2010 weekly feature called Collectors' Corner ... and it seems tailor-made for this blog. Enjoy.


What: Decision 2010 We Won pin.

Trade value: $250 or more.


History: One of the two rarest Vancouver 2010 bid pins made, this emblem has a curious history. Pin-maker Laurie Artiss Ltd. made 200 of these metal pins as a gift for Vancouver bid committee staff at BC Place on July 2, 2003 in the event Vancouver was chosen by the International Olympic Committee.

Ian Tait, who now works for Artiss Aminco, was the senior Bid Corp. employee at BC Place that day. Artiss gave him the pins, to be handed out only if the IOC announced Vancouver had won. As crowds at BC Place erupted, Tait handed the pins to bid corporation staff, key volunteers and sponsors.

Because of the guesswork, the pin is extraordinarily valuable in a pin- trading world where the average retail pin gets exchanged one-for-one and even scarce pins rarely go above $50 or so. It is difficult to find and ranks up there with a limited pin the Bid Corp. gave to senior bid staff to wear in Prague. We'll review that one next week.

'Celebration of Canada' Pin

The Vancouver Sun runs a sidebar in its Road to 2010 weekly feature called Collectors' Corner ... and it seems tailor-made for this blog. Enjoy.

What: "Celebration of Canada" government 2010 pin.

Trade value: $50 for the gold one, $50 for the misprint, $30 for the regular.

History: In March 2003, the International Olympic Committee's 2010 Evaluation Commission was in town to test-drive Vancouver's bid, and was invited to a gala to showcase Canada's culture.

For the event the federal government contracted with Laurie Artiss Ltd. of Regina to produce a limited number of pins encompassing the 2010 bid logo with the famous government logo of a flag flying off the D in the word Canada.

Only 1,000 gold-coloured pins were made for guests and officials. A larger distribution of enamel-coloured pins was produced. There is also a rare misprinted colour pin, with one red leaf instead of two. About 20 copies of this pin are known to exist.

About ... Sport Pins

The Olympics are about sporting events and athletic competition -- and that fact isn't lost on pin producers or pin purchasers.

Many pin designs center on one or several of the sports of the Games -- in Salt Lake City's case, it was the 15 Olympic Winter sports presented at their Games in 2002. The figure skate pin shown is one of twelve sport equipment pins designed for the 2010 Winter Games.

The design may depict one or more athletes participating in an event or the type of equipment relating to the sport. It may feature the Games' mascots participating in the sport, or it may highlight a past, present or future Olympian in a specific event.

Wheelchair Curling Coin

The Vancouver Sun runs a sidebar in its Road to 2010 weekly feature called Collectors' Corner ... and it seems tailor-made for this blog. Enjoy.

Last week, the Royal Canadian Mint officially released the third of 17 circulation coins to celebrate the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Wheelchair curling is depicted on the 25-cent coin. The RCM is proud to be the first mint to commemorate the Paralympic Games through the issuing of a circulation coin.

Up to 22 million 25-cent wheelchair curling coins will enter into circulation on July 11 and will be available exclusively at RBC Royal Bank and participating Petro-Canada outlets.

Participating Petro-Canada gas stations will also sell wheelchair curling sports cards, containing a uniquely painted version of the coin. The sports cards will sell for $7.95 and will also be available as of July 11th.

Wheelchair curling is the first of two Paralympic circulation coins to be featured in the RCM's extensive Olympic and Paralympic coin program. The ice sledge hockey 25-cent circulation coin will be launched in June, 2009.

About ... Dated Pins

It's perfectly alright for an Olympic pin to be "dated."

Seems like you can find an Olympic pin celebrating just about any holiday or calendar date imaginable, from New Year's Day and Halloween, to Christmas and Canada Day.

Others pins commemorate significant countdown dates — three years to go, 1,000 days to go, six months to go, 200 days to go and so on.

Still other pins may celebrate anniversaries, such as a year anniversary from the announcement of a city's winning the balloting to become an Olympic host city.

Keep a look out for the ones that you want to collect !!

Four Host First Nations Medallion

The Vancouver Sun runs a sidebar in its Road to 2010 weekly feature called Collectors' Corner ... and it seems tailor-made for this blog. Enjoy.

What: Four Host Nations 2006 Winter Games Medallion

Value: $50 US plus.

History: One of the most unusual pieces of 2010 Winter Games memorabilia, this medallion was produced by the Four Host First Nations and VANOC as a "witnessing" emblem to be distributed only at the closing ceremonies of the 2006 Turnin Winter Games.

VANOC and the four nations on whose traditional territory the Games are being held were part of a six-minute segment in Turin's closing ceremonies.

According to Tewanee Joseph, the executive director of the Four Host Nations Secretariat, about 32,000 of the brass-coloured pewter medallions were produced and distributed to spectators who attended the ceremonies in Turin's Stadio Olympico.

On one side of the medallion are four faces representing the four nations of Lil'wat, Musqueaum, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh. Although more of these medallions were produced than most retail pins, they are relatively hard to find.

About ... NOCs, IFs and NSOs

NOCs, IFs and NSOs — yes, there is some reason to this Olympic alphabet soup. And it really pays for the collector to know the difference.

NOC is the acronym for National Olympic Committee. An NOC is the governing and coordinating Olympic organization within a specific nation. There are more than 200 NOCs worldwide.

IF represents International Federation, or the worldwide sport governing associations, such as the International Skating Union or the International Ice Hockey Federation.

NSO stands for National Sport Organization and is national governing body for a specific sport, such as Luge Canada or US Rowing.

NSOs establish rules and standards for national competition, and determine which athletes compete at the Olympics.

Each group has its own official pins, which often are among the most sought-after by collectors at an Olympic Games. So, know the difference and be on the lookout !!

Happy Canada Day !!

What better way to show your patriotism for Canada, and support for the 2010 Winter Games, than to wear the Official Vancouver 2010 Canada Day 2007 pin! Good luck finding one ... only 1,000 were made.