Rally on Robson Supporter 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: Rally on Robson supporter pin

Trade value: $30-$40

History: In March, 2003, the International Olympic Committee's 2010 evaluation committee came to Vancouver to check out the city's bid.

It was a momentous event, one that if handled well could help seal the deal and give Canada the Games. If handled wrong, it could spell disaster, giving Vancouver's rivals a leg up. So the city, province and Canada literally rolled out the red carpet.

One part called for a massive public rally on Robson Street on Sunday, March 2, the first full day of the commission's visit. Organized by the Robson Street Business Association, the so-called Rally On Robson involved a street party featuring everything from a dryland bobsled track to a temporary ice rink. There were street performers and musicians.

Someone produced a small group of gold-coloured pewter "Rally on Robson" pins that were sold at a couple of stores along the drag. Frank Zavarella, one of the deans of Vancouver's pin-collecting world, estimates no more than 500 of the pins were produced.

The pin is now considered scarce. Ironically, the IOC commission never got to the rally because it was in meetings all day.