Guide to Historic Landmark and Iconic Olympic Pins
This guide is intended as a simple overview of Olympic landmark and iconic pins for collectors. This category of Olympic pins really expanded for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and could reach new heights for the 2012 London Olympics.
Many collectors buy or trade for landmark and iconic pins while attending Olympic Games. Quite a number are limited editions and they serve as a memento of their visit also. I tried to find 2008 Beijing pins of this type with informational packaging because I was not very familiar with Chinese history or culture. This gave me an additional resource to clarify and expand the information and picture found on the pin.
One of the most collected pins for the 1936 Berlin Olympics was the Brandenburg Gate pin. This pin is a cut-out pin with the gate on top and the Olympic Rings below. It represented both a historic landmark and an iconic symbol of Berlin.
Jumping well forward to the 1980 Moscow Olympics, there were even more iconic pins produced. Many Moscow pins portrayed everyday symbols familiar to collectors around the world. Even the Games Mark had the outline of the Kremlin as its main characteristic. Hundreds of pins dedicated to the Kremlin were produced. There were very nice pins featuring iconic Russian peasant dolls and folk art.
In 1984 Los Angeles, there were pins depicting the Queen Mary, which was docked in Long Beach, the L.A. Coliseum, and other iconic Southern California attractions.
Again we move well forward to the 2008 Beijing Olympics where the ancient civilization gave rise to more landmark and iconic pins than ever before. There were dozens of pins featuring buildings and gates of the ancient city and the Imperial Palace. The Marble Boat, Terra Cotta Warriors, Temple of Heaven, and Great Wall were just a few of the more popular subjects. Iconic pins featuring Chinese art, musical instruments, modern landmarks, and dress were produced in both sets and as individual pins.
Perhaps only eclipsed by the variety of landmark and iconic pins produced for 2008 Beijing, it seems that the old city of London will be the subject of this type of pin made for the 2012 London Olympic Games. There are many landmarks in London, such as The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Trafalgar Square. Iconic British symbols like the Beefeaters, Palace Guards, London Taxis, Horse Guards, phone boxes, and even rainy weather will be just a few of the subjects of 2012 London Olympic pins.
Happy collecting!
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