From guitar designs, to pin up girls, and even collector sets, Hard Rock pins are a fantastic way to supplement your collection. You can even build a brand new collection out of just Hard Rock pins and never run out of new pins to acquire. There are new pins coming out all the time, and even antique pins that fetch quite a bit of money on the ‘used’ market.

If you’ve been looking for a new idea for pins to collect, you owe it to yourself to check these out!

Check out Google Shopping results for Clown Pins.

Hot air balloons are a symbol of human transportation, and as a matter of fact they are noted as the first human flight device in history. Hot air ballooning is a true enthusiast sport, and has been well documented throughout history, and there are even several annual races held revolving around these floating beauties.

The Great Reno Balloon Race brings hundreds of competitors from around the world to the skies over Reno, Nevada each year, and has been doing so for 27 years.

If you’re looking for a great place to begin your collection of Hot Air Balloon Pins, check out Google Shopping for some great balloon pins.

As always, if you’ve got a resource you’d like to share, please send us an email at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Today we’d like to share an eHow article about how to trade lapel pins.

eHow – How to trade lapel pins

Whether you’re a beginning pin trader, or you’ve been trading and collecting pins for years, it’s a cool article and could offer up a few good ideas how how to add to your collection.

I recently stumbled across a site called Pin Finder, which is a Disney trading pin resource where they sell not only single Disney pins, but small started collections in lots of 50 pins, 100 pins, and so on.

Be sure to check out Pin Finder

Photographic printed pins are fairly unlike the rest of the pin styles you come across. They aren’t painted, and there is very little metal (gold, silver, etc) showing through. It appears that a graphic is printed onto perhaps a sticker, and placed onto the metal pin backing. From the pins I’ve personally seen, it looks like any time you have a photo printed pin, it requires the application of the clear acrylic coating (I think it’s called an epoxy dome) so that the sticker doesn’t peel off or get scuffed up.

Some of the photo printed pins I’ve seen are pretty cool, because it actually has the real, original image printed onto it, rather than redrawn into what looks like line art like most pins. While not my favorite, however, there is a time and a place for everything in a large collection, right?

I’ve collected animal pins for quite a while. I have just about every animal that walks (and has walked) the Earth! From panthers and lions to cats and dogs, animal pins are a really cool collectible. Because there are so many animals, running out of pins to collect is virtually impossible. Check out the cool alligator pin shown here! There are several alligator pins in my own collection, and I’ve seen people collect thousands of different types of animal pins. Some realistic looking, some cartoonish, but all of them awesome!

Here are some animal pin resources for you to check out:

Lyante Animal Pins

Zulu Moon Animal Pins

Most of dangling pins that I have only have 1, sometimes 2 pins hanging underneath the main pin. The pin shown here has several, and I’ve seen pins worn by Home Depot employees that have several dangling pins as well, apparently for years on the job or other goals achieved.

Cool stuff, huh?

Glitter pins, or sparkling pins as I’ve come to call them are really cool, glitter-painted lapel pins that sparkle in the light. The only difference between a regular solid-colored pin and a glitter pins appears to be that glitter flakes are sprinkled into the paint before it dries, resulting in very neat effect.

Most of the pins I’ve seen like this are baseball and softball pins, but I’ve had the chance to collect several other academic and non-sports glitter pins as well. You could even start a mini collection of solely glitter or sparkling pins if you wanted to, separate from your reguarl, sold-colored pins.

Go to Spotlight Lexington for more information about the pgoram.

McDonald’s pins are a huge collectible, with collectors spanning the globe, they’re being sold, bought and traded all over the internet, and offline as well. There’s even one guy who has one of the largest known McDonald’s pin collections out there. Boasting over 20,000 unique pins, and nearly 120,000 extras, I’d say his collection is the real deal. Check out his website at McFred’s

I’ve learned that most pins are actually manufactured off-shore in countries such as China, Taiwan, and India. Not a big surprise, lots of things are made there…just about everything you use on a daily basis has some manufacturing ties to one of these countries.

I have also learned that there are some people who only collect or buy pins that are made in the USA, or Union made. I’ve done some research and it seems that there are only a small number of shops in the USA that make pins. This makes for some really unique and fairly hard to come by collectible pins. While there are literally millions of pins out there, the percentage I’ve heard from some of the USA manufacturers is that only about 3-5% of all lapel pins are made right here in the USA. Very cool!

I’ve managed to put together a small collection of USA made pins so far, and am actively looking for more. So if you’re looking for a unique route to take on your pin collecting path, check out domestically made pins!

Some flashing pins have several lights, which flash in a sequence, or all at once, depending on the particular pin. Most have different colored LED lights.

Flashing pins are usually powered by small watch batteries, and last nearly forever… I’ve had a few flashing in my collector case for over a year, and they’re still going! I’ve also seen flashing trading pins, such as baseball and softball pins, which look a little different than the flashing pin you see in the picture. On most of the flashing pins you see, it’s almost as if the pin is modeled around the lights, whereas with trading pins it looks like the pins are already done, and the light is added afterward, offering a more authentic look in my opinion.

I’ve included some sites below that specialize in Flashing pins.

http://www.flashingflag.com/

http://www.flashingblinkylights.com/ – be careful with this one, it might cause a seizure.

If you know of any additional flashing pin resources, shoot us an email at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Today, there are more options than ever to not only organize and maintain your lapel pins, but display them either for a retail setup, or for trading at pin trading events.

Carry-along items like trading pin bags are a popular item amongst kids in youth sports, as well as Disney pin collectors.

A great source I’ve found for pin trading bags is Big Promotions – and I believe they come in different colors as well.

If you’re looking for a personal display for your pin collection, you might consider a display case or wall-mount display frame like the ones found here.

One of the more popular, and more recent additions to the world of pin displays, is the Bauble Board, which we’ve covered before on this post.

There is another type of process which seems to be very popular, especially where there is relief detail, or 3d dimensional detail. This process is called Die Casting.

Die casting is different from die striking in that the pins are created from a cast rather than being struck. This is idea for 3-dimensional objects and details that are more difficult to strike due to the availability of thick metal blanks. With casting, the beginning blank metal thickness does not matter, as it is melted down prior to the casting process.

Casting involves molten metal, of which varying types or blends are used in the creation of die cast pins. This molten metal is then poured into a cavity, known as a mold, where it takes on the shape of the design.

The cast is left to harden, and the the mold is removed from the pin, revealing the final lapel pin. This process is more commercially available because molds can be made from a variety of materials such as wax, clay, plaster, or rubber, whereas die striking mostly requires a design to be molded into steel or another hard metal suitable for striking.

These cast pins are a great collectible item, as most of them resemble real 3-dimensional objects you see every day. They can be cast to emulate musical instruments, vehicles, and even products.

These vests come in a variety of colors, and are used to hold onto your pin collection as you stroll about a pin trading event, or just to display your collection of lapel pins.

Check out these great pin trading vests.

Cooperstown Dreams Park is another family baseball resort located just outside Cooperstown, NY with youth baseball players in mind. Cooperstown Dreams Park features several lighted fields and accomodations as well, and is highly regarded as the central hub for youth baseball.

Youth baseball teams pour into Cooperstown every summer to play tournaments and grab at a chance to be inducted to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hundreds of teams visit Cooperstown every year, and many trade pins. Pin trading is absolutely huge in Cooperstown, and many teams I’ve seen have both trading pins for their home state tournaments, and separate trading pins for their Cooperstown trip.

Here’s an excerpt from the official source:

“The 2010 pin features Luke Skywalker on his tauntaun with DCSWCC’s signature Washington Monument in the background, in honor of the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. Fourth in DCSWCC’s series of high-quality cloisonne lapel pins, officially sanctioned by Lucasfilm Ltd., each pin is individually stamped and numbered on the back. Only 1000 will ever be made.”

To order your Luke on tauntaun pin, visit http://store.dcswcc.org

As we all know, the Star Wars saga carries a massive following and with that, collectible merchandise. People have been known to line up for Star Wars collectible items ranging from action figures to mugs and other trinkets.

Star Wars pins are highly regarded and can be found just about anywhere pin trading or pin collecting is popular. I’ve included some mainstream resources below for Star Wars pins.

StarWars.Com Pins

Star Wars Pins

Super Hero Stuff – Star Wars Pins

If you’ve got a Star Wars collectible pin resource to share, send it on over to us at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Find out more by visiting: http://www.epinet.org.au/articles/2010_bmw_caulfield_cup_pin_and_win_program

The pins are $5/each and support a very worthy cause! There is also a draw with 5 prizes available.

There was no photo of the pin immediately available, but once it becomes available, we’ll be posting it here for all to see.

Navy pins are a great idea for beginning collectors due to their availability, and many are very affordable. I’ve included some resources below to help you get started in collecting Navy pins.

AtOncer

Gr8Gear – Navy Pins

Navy Pins at Soldier City

If you have any great Navy pin resources, please submit them to us at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Chances are, if you’re a lapel pin collector you have a few, or many of these types of pins, and they’re easier to become addicted to, due to the consecutive nature of trying to collect one from each country.

As it turns out, there are several different types of pin backs, or clutches if I may, that are available for lapel pins. I believe that most Disney pins come with a rubber mouse-ear shaped clutch. Really neat!

Most of the time, I’ve seen the metal backing, commonly referred to as a metal clutch, military clutch, or butterfly clutch. But there are several others that you may have seen as well.

The most commonly used pin backs:

• Rubber clutches – Typically black and round with a tab to pull on
• Jeweler’s/Jewelry clutch – this looks like the bell end of a tie tack
• Safety pin – Just like you see on buttons
• Cufflink – Apparently it’s very popular to use cufflink attachments on lapel pins to make them into cufflinks – great idea!
• Magnetic – I guess these make sense if you don’t want to puncture your nice suit jacket
• Threaded Spur - This is almost like a screw on the back with a round part that spins securely on..more permanent.

Well, that covers some of the basics, of course there are many more, and we’ll cover them all one of these days!

Stanwing

Wing Collector

JK Militaria

These pins have become really collectible, and there are many out there. One of the reasons they’re so collectible, is that you can collect pins from just about every state, and even go as far as to try to collect pins from each major county in the US.

Police badge lapel pins typically look just like the real, full size badge they’re replicating, minus some of the ornate details, simply due to the fact that most police badges are 2 1/2″ to 3″ in size and a lapel pin is normally only about 1 inch in size. Obviously there’s only so much detail you can fit on a 1″ lapel pin I suppose.

There are a lot of police badge pins available on sites like ebay, and all over the internet.

Jewelry lapel pins are most often referred to as Brooches, and they are typically fairly large and many times 3-dimensional. Bugs, animals, and symbols and the most common types I’ve seen.

These brooches have become highly collectible, and Fmr. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright actually published a book entitled ‘Read My Pins’; describing her personal collecting of brooches, which have been publicly noticed by the nation for many years.

I haven’t yet started collecting jewelry pins, but I run across many collectors of them in visiting various pin trading events across the country. They are definitely an eye catching item, and many are very valuable, which may be one of the reasons I haven’t started collecting them yet: there is a minimum budget!

If you have a jewelry pin, or brooch collection you’d like to share with us, please email us at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

What a great inside look at pin trading at the OOTM Globals. Good stuff!

If you have a video you’d like to see featured here, drop us at line at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

The story, published in Time in 2008, also includes information about the lapel pin controversy surrounding President Barack Obama, which most of you are likely familiar with.

They have some pretty cool pins for sale, including a 2003 NFL set that comes in a plastic display case. I’d highly recommend checking it out if you’re into sports trading pins.

And if you’re into Olympic pins, I found an article about some of this year’s most collectible Olympic trading pins and, of course, you should also check out the official Vancouver 2010 pin trading store.

Wooden lapel pins seem to be relatively uncommon. There don’t seem to be many people trading or collecting them, which to me, is a huge opportunity! I’ve already got a dozen of them and am on the lookout for more.

Most wooden lapel pins appear to be 2 dimensional and unpainted, utilizing 2 levels of engraving/etching to portray the desisn. (Think raised and recessed)

They have a very unique appearance and remind me of those old wooden engraved signs you’d see in front of antique stores or country stores.

The photographer, Kat + Duck, goes on to tell in a blog post about the photo, that they were looking to not only come up with a fresh idea for a photo shoot, but also promote themselves at the same time. I think they pulled it off. It’s a really cool picture, and they do some awesome work.

Lapel Pins are a small metal pieces of jewelry that are most commonly used for advertising a company’s product or service, or to spread the word about an event, group, or political topic. Lapel pins come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors, and have become a highly collectible and traded item. Many times, lapel pins can be customized for certain organizations or companies that are using them to market a new product or service.

One of the most popular uses for lapel pins is pin trading. The pins used for pin trading are referred to as… you guessed it, Trading Pins! Trading pins are hugely popular amongst Disney fans, The Olympics, Lions Club, and more. One of the more common arenas for trading pins is youth sports, such as little league baseball, softball, soccer and more.

Trading Pins

Trading pins have become a large part of youth sports, and some teams consider them as important a part of the game, as playing the game itself. It’s easy to see why trading pins have become so popular. They can be completely customized for specific teams, and kids and parents alike have the opportunity to share in the fun an excitement of not only trading the pins, but taking part in the design process as well.

Pin trading has gained in popularity in a number of sports, including baseball, softball, soccer, hockey, basketball, volleyball, and even football. Baseball trading pins are among the most popular, and softball trading pins are also extremely popular. Custom pins offer a way for teams to feature their own logos and team colors on their trading pins.

We hope you find our web site useful. We are lapel pin enthusiasts with a history in pin trading, and pin collecting, and have compiled some of the most popular and up to date resources from around the web in order to help you as best we can.

• Button Pins or Pin  Buttons – This is a common confusion between a button (usually big and plastic, like you see handed out during the elections) and a lapel pin (small and metal, like the flag pin on the President’s lapel)
• Pin Badges or Enamel Badges – This is a common name for lapel pins in european countries.
• Label Pins – This is simply an error in grammar, since the word Label is very common, some people tend to think the P is a mistake and call them Label Pins instead of Lapel Pins. I actually like this one because it sounds funny and sometimes I say it just to be silly.

So, we just wanted to cover some common lapel pin synonyms as well as misnomers.

Until next time – Lapel Pins USA!

We will be accepting submissions from teams around the world competing for 3 positions in our contest. There will be first, second, and third place winners, with #1 earning a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart, a page dedicated to their pin design on Lapel Pins USA, and a link to their team’s website. Second and third place runners-up will receive a link to their team’s website, along with a display of their trading pins right here on our website. The results will be posted here on August 2nd.

We’ll be accepting submissions through July 15th, so get your design sent in today: designcontest2010@lapelpinsusa.com

Good luck, and we can’t wait to see all of this year’s best designs!

These days, a lot of the sports pins I see, especially those from youth sports, feature moving parts.

The most commonly found moving parts are called Sliders, Spinners and Danglers. There are also bobbling pins that go beyond the traditional bobble head, and I’ve seen baseball bobbles, bobbling bats and more.

Spinners are probably the ones I’ve seen the most of… The pins typically have a spinning baseball, bat or mascot/logo. The spinning portion looks like a miniature pin itself, and it’s fastened with a short post through a drilled hole in the main pin. Seems pretty simple but adds an extra element to the trading pins.

Sliders are a similar concept, except instead of spinning, they are attached through a slot, or channel that has been removed and they move across the pin rather than spinning in a circle. This allows simulation of movement, such as a player sliding into home plate, or a baseball moving from the bat to outfield.

I’ve collected over a hundred or so of these moving trading pins, and each year they come up with some new and creative way to use the moving parts. One of my favorite resources is Trading Pins US

They seem to be the most collectible and popular amongst the kids and us adults who trade and collect them, I guess the idea is who would want a boring old stationary trading pin when you can have one with moving parts? No takers?

Disney, of course, has a booked calendar for pin trading events, which can be seen here. There’s even a podcast dedicated to pin trading.

Whatever your favorite type of pins to collect, chances are there is a pin trading event going on somewhere that you can find many more pins to add to your prized collection.

I wanted to send out a request for our readers to send in their pin trading stories from their part of the world. Whether you’re the coach of a traveling team, or your son or daughter are on a league, send in your pin trading stories along with an event photo and we’ll post it up here!

Seen the season’s hottest trading pin? Send us a picture, we’d love to see who’s doing what in the world of trading pins.

Email us: pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com – Over and out.

Nasa 50th Anniversary Pin

NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has released mission pins, and several other lapel pins over the decades.

These pins have become extremely collectible, some honoring the men and women of the space program, others stamping into time the dates of missions past, present and future.

NASA lapel pins have a certain allure about them. They are released by the agency that sends human beings into outerspace… there’s something to be said for that!

Most NASA pins feature the NASA logo, mission details, or craft details, such as space shuttle information, launch dates, rocket details, or astronaut information.

There are several NASA pins available for purchase through several online retailers that specialize in them, I’ve outlined some below for your browsing pleasure.

The Space Store – NASA Pins

The Space Shop – NASA Pins

ShopNASA – Pins

By the way, collecting NASA pins  is sure to send your collection into orbit!

Hockey pins are being traded at hockey events around the globe, and quickly emerging as a very popular item on the collecting market. There are professional league hockey pins, Olympic hockey pins, youth hockey pins, and many more types out there. What you choose to collect and trade is purely up to you, and the sky is the limit!

Many hockey pins feature hockey sticks, and possibly an ice rink or another design portraying the sport of hockey. Many hockey trading pins also feature a teams’ logo and slogan for that extra touch of uniqueness, and hockey pins are one of the most collectible types of lapel pins out there today.

Another way in which collecting awareness lapels can be rewarding is by the uniqueness of most of the pins released in support of a cause. Surely you’ve seen ribbon lapel pins, and there are several other types and styles of lapel pins out there that are created for awareness.

I’ve collected a lot of ribbon pins, and other awareness and cause pins for years. Most of them are very limited runs, and very collectible.

There are also other reasons for ribbon pins, such as patriotism, as shown in the image to the left. It makes me feel good to collect awareness pins because I usually buy them directly from the vendor supporting the cause, which means that I’ve somehow contributed to the cause, and that’s always a good thing!

Soccer trading pins are nothing new, they’ve been around for years. Many youth soccer teams today often trade pins at their tournaments, and most teams have their very own pins custom made. The custom made pins are really the way to go for teams, because they can customize them using their logo, colors and slogans.

Soccer trading pins are increasing in popularity, too. Ten years ago, not many soccer teams knew what trading pins, or the sport of pin trading was. Today, however, pin trading amongst soccer teams, and players, is almost commonplace in most parts of the country, and even in the world.

The typical soccer trading pin consists of a soccer ball, possibly the image of a soccer field, a team’s logo or jersey mascot, and anything else the teams wants to toss in. Most become small pieces of art in that the designs can get pretty awesome and totally unique.

Today’s soccer trading pins are more than just a fun past-time, they’re what’s happening on the benches, and before and after games. On and off the field, pin trading in the sport of soccer is a sure up and comer!

The type of lapel pin can play a big part in selecting pins for your collection. Many times it comes down to simply how the pin looks, the quality of the finish, the luster and the general appearance of the lapel pin.

Pin styles vary drastically, and each style was developed to accomplish a certain goal, and with certain design characteristics in mind. I’ll run you through some of the core styles of lapel pins, ranging from the most popular, to the most expensive, and beyond. Let’s begin, shall we?

Cloisonne (often called hard enamel) – The Top Dog

Cloisonne lapel pins go way back in history. The Chinese have perfected the art of cloisonne, or filling in cells with color over the course of hundreds of years. As most lapel pins (so I hear) are manufactured in China, this gives a general sense that the technique is coming from the one place in the world where it is considered a fine art.

The main feature of cloisonne lapel pins is there brilliant shine, and smooth surface. I’ve seen many lapel pin companies refer to these as Jewelry-like or jewelry-quality, and I can’t agree more. They are by far the best looking type of pins, granted the design of the pin you’ve got lends itself to looking nice to begin with, the cloisonne style will make it look that much better.

I give this style 3 thumbs up. Both of my own, and I borrowed another thumb from Pins, my dog. (A ferocious werewolf-life beast)

Soft Enamel – 1st Runner Up

So when you don’t get best, what do you get? Second best! Duh. Anyhow, soft enamel lapel pins are actually a very, very great type of pin, and sometimes….yep, SOMETIMES can look better than a cloisonne lapel pin, depending on the design. This is subject to opinion, but I have some soft enamel pins that I can’t imagine would look any better in cloisonne.

These lapel pins are what you would call dimensional 2d, or to describe in better detail, they have recessed colors (sunken in) and raised trimming outlines that form the perimeter of the design of the pin.

I see more soft enamel lapel pins that any other type of pins I collect. I think it’s because they generally look amazing and they’re a little less money so people tend to have these made more often than cloisonne pins.

Either way, I really like the way these lapel pins look.

Die Struck – 3rd place but tied for 1st

Die struck pins are pretty awesome looking. They don’t have paint like the cloisonne and soft enamel pins, they only feature raised and recessed metal (the recessed metal is typically sandblasted from my understanding) and they look really neat.

Die struck pins are very versatile, and I see many highly sought after collectible pins made in die struck version. Some of the most valuable pins out there are die struck pins. Die struck pins are usually all gold, all silver or all bronze.

Screen Printed / Digital Printed – The leftovers

I don’t usually collect any lapel pins that are printed or screen-printed, I don’t like the way they look the be honest, but everything has its place. Screen-printing allows for fine small details to be printed onto a pin that otherwise would not be possible, I guess. I sometimes see cloisonne lapel pins that have screen-printing applied to them after they’re already made, and those look really trick.

Printed pins (the ones that look like a photo/design printed onto the pin with a bubble (acrylic or epoxy?) applied to them. Ultra-cheap looking in my opinion. But again, there’s a place for everything. I just choose not to collect these.

Wrapping Up

While several types of lapel pins exist, the types of lapel pins you collect is purely up to you. I normally go with my eye, and what visually appeals to me, or whatever I think will be a good trader. Again, just have fun and keep it positive.

Since it’s inception in 1905, Rotary International has seen many different official, and unofficial lapel pins emerge, most of which become relics and collectibles amongst members, and even non-members.

Most Rotary lapel pins feature the Rotary International logo, and occasionally the logo of another business or organization, depending on the original usage of the lapel pin. There are a number of recognition pins that were issued to members that are very valuable. Rotary Sponsor pins are also amongst the most popular styles seen on the trading and collecting market.

The main styles of Rotary lapel pins seen are: President, past president, member, sponsor, interact, governor, themed lapel pins, and district pins. There are several others, but these are the basics.

And if you’re looking to get a head start collecting them, companies like Russell Hampton sell a variety of rotary lapel pins.

We wanted to outline our all-time top 10 lapel pin uses, and give our readers an idea of the broad scope of things that lapel pins represent.

1. Business & Corporate Advertising
2. New Product Release Promotions
3. Patriotism
4. Cancer Awareness
5. Aids Awareness
6. Trading Pins
7. Clubs and Organizations
8. Military
9. Law Enforcement
10. Collecting

There are many more uses for lapel pins, of course, but these are the ones that in our minds, top the list as the most popular.

If you’d like to share a use that you’ve found for lapel pins, please share it with us: pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Coke pins have been a valued collector’s item for many years. Some collectors have collections spanning back to the 1960′s and earlier. Coke pins are a great collectible because they are very well received as a treasured collectible by many Coke enthusiasts.

Due to Coke’s long-standing sponsorship of the Olympic Games, Coke pins that also have Olympic ties are even more valued. When you get into collecting say, Salt Lake City 2002 pins that feature the Olympic Rings, along with the Coke logo, you get the best of both worlds from a collector’s point of view. Some official Coke sponsorship pins are worth hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dollars due to their rarity and small initial run.

These pins fetch the most money on sites like ebay, where many collectors of Coke pins go to peddle their collections or make way for new pins.

One website, http://www.sodapins.com/ shows off a variety of different types of Coke collectible pins that have been featured through several Olympic Games.

Many other popular styles of Coke lapel pins include winter and holiday themed pins, Nascar, Disney, and even antique pins depicting the old coke bottles of years past.

Whatever your favorite type, Coke pins are a great entry into the world of collectible lapel pins, and are always readily trade-able and highly valued in the world of collectible lapel pins.

2010 Olympic Pin

The Olympic Games bring with them a time-honored tradition, and what can sometimes be considered a cult following when it comes to pin trading. Olympic Trading Pins are outrageously popular, and people are willing to travel the globe in search of the latest and greatest Olympic Pins.

There are different designations of Olympic Pins, which makes collecting and trading even that much more fun. For example, some people prefer to collect sponsor pins, and others prefer to collect bid pins, which are used by cities in an effort to draw attention to their own cities for the possibility to hold Olympic Games in their city. Others collect press pins, or committee pins. Regardless of which type of Olympic pins you choose to collect, there are a vast number of them out there, and some are even worth hundreds of dollars.

Olympic pins have a particular allure about them to most collectors, they have a sense of officialism, and they also represent cultural diversity. Olympic pin trading is hugely popular because of the wide range of pins available to be collected and traded.

Most collectors these days use the internet to swap or buy new pins for their collections, but some avid traders are willing to travel all over the country, and the world to secure the harder to get pins for their collections.

One of the greatest things about Olympic pin trading and collecting is the passion of the collectors. Most are extremely passionate about the Olympics, as well as the pins, and it shows in their collections. Pin Trading is also a fantastic way to meet new people, and a cool excuse to travel the world and see new places.

Check out this cool Olympic pin trading video:

Here are some great Olympic pin trading sites to check out:

About Olympic Pin Trading

Coca-Cola Pin Trading PDF

National Geographic – Pin Trading

CNN iReport on Pin Trading

If you’re an Olympic pin collector, and have a story to share, we’d love to hear from you! You can reach me directly at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

We are constantly updating our web site with the latest, most up to date information about lapel pins, and invite you to contact us with any questions you might have.

Please feel free to email us at:  pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Many bikers collect lapel pins during their tenure with motorcycle clubs, and they wear them proudly on their vests. The next time you see a guy on a Harley, be sure to check out his or her vest and I bet you’ll see several lapel pins that have been issued to them, or collected over the years.

I’ve been collecting biker lapel pins for a few years, and I have several really cool lapel pins, and even a few that might be considered questionable, but they are unique and rare nonetheless.

Be sure to email me: pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com if you have any suggestions for where to find unique biker pins.

State lapel pins are actually very popular, and collectible. They’ve got the same allure as state quarters, and, are very available through any pin trading venues and from collectors all over the world. Yes, even collectors in other countries collect state lapel pins, because in other countries, they’re even more rare than here in the US. Think about if you began collecting canton or province pins from other countries, they’d be a lot less known to most US collectors than USA state pins, and offer a greater collecting and trading presence.

Not all state lapel pins are created equal, however. There are of course different styles of pins that look better than others, and there are distinct differences between the grade, or quality of pin styles. I’ve heard the terminology “cloisonne” used to describe what appear to be the higher quality of pin styles. From my best understanding I believe you want to steer clear of printed pins that look like a sticker with a bubble applied to them. I’ve run across a few of these, and they are indeed thin, and feel cheap in general. You want to go for the pins that look the most jewelry-like. Thicker metal with a very shiny, gold/silver luster.

State lapel pins come, of course, in the shape of any of the US states, and collecting at least 1 pin from each state is just about mandatory to consider yourself to have a complete collection. Most state lapel pin collectors will either go after pins of consistent colors, finishes/styles or other unique aspects that more or less “group” the lapel pins, offering similarities between each pin, since they’re likely to be from different sources.

There are, of course, collectors and sellers that sell pre-assembled collections of state lapel pins. While this is great to go from 0 to 60 in your collection, this doesn’t offer the same unique feeling of collecting all of them one pin at a time. It might take longer, but you gain the remembrance of the process, and each lapel pin offers greater uniqueness.

Check out ebay and other auction, or lapel pin collecting sites to begin finding state pins for your collection, you’re bound to run into some really great lapel pins out there.

Odyssey of the Mind pins are extremely popular. Teams trade pins at the World Finals and have done so for 20 years! OOTM has many rules in place for trading pins at the World Finals, and kids have a wonderful time trading and collecting their Odyssey of the Mind pins.

Since Odyssey of the Mind is based around creativity, it’s no surprise that some of the OOTM Pins you see are nothing short of amazing. Most of the pins feature very creative and unique designs. Themes such as Duct Tape, Bugs, Dragons, Pigs and more have been used as a basis for OOTM pin designs in past years.

Odyssey of the Mind pins are some of the coolest pins for any collector, because they typically feature unique characters, vibrant colors, and are general very large in size (2-3″ or larger). I’ve seen some pins with sparkly glittery colors, and some that look translucent, they are simply amazing. Some even come with blinking lights that add even more trade-ability to the pins.

I’ve included a few resources for collecting and trading OOTM Pins below.

World Finals Pin Collection

Illinois Problem Pins

OOTM Yahoo Group

If you have any special OOTM pins you’d like to share, by all means please do! Hit me up at pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Here is some information from the company about the Bauble Board.

A Bauble Board™ is a fun, inexpensive way to display your lapel pins as
well as patches, key chains, buttons, ribbons, jewelry, pictures, fishing
lures, dog tags, lanyards, ticket stubs and much more. What a great gift
idea.

Why use a boring corkboard or expensive shadowbox to show off your prized
lapel pin collection when you can choose from over 20 custom shapes, 14 different colors, and over 18 custom transfer design choices, and if you still don’t find exactly what you are looking for, then just contact them at www.baubleboard.com. Custom Bauble Boards™ are what they are all about.

Bauble Boards™ are made from 1/2″ thick fiberboard, which is made from
post-consumer recycled paper, containing no asbestos or formaldehyde
additives. They are covered in high quality linen like fabric derived from
jute. They are lightweight yet very durable and are manufactured in the
U.S.A. by creative people who love what they do.

You can personalize it yourself; request a custom transfer, or select a
transfer from the online store (shop.baubleboard.com). Custom transfers are
permanently adhered using a superior quality heat transfer material.

Each Bauble Board™ is finished with a backing that you can write on to help
you remember the details about your baubles and comes ready to hang on your
wall.

BaubleBoard.com’s mission: “To share some inexpensive fun through our
BaubleBoards™.

We hope that with a Bauble Board™ people will reflect on their fun past
events, accomplishments, and associations and through that ignite the
motivation to look forward to future fun events, new accomplishments, and
meaningful associations.”

They guarantee satisfaction and even include an American Flag Lapel Pin free
with every order! Check them out at www.baubleboard.com

Bauble Board™ …because it’s fun!

These lapel pins are very collectible and trade-able because they are unique and often times are customized to be from specific companies, so they offer the collectible value of a business lapel pin as well as being an award pin.

Companies have been using lapel pins for awards for a long time, so there are literally thousands of them out there, you just have to find the ones that catch your eye and interest you the most. Many collectors opt only for award pins that feature or showcase a company logo, while other collectors take a more general approach and collect only generic award pins that are not considered custom.

Some businesses tend to buy generic lapel pins in bulk and give the same exact pins to each employee, these are typically not as collectible as a pin that features a department, specific number of years, gemstone and a unique phrase. The pin shown here is a generic lapel pin, but it does feature a rhinestone, so that adds to its collectible value.

There are a lot of places you can source pins for awards from, including ebay and other auction sites. If you have any resources, as always just send over an email to: pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Pins for advertising are a great way to attract and keep new customers. Using lapel pins as an advertising medium is an effect and affordable way for a lot of companies to expose their presence to the world. In regards to trading and collecting, I think advertising pins are amazing. These make up most of the bulk of my own collection, and the collection of many others.

I’m sure you’ve seen a Coke advertising lapel pin. If it has their logo on it, it’s a pin for advertising. Even though you might think they’re making the pins for people to have and collect, it’s actually to further spread their domination of the soft drink market. This is indeed the case!

Any company that puts their logo on a lapel pin is marketing their business, whether it be a mom-and-pop shop, or a fortune 500 corporation, if they put a lapel pin out there, it’s for one reason: to get their name out and make the public aware of their business or product.

I’ve seen a lot of people create entire lapel pin collections from just corporation/business and advertising lapel pins, so they’re a great idea for beginning a collection.

Custom Trading Pins

These days, people want things their way, which means exactly the way they want it. This is where the world of pin collecting and pin trading has crossed over into the realm of Custom Trading Pins.

Custom trading pins are still trading pins in the traditional sense, they’ve just been specifically made for the person who designed the trading pins. Custom trading pins are typically manufactured by a company specializing in the design and creation of lapel pins and trading pins. There are many companies that have the ability to manufacture custom pins, but you should take your time to review companies in depth to see which might be best for you. Just like shopping for anything else.

Fortunately, with the internet, you can do this all from the comfort of your own home, and likely come up with some great resources for custom trading pins.

From a collectible standpoint, custom trading pins might just be more collectible than what are considered stock or standard trading pins, which are done in mass runs of thousands or tens of thousands of pins to be sold on ebay, or other shopping sites. Custom trading pins are usually kept down to small runs of a few hundred, and many times, even less.

This small quantity run allows for a very collectible custom trading pin, offering a truly unique and sometimes extremely rare collectible item. Many Disney pins are like this, as well as many Olympic trading pins. Disney and Olympic trading pins are usually custom made, however they are only manufactured by the official Disney or Olympic corporations, making them even more collectible.

Just about anyone can have custom trading pins made. You just need to find a manufacturer, design (or have designed) the trading pins, and go to press. It’s a really cool process (I haven’t had it done myself but I have a few friends that have) and it makes for some great collectibles.

Custom trading pins… a great idea for any collector!

A lapel pin factory is closely related to factories for many other items created from metal. There are stamping processed, molding and casting processes.

Most lapel pin factories house a large number of machines for aiding in the manufacturing process, such as high pressure die-striking machines that are operated by spindle or hydraulic pressure. The striking process requires an immense amount of pressure, because most lapel pins are struck from hard metals such as steel, iron and other metals.

Most lapel pin factories are operated in China, the same place just about every other product most American’s use on a day-to-day basis are manufactured as well. It should be of no surprise that these small, inexpensive items are also made in one of the largest countries for trade export in the world.

There are a handful of US and Canadian operated factories, however these factories simply cannot maintain the same levels of product as a China-based factory due to sheer employee volume and material costs. Metals such as copper, iron and brass are more readily available and for more affordable rates to China, therefore allowing the production costs to remain low.

A typical lapel pin factory might produce several thousands of lapel pins each day for customers ranging from large American corporations to non-profit organizations, to hospitals and schools.

If you want to get an inside look at the operations of a lapel pin factory, click here to see the popular TV show How It’s Made episode of lapel pins.

ASI lapel pins

are very popular in the world of collectible lapel pins. They range in size and style, and usually feature the ASI (advertising specialty institute) logo. Many collectors have very few ASI lapel pins and treasure them. They are fairly difficult to find, therefore making them somewhat of an elite collectible lapel pin.

Many styles, designs and sizes are out there, and you can never be sure what you might run into. Check sites like ebay, amazon, etc for ASI lapel pins, usually these are to be found second-hand and are infrequently sold new.

Lapel Pins

The Advertising Specialty Institute is a media and marketing organization connecting promotional products suppliers and distributors. ASI pins are collectible items because they are directly related to ASI as a corporation, and not affiliated with any of their partners.

Now go on and see if you can find some ASI lapel pins out there for your collection. We’ve got quite a few put together, and they’re an awesome addition to any lapel pin collection.

A well-made lapel pin looks great on the employees of both small firms and big corporations. A single logo or message embodied in a lapel pin strengthens the corporate spirit and adds to a company’s confidence and commitment.

You can easily recognize the members and associates of prominent or public organizations anywhere, thanks to their unique lapel pins. Lapel pins will inform the public of the work you do. The more people that see the participants wearing these special lapel pins, the more recognition and education you will provide for your group.

American Flag Pin

American Flag lapel pins might just be one of the first types of lapel pins ever used. The sight of the American Flag is a majestic experience, and bringing that greatness to a lapel pin is a feat in itself. The flag is truly a stunning sight and testament to American heritage and history.

Many US citizens adorn American Flag lapel pins as a way to express their patriotism, and it’s one of the best ways to do so! A while back, Obama was criticized for deciding not to wear an American Flag lapel pin. It’s all over the web, google it. American Flag pins aren’t for everyone, sometimes they can look tacky (sue me), but on a nice suit, a small, clean looking American Flag lapel pin looks pretty darn great.

I’ve collected American Flag lapel pins for a few years, and I’ve come across several very unique ones. I even collect what are referred to as ‘Friendship Flags’ which are basically the American Flag and another country’s flag combined onto one pin. This shows partnerships between countries and is a great way to show your support for the collaboration between the US and neighboring governments.

Most flag pins are kept small, you don’t want to be wearing a Flag that’s 1.5 inches on your lapel, it will command too much attention, and if you’re speaking, people are more likely to be staring at the dinner plate on your lapel rather than listening to what you’re saying.

There are a number of individuals who collect American Flag pins, some sell on sites like ebay and others have websites of their own. There are a lot of companies that sell them as well.

My collection of American Flag lapel pins currently stands at around 300 unique lapel pins, none of which are the same, which is fairly difficult to do with American Flag pins because you’re dealing with a simple rectangle. I’ve been focusing on looking primarily for lapel pins that have some kind of wording on them, that way even if the flags are similar between some of the pins, overall they have a different appearance. Some of my favorites are the Friendship Flags I mentioned before.

If you need some resources to find flag lapel pins, check out the links below:

Shop for flag pins

Ebay.Com

Shop flag pins from the Flags of the World Store

Enjoy!

USA Pin

USA lapel pins are a fantastic collectible item. There’s something about patriotic pins that’s really attractive to most collectors, and for good reason. They support our great country!

When most people think of a USA lapel pin, they immediately think American Flag. Well, that’s a good first thought, but USA lapel pins go way beyond a traditional American Flag Pin. There are a ton of different USA and Patriotic Lapel Pins out there, ranging from Flags, to patriotic imagery, Statue Of Liberty lapel pins and more.

One of the coolest styles that I personally like to collect are pins in the shape of the United States of America. These lapel pins are very cool, and sometimes have the Flag superimposed over the shape of the Country.

Because there are so many variations of USA lapel pins, collecting them is easy and building a vast collection can happen very quickly. Sites like ebay and amazon sell USA Pins, and there are literally hundreds of lapel pin collector sites out there selling USA lapel pins in many forms.

I would recommend trying to collect themed USA lapel pins, such as in the shape of the Country, or the Statue Of Liberty, that way your collection is consistent and theme-based rather than seemingly random. This can create a more visually appealing collection that shows better at trading events and you can even sell portions, or entire collections that feature consistency a lot easier than selling random collections. (Even though there is nothing wrong with random collections at all! I happen to have one of the largest random lapel pin collections you’ve probably seen, haha! But I do try to squeeze in some themed collections.

A good USA pin features a clean, clear image of something patriotic, and looks quality. Age and authenticity are not highly important, unless they are to you. A good USA lapel pin will look visually appealing and fit in your collection well. Of course you can’t have a great USA lapel pin without Patriotic colors.

Cooperstown Trading Pins

Any kid who plays baseball knows about Cooperstown. It’s the quintessential destination for little league players all over the country. Once teams from other states compete and win state and regional tournaments, they have the opportunity to travel to Cooperstown to play the best of the best, ultimately for an opportunity to participate in the Little League World Series held in Williamsport, PA.

Cooperstown has helped popularize trading pins, and many teams have unique pins made especially for Cooperstown, almost making a separate type of trading pin altogether; Cooperstown Trading Pins.

Cooperstown trading pins range in size and color, but are usually fairly large (2-3″ or larger) in size. Teams want to look their best when trading with other players and the bigger pins get the most attention. Many teams have several designs, for specific events and so on, but when it comes to Cooperstown, they really throw down the gauntlet and go all out in an effort to be known as the most popular, “hottest” pin traded that season. Players from all over the country will head home with pins they received from other teams, so being the team with the coolest pin will travel with those players, as they show their friends and family back home the neatest pins they got whilst at Cooperstown.

Cooperstown trading pins have been around for about 12 years. They’ve seen increasing popularity in the last 6 years, and while mostly inexpensive, some of the pins can fetch a pretty penny. Teams are adding options like spinners, blinking lights, pins that dangle and sparkly glitter, all adding to the price of these little beauties. Nonetheless, teams go crazy for them, and they’re a must have! The kids truly cannot live without their Cooperstown trading pins.

If you’ve got kids playing at Cooperstown, make sure they don’t go empty handed. I’m not saying turn your wallet upside down and shake it, but I am saying that you don’t want your team to be the one with the wimpiest pins on the field come pin trading day. Do ya? huh? huh?

There are also other types of trading pins, specifically those used in youth sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and hockey to name a few. Trading pins are exceedingly popular amongst little league teams that travel to the Little League World Series to trade their uniquely custom-made trading pins with other teams. It’s almost a sport in itself!

Trading pins can be very cool, although I’ve seen my share of plain and boring ones. The sky is the limit when it comes to creativity, as designing your own trading pins is now possible for any team looking to have their own made. Just look around for a reputable lapel pin company that also makes trading pins. They should be willing to design one for you as long as you’re willing to buy a few dozen or so.

Trading pins are an awesome way for kids to get together and share a positive experience trading cool pins. It allows kids to be social, and to learn the value of trading items. If you haven’t seen baseball trading pins before, I’ll give you a little bit of a rundown below.

Baseball trading pins normally feature the team’s name, logo and slogan if they have one. If the team has a mascot, that’s usually included to keep with the teams’ theme. The second most important aspect of a great baseball trading pin would be the colors. Gotta have bright colors! Kids go crazy for sparkly, shiny pins, and I’ve even seen some that have glitter paint! There are also glow in the dark paints that can be used, which add extra flair.

I’ve seen some baseball trading pins that have an extra pin dangling from them, and even some that have a sliding pin of a baseball player! Truly awesome. I know I’ve said this before, but if they had trading pins when I was a kid in little league, I would have gone absolutely nuts for them. I would have had every baseball trading pin out there, and been trading those instead of now-boring baseball trading cards.

Well, that’s all for now, get out there and start collecting and trading pins, will ya?

Nursing Lapel Pins

Nurses all over the country wear lapel pins to designate their areas of expertise, or express awareness for a disease. There are many different types of nursing lapel pins out there, but the traditional caduceus is probably the most commonly seen.

Nursing lapel pins are usually pretty small and indicate what kind of nursing certifications the nurse possesses, such as RN, LPN, etc. Nursing lapel pins can be found in a variety of colors, lapel pin styles and sizes.

The cool thing about nursing lapel pins is that the nurse wearing the pin has the pride of wearing a unique piece of jewelry that will always start a friendly conversation with a patient, doctor, or another nurse. A lot of nurses wear a variety of different lapel pins, many  displaying their support for finding a cure for diseases or illnesses.

The nursing lapel pin shown here is a typically seen style of nursing lapel pin that is pretty universal. If you’re a nurse looking for Nursing lapel pins I have included some resources below to buy them.

www.nursesdirect.com/jewelry/pins.html

www.rubylane.com/shops/nursingpins

www.nursingpins.com/

Google Shopping Results for Nursing Lapel Pins

As always, if you have some resources or any information about nursing lapel pins you’d like me to include here, drop me a line!

It’s a pretty extreme sport, and the drivers are usually great sportsmen. As with any popular sport, there comes memorabilia and collectibles. Nascar is no exception.

Nascar collectible lapel pins (like the one shown here) are gaining in popularity and are a great idea for any lapel pin collector. You can focus on collecting a pin for each driver, and even past drivers, which could make for some more valuable collectibles.

I’ve listed a few places you can pick up Nascar lapel pins below. Enjoy!

http://store.nascar.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3443041

http://sportsstore.usatoday.com/NASCAR-Lapel-Pins-_-723619653_PG.html

http://shop.fanhouse.com/NASCAR-Lapel-Pins-_-723619653_PG.html

USSSA Trading Pins are usually designed by the team who’s logo is displayed on the trading pins, and each player can give their input as to the design of the pin. Team moms and dads, even coaches, band together to come up with a final design for their teams’ pins for that year (the teams usually design a new pin for each season) and have them made by a custom manufacturer. This creates a very unique pin, and to the kids it’s all about tradeability. The cooler the design, the better the pins will trade at the pin trading events, which are held all over the country at baseball and softball fields.

Just from my experience, I’ll include a few pointers if your team is looking to make custom made trading pins.

1. Include your team’s logo or image
2. Include the age group of your team
3. Consider including the year, so that other teams can put a designation on the pins, older pins seem to become very collectible because of their age.
4. Stay consistent with your team colors, but if they’re not bright and vibrant, consider sprucing them up.
5. Include some sport-related images, for example maybe a baseball player if a baseball team, or a girl throwing a softball for a fastpitch team.

If you’d like some more information about USSSA Trading Pins or Pin Trading in general, check out some of the resources I’ve included below.

USSSA Official Website: www.usssa.com

USSSA Baseball Website: www.usssabaseball.org

Louisiana USSSA Website: www.lausssabaseball.com

Collectible Pin Websites

A great site to find collectible police lapel pins is CopShop.Com they’ve got a pretty decent selection and great prices.

Another site that is more of a resource than a place to actually buy pins would be the About.Com network

A good resource I’ve found for information and links to Olympic pin collecting and trading is at Pin Fever their website looks kind of outdated but they keep it updated with new stuff frequently.

And of course the OFFICIAL Team USA pin store online is at: Team USA Pin Shop

Places to Have Lapel Pins Made

Sometimes you need to have a lapel pin designed and made for a specific need or event. In that case, I’ve included a few companies that design and manufacture lapel pins below. Most of the companies require a minimum order but there are some out there that feature no minimum.

They label themselves as the World Wide Lapel Pin Leaders so they must be doing something right? Who knows… Pin Source

This company looks pretty good and I’ve seen them mentioned on forums before. Tell em ‘USA sent ya: www.lapelpinproductions.com

I’ve seen these guys before on some of the Law Enforcement lapel pin collector sites, and I think their name is cool: The Pin People

I haven’t heard/read anything about this company but they have a cool website: Pin Promotions

Got Something Else? Share Your Resource

If you’ve got a Pin Collector resource you frequent or a company that makes pins that you’ve used, I’ll gladly place a link here to spread the word, email me at: pinguy@lapelpinsusa.com

Masonic pins can be found in just the compass and square symbol, or other designs depending on the individual or lodge that had the pins created. There are many collectors of Masonic pins out there, and they’re a very widely found type of pin if you’ve made your rounds at pin collecting. They’re some of the most readily available on the market. Sites like ebay feature dozens, even hundreds of Masonic lapel pins for sale. Some can be pretty expensive by lapel pin standards.

I was looking around and came across this trick looking silver skull lapel pin and thought I’d share the find.

You can buy them online too @ JPress for $15

Little league pin trading has blossomed into a sport of it’s own. Kids line up around the block to trade little league pins during the summer season, and it’s showing no sign of letting up. Little league pin trading is so popular, that some teams consider it more important than the game, or even the tournament! Pretty crazy isn’t it? Well, kids need a creative outlet, and what better way than letting them design their own trading pins. Many teams take on the task of designing their very own little league trading pins. Some go with bigger pins, some go with smaller pins, but the point here is that trading little league pins is a huge deal, not matter what the size of the pins.

Back in the summer of 2001, I remember going with my nephew to one of his baseball tournaments and seeing kids trading pins, and today it’s much the same, only on a much bigger scale. Kids prioritize pin trading over all else. Who cares about batting averages when you’ve got the baddest trading pins on the field?

It seems to involve kids ranging  from age 6 up to about 15. Most kids older than 15 years old start thinking pin trading is.. well, boring. They’ve got cooler things to do like go to the movies, and do some shopping with dad’s credit card at the mall.

The pins themselves range in styles and sizes. Many kids like a pin that’s about 1.5″ or up to 3″ (HUGE!!) and the companies that make them can do all kinds of neat stuff like adding glitter (sparkly) and even lights that flash. I’ve seen some trading pins that have glow in the dark paint on them as well, but I can’t imagine trading pins in the dark is very intuitive. They make pins that have a smaller pin hanging by a chain (I think they call these danglers) and I’ve seen pins that have another pin almost glued on top of the main pin itself, creating a staggered 3-dimensional look.

Some of these pins are actually pretty awesome, even if you’re not really into pins. A lot of pin traders and companies that manufacture the pins are leaning toward Disney’s style of sparkly, unique and creative pins that get attention from even pin-haters.

Most teams that trade little league pins usually have at least their logo or team name on the pins, letting other teams know who they’re trading pins with. I’ve seen some that have the players’ numbers or even names on the pins, which is an awesome idea! Now the losing players will know the names of the kids who beat them on the ball field.

I wish this whole pin trading thing was around when I was a kid, I would have had a blast with these things. Instead I got cheated out of my best baseball cards and spent too much money on lame packs of cards that never yielded any worthwhile cards.

Anyhow, I just wanted to share a little pinsight, if you will, into the world of little league pin trading. That’s all for now!

Thinks like key chains, paper weights, baseball caps are common items given to employees who have exceeded the expectations of their superiors, but there is one item that truly stands out above the crowd; lapel pins.

Lapel pins are an extremely versatile product. They’re small, attractive, and shiny. Who doesn’t like to wear something shiny? The coolest thing about using lapel pins to reward employees is that they’re customizable. That’s right, you can literally create anything your mind desires! When I owned my own business (yeeeeaaarss ago) I had 14 employees and one of them recommended using lapel pins to reward employees and develop a type of ‘recognition program’ if you will. The idea took off! The guys (and gals) loved the idea so much, they started collecting them and some even wore vests showcasing all of the pins they had accumulated over the 7-10 years they worked with the company. If you look around you’ll see a lot of companies using lapel pins as employee recognition awards. Some of these places include Friday’s restaurant, Denny’s, Publix, The Home Depot, Lowes, etc. The list goes on, and some of the pins are truly awesome!

Recognizing employees needs to go beyond a pat on the back

I think I speak for the bulk of employees out there when I say a pat on the back is good, but a lapel pin is even better! A keepsake like a lapel pin constantly reminds an employee of his/her achievement in the workplace. Sure you can give out a gift card to Friday’s, but seriously, once the Jack Daniel’s chicken and shrimp is gone, they’ve completely forgotten about what they did to get the free meal. Out of sight, out of mind.

With a lapel pin, the employee who receives it constantly reflects back to the day they received their first, second, third, etc etc etc. pins. They continue to improve and better themselves, and they continue to strive to be the best, and earn recognition (pins) along the way. Think of employee recognition pins as miniature trophies, I know I’d sure like to receive a trophy for doing a good job.

Anyhow, I just wanted to write a little bit about the recognition side of lapel pins for those of you who are interested. It’s a great way for any company to start recognizing great accomplishments within their organization and it’s a surefire way to boost confidence and morale in, and outside of the office.

With gold prices hovering around $1100 (as of today, March 10, 2010) there is never a bad time to invest in gold, and what a better way than to do so through collecting gold lapel pins? Many gold enthusiasts collect solid gold lapel pins as a way to invest in gold as well as collect as a hobby. There are fine jewelers around the country that stock gold lapel pins and keep them readily available for investors and collectors alike.Check out Gold Price for up-to-date gold values.

Gold lapel pins such as this Gold Angel Pin are in high demand, and are also very expensive! Some fetch upwards of $100/ea and more.

Below is a snippet from a recent article about Gold values and projected fluctuations in the precious metals market.

“The U. S. government has responded to the worst financial crisis since the great depression with a massive, more than $13.5 trillion in pledged or potential outlays. Meanwhile, rising unemployment and slumping corporate profits are crimping the U. S. Treasury’s tax revenue.

The credit worthiness of the U. S. government is raising concern and its AAA credit rating is something that cannot be taken for granted. Against this backdrop, it is hardly a surprise that the appetite of foreign governments and investors for dollar-denominated investments has diminished.

The dollar’s standing as the world’s de facto reserve currency is impaired. Nations like China are actively looking to diversify their foreign exchange reserves away from the dollar and showing a liking for gold. The combination of liquidity circulating through the U. S. economy and a tanking dollar stokes inflation. And, investors are increasingly sensing inflation as a threat and seeking a safe-haven in gold.

Gold Price Outlook

Gold is once again approaching the psychologically important $1,000 per ounce mark. Rallies in the price of gold have peaked in the $900-1,000 per ounce range three times since the start of 2008. I believe gold will crack the four-figure mark in 2009 and move on to exceed its 2008 highs. Given the state of the U. S. economy and the monumental challenges ahead, the $1,000 per ounce figure can well become a support or floor for a long time to come.” – Gold Investor

Custom Challenge Coins – A Unique Approach to Coin Collecting

Custom challenge coins are available in the largest range of colors, shapes and sizes imaginable. Why? Because they’re made to order for military officials and civilians alike. Custom challenge coins are the result of an individual’s or an organizations collaboration to design and create a challenge coin specifically for their needs. A custom coin is going to have the flair and individual attention to detail many generic coins won’t. Things like slogans, or sayings that military divisions want to express. Many custom challenge coins are born out of an experience on the battle field, or for troops to carry while employed. Collecting them has become a new hobby, and I’m very excited about some of the coins I’ve been finding.

Generic Challenge Coins Weren’t Cutting It

So after collecting generic challenge coins for a few years, I discovered the new world of custom challenge coins and haven’t looked back. My collection now crests the 200 coin mark, and I’m still buying and trading new challenge coins every day just about. I’ve been through eBay, google, coin trading forums, you name it! I’ve built quite a collection that’s worthy of trading with others to the point that I can even make demands for specific coins I need that will come 2-3 per every 1 of my coins. (I have some really unique and one-off custom challenge coins in my collection).

What to Look for in a Custom Challenge Coin

When you’re collecting custom challenge coins, you want to be sure the uniqueness meter reads high with the coins you’re picking up, otherwise people aren’t going to want to trade them, or buy them for that matter. Things to look for would be larger sized coins (2″ coins are the rage), coins with multiple platings (gold on silver, copper on gold, etc) these pick up some cash and trade 2-3 to 1. Special edging (think of a quarter’s edge) and diamond cut edging also make a custom challenge coin worth more in the marketplace. A few other aspects include division slogans, logos and hand-drawn scenes of battle experiences. Nothing can replace the unique appearance of the perception of an army officers expressing his experience on the battle field.

Most of All, Have Fun

Collecting custom challenge coins is all about having fun and being interested in the hobby. Try to be a good sport and fair trader. Nobody likes a collector who is rude or over-demanding. Check out the coin collecting forums, blogs and other websites all over the internet, there is a wealth of challenge coin information out there just waiting for a read. Have fun!

A great little collectible you may have overlooked are lapel pins… Dog Lapel Pins to be exact!

So what are they? Well, dog lapel pins can be found in a variety of styles, types, colors and sizes. Just about any breed of dog can be found on a lapel pin.

Take a look at this little guy. A German Shepherd themed pin! Into dachsunds? There are tons of Dachsund pins out there to collect. How about poodles? There are more poodle pins available than you might think.

A really neat idea is to have your own dog pins made, and you can even get a collar with a hanging bone that swings from the neck! How cool is that?

All in all, there are a bunch of different ways to collect dog lapel pins, and it’s purely up to your own personal taste. I’ve always had a thing for Golden Retrievers, and I’ve seen a few pins around that I’d like to start a collection with.

Many find that collecting dog lapel pins is a way to pass the time, and engage yourself in something you’re truly passionate about – Man’s best friend!

Let’s go over a few points to think about when collecting dog lapel pins, shall we?

What Type of Dog Lapel Pins Interest you?

What kind of dogs are your favorites? Write them down, and look for dog lapel pins matching your favorite breeds of dogs. A diverse collection is always a great idea, but sticking to one breed of dog lapel pin is a great way to keep focused on one particular subject at a time, and obtain the coolest pins of your most liked breed.

How Rare Would You Like the Pins to be?

Lapel pins date way back, and chances are there are some antique, and very rare dog lapel pins. Take a look around to see what fits within your budget to determine if you prefer to stick with newer, recently made pins, or whether you’d like to search high and low for those super-rare dog lapel pins your grandmother may have owned as a little girl.

Remember, have fun building your dog lapel pin collection, and pick up anything that catches your eye and your interest. Collecting is all about having fun, and I find that the more pins you have, the more fun things get!

Many different types of Christian lapel pins are out there. Chances are you’ve seen a cross lapel pin being worn by several people ranging from children to the eldery. Cross pins are almost as popular as cross charms or pendants worn on a necklace. Dove and fish Christian pins are very popular as well, and signify one’s faith through symbolism rather than through words.

Christian Lapel Pins – A Great Collectible

Many people even collect christian pins, since there are so many beautiful types that exist. There are gold and silver crosses, gold doves, silver doves, hearts, Jesus fish and more. A christian lapel pin worn to a church service is a great way to begin a conversation with a fellow Christian, as many people will remark or compliment you on your lapel pin choice.

Now more than ever, churches are having their very own Christian lapel pins created. Using their logo and byline, churches have their own pins designed and manufactured so that they can distribute them to congregation members, and also to use as fundraisers to raise funds for church events and to provide for those who are less fortunate.

No Longer Just Your Grandmother’s Cross Pin

In recent times, a lot of trendy and unique looking Christian lapel pin designs have been emerging. No longer is the standard cross your only option. There are now winged angels, hip looking crosses with scripture written on them and more.

Be sure to check out your local Christian book or Church supply store for the latest selection of Christian lapel pins.

For a 1/2″ to 3/4″ lapel pin, you want to wear it about where the pin in the photo example to the left is shown.

For a 1″ pin, you’ll want it slightly lower to offset the larger size.

Toy around with left-to-right placement until you find a spot that looks best for you. Remember that lapel sizes vary, so no one solution is going to work for every suit. Go on google and look around at “Lapel pins on suit” or “how to wear a lapel pin on a suit” and you’ll find some pictures of guys (and gals) wearing lapel pins.

The type of pin may also affect how you want to work the placement of your lapel pins. For example, American Flag pins are pretty uniform in shape and can be moved up, down but need to be left-right centered most of the time.

For a round pin, the same applies, but for odd-shaped lapel pins, sports lapel pins, company or corporate lapel pins, you might need to adjust the placement of the lapel pins to achieve optimal placement.

Also – some people don’t like the idea of putting a hole through a nice suit, so be sure to try to find a lapel pin that uses a magnetic attachment (magnetic clutch) on the back so that you don’t have to ruin your nice suit just to wear a pin.

Pin trading teaches kids valuable economic skills and the value of money. Many kids work very hard, participating in car washes, and other fundraisers to raise money to buy their own trading pins.

Pin trading has become a huge part of Little League baseball and youth softball sports. Many tournaments are centered around pin trading ceremonies, and get this, some kids and parents look at pin trading as a bigger part of the tournament than the game itself! Sounds crazy, right? Well, not really, trading pins are awesome! Sure baseball is fun, but you can play baseball any time, anywhere. You can’t always find a truly unique and awesome trading pin.

Softball Pin Trading

Some organizations such as USSSA participate in pin trading and organize events for kids to trade their pins. Cooperstown Dream Parks also participates heavily in pin trading, encouraging youth to be responsible with their trading and teaches kids a sense of fairness and mature sportsmanship.

Destination Imagination

Now while pin trading is huge in baseball and softball, there are other youth activities where pin trading rules. One of these events is Destination Imagination. DI brings youth together from around the country (and world) to compete in activities ranging from creative science to agriculture. DI pins are extremely unique, and teams use their creativity to outdo each other every year. DI pins are usually large and feature a themed character depending on what the theme is for that year’s events. DI pins are very collectible and fun for kids and adults alike.

Pin Trading is Universal!

Another event that brings pin trading to light is Odyssey of the Mind. OOTM participants trade pins that represent their teams. Teams usually design their own pins to compete for the coolest design at the pin trading ceremony. Kids have a lot of fun trading their pins at these events, due in part that they’ve put a lot of effort into the design of their own pins, making them truly unique and very close to the heart.

“What can I collect?” you ask yourself. Lapel Pins.

Not only are lapel pins affordable and small, they’re out there in huge numbers. There are a ton of lapel pins worthy of collecting out there, and many have a great cause or meaning. When I think about collecting lapel pins, one of the first things that comes to mind are the Olympics. Olympic pin trading has been around for 20+ years, and every new game brings along with it a new lapel pin. Many collectors hold their Olympic pin collection with extremely high regard, and many are worth a lot of money!

Another theme of lapel pin collecting is Disney pins. Disney pins can be very expensive to collect, but they’re out there in large quantities, and can be sourced from public and private places all over the world. There are dozens of internet sites dedicated to collecting and trading Disney themed lapel pins.

What Theme Gets You Excited?

What topic gets you going when you think of lapel pins? Perhaps world war II pins, or presidential campaign pins come to mind. Maybe you like Coke or Pepsi or another consumer product that was marketed by lapel pins during the 50′s and 60′s. Maybe musical-themed pins tickle your fancy. Even motorcycle riders wear and collect lapel pins. Many bikers collect biker pins and biker lapel pins. Whatever gets you excited, I bet you there is a wealth of lapel pins to be had featuring just what you’re looking for.

Where Can I Find Pins for My Collection?

Sites like eBay give way to many collectors, but also private pin collector sites feature many renowned lapel pins. A lot of collectors sell off or trade their private collections. Many times a collector will have multiples of a certain pin design, so they can afford to trade off their additional pins for others they might be missing to complete their collection. Some collectors have pins remade and sell imitations or remakes of original pins (watch out for frauds, people make a killing selling fake reproduction pins of expensive originals)

How Can I Display My Lapel Pins

There are a number of ways to display your lapel pin collection. There are plastic display boxes, velvet display cases and pin collector bags (like a purse for lapel pins, HAH!) Anyhow, do a google search for pin collecting display or lapel pin display and you’re bound to find something to fit your needs.

I have my own very large pin collection of about 25,000 lapel pins. All of them are hand-chosen and I know each one by heart (ok, not every single one, but it’s very close!). I don’t get into trading them too much, but a lot of times while I peruse the pin collector forums I’ll see someone looking for a pin I have and I give it away or exchange it for a few bucks here and there. Hey, I have to eat too, right?

If you don’t have the time or creative liberty to design your own lapel pin, don’t worry; many custom pin manufactures will actually design your pin for you (most of the time free of charge with an order). If you’re like me and like to have control over things, you prefer to design, or at least begin the design, of your lapel pins yourself.

Ok, let’s begin, shall we?

Assuming you already have a purpose for a lapel pin, we’ll begin by identifying key points in the design of your lapel pin. Let’s begin by determining the colors you’ll use. For a company/corporate or logo lapel pin, most of the time you’re going to want to stick to your company’s color scheme. If you can, make sure to look up the corresponding Pantone colors so that you can provide these to the design company. You’ll also want to choose your metal plating in this phase. Some options include 14K gold, Silver or Brass depending on your personal preference.

After your colors are selected, begin to outline a sketch of the composition of your pin design. Will the lapel pin be a circle, or, a square  perhaps? Maybe you want your lapel pin shaped like your logo with no solid background – that’s entirely possible!

Figure out if you want to include other elements aside from just your corporate logo. Maybe a slogan or byline and something to signify your company’s direction or goals. A visual symbol that tells people what you’re about, or something that communicates a theme for an event or tradeshow. For example say your company is holding a conference in Las Vegas, maybe displaying the well-known “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign on your pin design would be an idea. Maybe an image of a full-house hand of cards, or a slot machine. Something that communicates your ideal or goals. Remember, lapel pins are a very powerful communication device, and even though they’re small they can speak your company’s ideals to people just walking by you who see the pin on your tie, shirt collar or lapel.

Creative Ideas to Communicate Your Company Message

Sometimes a simple logo pin will suffice, but what about if you want to get across a message without including a bunch of small wording on your pins that nobody will be able to read? Time to be creative!

The Boating Company

Let’s say your company builds boats. You have a logo and you know your company’s colors. You know you want to include your logo (maybe the logo has an image of a boat, maybe it does). This is the perfect way to show off your company’s image. Your lapel pin would ideally consist of your corporate logo, along with an image of an attractive boat that your company sells or makes. Possibly in the water, with the sun setting or rising in the background, perhaps some cat-tails or other aquatic vegetation at the edges of the design to show some detail. What about adding some seagulls in the horizon flying about? Think pale blue skies and deep blue water with wave detail etched in 14K gold. See where I’m going with this? Open your mind’s eye and let your creative imagination go to work.

The Office Supply Warehouse

So your company does something exciting… It sells office supplies. Ok, Ok so it’s not that exciting, but that doesn’t mean the lapel pin you design to represent your company can’t make your company look exciting. You’ve included your logo, but your colors are kind of stale (maybe a bit boring?) and you need to spruce things up. What about adding an image of a stack of papers curling up at one end almost forming a C like they’re being blown in the wind from a desk top.  Maybe a pen or pencil drawing out your company’s slogan. Oh! What about a stamp stamping on your company logo or the shape of the pin is actually a ring-bound binder and your logo is on the first sheet of paper? Maybe the theme could be a thumbtack stuck through a sticky note and your logo is displayed on the note with your slogan in a hand-written looking font.

Let’s Break it Down

Below I’ve listed the most important aspects to consider when designing your own lapel pins. If you have anything you’d like to add to the list, please let me know and we’ll get it put up here.

• Colors (be consistent with your company’s colors or corporate branding guidelines)
• Shape – Do you prefer a circular shape or square? Even in the shape of your logo.
• Slogan or byline – What do you want to say to your potential customers?
• Creative images – Think of ways you can visually communicate your company’s message without going overboard.
• Plating (14K gold, Silver, Brass, Copper, etc)
• Size (not too big for a lapel pin now, ya here?) About 3/4″ to 1″ seems to be the most widely accepted. Nobody wants to wear a dinner plate.
• Type (Hard Enamel, Soft Enamel, Die Cast, etc)

So you’ve learned a little bit about designing your own lapel pin. Hopefully I’ve been able to lead you on the right path and maybe even save you a few bucks in design charges. Designing your own pins is a great feeling and is rewarded when you hold the actual pin in your hand that you (yes YOU) designed and can be proud to wear.

The possibilities are near endless if you just put your creative mind into gear. Next time your company needs to customize lapel pins, try to take on the task yourself. There’s a little pride that comes with knowing that you designed your company’s pins, and people around the office will be giving you high-fives.

First, you always want to start with a subject that is the higehst quality and as close to being flawless in finish, coloring, etc as possible. Good photography or not, if your lapel pin looks horrible, it’s going to be difficult to make it look amazing on the screen.

Lighting

A typical lighting setup might consist of flood or spot lights. Since lapel pins are reflective (shiny and polished metal) it is difficult to gauge their appearance under light if you’re using strobes. You need to be able to predict the final outcome of the photo, therefore shooting in fixed ambient lighting is more or less required. You’ll want to have diffused light sources to accomplish soft lighting onto the surface of your pin. You’ll also want multiple light sources, left/right/top for example as a basic starting point. You can arrange your lights in a freeform setup, or you can work inside of a lightbox tent, or use freestanding lightboxes commonly seen in professional photo studios. It’s up to you.

Positioning

Positioning your subject just right can be tricky. This is where a little bit of creativity comes into play. When I talk about positioning, I am referring to either the position of your lighting OR your subject, the positions of one or the other, or both is key to achieving proper lighting for great photos. You always want a good amount of light reflecting off of the face of your lapel pin, but not too bright as it will wash out the metal reflection. You need just the right amount of light bouncing off the lapel pin.

Camera Angle

Next up in the juggling act is the camera angle. Camera angle is absolutely crucial to a good photo. If your camera is pointed at your lapel pin the wrong way you’ll get a reflection of the camera cast onto the lapel pin surface, and your photo will look like rubbish. You need to angle your camera so that it is at about a 20 degree angle to being straight-on with your lapel pins. Shooting straight-on can be achieved only with a proper lense and high megapixel camera. You can position your lapel pin outside of the center shot of your lens to remove darkening caused by camera reflection. Remember, the key is reflecting the right amount of light off of the surface of your lapel pins.

Taking the Shot

High shutter speeds are needed for hand-held shooting. If you’re shooting from a tripod (recommended) you can knock the shutter speed back a little. You’ll probably get a slightly better result by also overexposing a half to full stop as well, this will help brighten up your metal and make editing a little faster. Keeping the camera as still as possible is essential here, especially if shooting macro. Your aperture will vary depending on your lens. Again if you’re shooting macro you’ll want a very small aperture (f16 and up) and if you’re shooting FFL or zoom you might be able to get away with a larger aperture. Test shoot your lapel pins and get a handle on what works best for you.

Most lapel pins are die struck, meaning that they are stamped from a strip of raw material under high pressure, think of a large, heavy hammer slamming down on a penny. This die striking process creates an impression of a design onto the metal, thus creating the pin design. (This is how most coins are created)

Another process is casting. The casting process involves pouring molten metal into a mold (cast) and sitting until the liquid metal cools and solidifies into the shape of the mold. This process can yield more detailed, 3d objects, but typically isn’t as strong or durable as a stamped lapel pin.

Lapel pins are struck from copper, brass, or iron. The material used usually determines the cost of the lapel pin as some materials are more expensive than others. After being struck, most lapel pins receive a precious metal plating, such as 14k gold, silver (or nickel), or another plating like copper or a brushed (antique) finish.

Plating is usually handled through a process called electroplating. In the electroplating process, the lapel pin is given a negative charge, while raw gold or silver is given a positive charge, both are submerged in a tank of high-conductivity fluid, which allows the gold or silver particles to adhere to the pin. (see illustration)

I hope this gives a little insight into what pins are made of (and the process of creating them).

My Pins

About.com Lapel Pin Collecting

Official Disney Pin Trading

eHow – How to start pin collecting

Pinlink pin collecting

Becky’s Olympic Pins

Olympic Pin Collecting

There are a ton more sites than this out there, I’ve simply compiled a really quick, very small list. Look around and you’re bound to find some pretty cool pin collecting web sites.

Pin collecting is a great hobby for anyone, including kids of all ages (over age 5 preferably) and adults. Many people collect lapel pins and  there is a wide variety of different types of  lapel pins to choose from. Any hey, if you know of any pin collecting sites, send ‘em on over! We’ll post it here, I guarantee it.

We know quite a bit about pins, and we like to share our knowledge with others. Thanks for visiting!

Lapel Pins are often also referred to as badges, lapel badges, and pin buttons.