Thursday 16 May 2013

16/5: Pin Meet in July

I wanted to give you an update on the potential pin meet in July.

There is no definite details to share yet, however I wanted to let you know that one of the collectors has been working hard to secure us a location for some pin trading some time over the weekend of the Anniversary Games in July.

I think there are still logistics to work out on how much of the Olympic Park is open, what access is available to ticket holders vs. non-ticket holders etc.

So, in other words, no news but to tell you that it's being worked on.

16/5: Minor Catalogue Updates

There have been a few minor updates to the catalogue this week...

EDF
The EDF varieties, mentioned back in January, still seem to be confusing collectors. My original understanding was that increases in issue sizes for some of the countdown pins, together with the change in wording form 'Sustainability Partner' to 'Official Partner' meant that we would see varieties of the pins mentioned at the time.

Last week a reader had spoken to their EDF contact and was told that not all of the varieties were made. Talking to other collectors, it seems we all have the same gaps in our collection - the 'Sustainability' versions of EDF0017, 18, 19, 20 and 21.

Until we actually see these pins, I have taken them off of the catalogue and have assumed that the issue sizes were made up entirely of 'Official' wording varieties.

My latest theory is that when EDF changed the wording on the pins, their future designs, i.e. the later countdown pins, were updated to reflect the change thereby creating two versions. However, when the pins actually came to be produced, the 'Official' wording change was 'in place' and therefore all the pins were produced with this wording. It's only a theory and not based on any information from EDF. Click here for the EDF page.

Kingdom Sports


A couple of entires from the tickets/hospitality firm. Click here for the catalogue page.

Coca-Cola


The jigsaw bottle issued by their UK bottling arm of Coke and a set of London 2012 themed (although not branded) pins from the Chinese market. Click here for the Coca-Cola page.

All of these changes have been reflected in the pin trading lists.

Tuesday 14 May 2013

14/5 - Poster Pins Set

At the recent London 2012 sale and auction in Coventry, one reader managed to pick up a set that was never released even though the pins form part of the 2,012 designs that were initially planned.

Pins 705 - 731

The pins are a set of IOC posters from previous Summer Olympic Games from 1896 - 2008. The pins are numbered 705-731 and are the same posters as pins 732 - 758.

The slight differences are that...

  • the new pins are 22mm x 30mm and therefore a little smaller than the original pins (25mm x 35mm)
  • they were only available (or not available as it turned out) as a framed set in an IOC Olympic Museum branded box (see image below
  • The Mexico 1968 and Los Angeles 1984 designs are slightly different (images below)
IOC Olympic Museum Branded Packaging

Pin 0748 - Mexico 1968 Poster
(individual pin)

Pin 0721 - Mexico 1968 Poster
(from set)

Pin 0752 - Los Angeles 1984 Poster
(individual pin)
Pin 0725 - Los Angeles 1984 Poster
(from set)