24/1: Prototype BBC Gold Pin?

A reader has contacted me about a prototype gold pin made by Aminco for the BBC. He was given them during the Games by a BBC employee. He was told they were made for approval but that the eventual pins were made by another manufacturer.

Photo (c) 007bond.jamesbond

The photograph shows the gold prototype alongside a standard white BBC pin for comparison.

Does anyone have any more information about this pin or any confirmation of its authenticity?

8/11: Catalogue Update - Media Pins and More

For those of you that thought you'd never see an update to the the media section of the catalogue, I'm pleased to announce that I've finally made all the updates.

I can't claim much credit for the details - I'm indebted to Tom for almost all the information and images - thank you Tom.

It's taken me a while to get it finished, for which I apologise, but I've taken a day off work to get it sorted. The updates were all broadcast pins with one press pin added too. I'm happy that every pin I know about is on the site now. So, as usual, if you have anything I've missed, please let me know.

Click here to take a look at the broadcast section.

In addition to the media update, there are some other additions too...

Commemorative - the rare logo pin 0442 has been added

IOC/IPC - Mandeville pin

Partner  - Coca-Cola/Innocent smoothie pins and 3 P&G pins

Other - Anton Bauer pins

And finally, I've added the Samsung Collectors Board pins that were everywhere during the Games.
Like some of the other pins on the site - they weren't official London 2012 pins, but played a major part in pin trading, so it's only right to add them. The details are there now and the images will be added on Sunday - I ran out of daylight today!

These Samsung pins are on their own page - Click here to take a look.

So, for now, the online catalogue is pretty much up to date. If you think I'm missing something them please get in touch.

The pin trading lists have been updated with these changes too.

26/7: Daily Update (D-2)

Probably the easiest and quickest way is for me to 'brain-dump' anything I found each day. Photos will be added where possible, but for now consider that the catalogue will always be out of date. It WILL catch up eventually.

So here's the news for Wednesday 25th (D-2)...

I was lucky enough to get into the Olympic Park today and even luckier to get into the Media area thanks to the great team at Around the Rings.

As well as lots of media (press and broadcast pins)

 I also saw the venue specific media pins - 3 in total.

and 2 Team GB venue pins. The team GB ones are not specific to the Media Centre as I saw them in one of the superstores on the Olympic Park.

I also managed to get a Coca-Cola venue operations pin from one of the army personnel.

There are also new pins from Visa, McDonalds and a great torch pin from BP

15/7: Media Pins

Thanks to readers a new set of media pins has been added to the catalogue. There are a number of broadcast pins, which can use the official marks, and press pins, which cannot.

From the BBC (the UK Olympic Broadcaster) comes a gold version of the white pin seen already. I'm told that the gold version is for accredited staff only.

Channel 4 (the UK Paralympic Broadcaster) have issued 3 pins all combining the C4 and Paralympic Games logo.

From the international broadcast and press companies we have a range of pins which tend to draw on London's skyline and icons.

Germany's ARD/2DF use the Olympic rings and London skyline

Australia's Channel 9 have issued 8 pins. There are 2 designs available in all for London 2012 brand colours - pink, orange, blue and green. One of the designs combines the London 2012 logo with that of Channel 9, and the other design adds in the London skyline.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) also use the skyline while Foxtel (USA) and SVT (Sweden) make use of the London 2012 logo

Finally, USA Today use sporting pictograms, Big Ben and the British flag to show the London connection for their pin.

20/6: Next Jigsaw Piece from insidethegames.biz

The latest piece of the circular jigsaw pin set from insidethegames.biz was on show at the pin meet last Saturday.

Pin INS0009

This is pin 5 of 6 and like the first piece comes on a backing card which shows an image of the complete set. The pin is limited to 800 pieces.

8/5: insidethegames.biz Launch Puzzle Set

insidethegames.biz have released the first in what will be a set of 6 pins to celebrate London, Sochi, Rio and Pyeongchang and the potential host city for 2020.

Pin INS0005

Five of the pins each represent one of the host cities and show the name of the city as well as a representative image - a red bus for London as an example. The pins form a circle with the insidethegames.biz teddy as the sixth piece of the puzzle. The pins are manufactured by Honav and contain a backstop of INS0005.

The pins are each limited to 800 pieces and issued on  a backing card which shows what the complete puzzle looks like.

Backing card

As part of the launch of this pin insidethegames.biz and Honav have joined forces to present their 'My Favourite Pin Story' competition. Simply by entering the story behind your favourite pin and what it means to you, you have the chance to win a range of London 2012 retail pins and the insidethegames.biz puzzle set too.

You can read more at http://www.insidethegames.biz/collecting/my-favourite-pin-story

12/2: More NBC Sports Pins

Following the 2 moveable sports pin issued by NBC last year, another 13 have now been released. As before these are all retail pins designed for the US market and therefore not available in the UK.

The sports represented this time are...

Archery
Athletics
Basketball
Cycling
Diving
Equestrian
Football
Gymnastics
Rowing
Sailing
Swimming
Volleyball (again, although I think this is Volleyball, whereas the previous one was Beach Volleyball)
Waterpolo

Two of the pins are shown and all have been added to the media section of the website

As like the previous sports pins from NBC, all these ones have moveable parts, for example, a flying arrow or jumping horse. They are all priced at USD15.99 and manufactured by Aminco for the US market only.

15/1: Inside The Games Pin for New Year

Inside the Games have issued a new pin which marks the fact we are now in the Olympic Year. There are no other retail or sponsor pins identified that mark the fact that 2012 is here.

Pin ITG0004

13/12: New NBC 'Mega' Pin

News from a reader in the US. A new 'mega-pin' will be released by NBC. I'm told it's a large 3D pin which weighs a lot and comes in a round metal tin. The retail price will be $65.

Pin NBC0012

It looks like the standard London icons such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge and a London Bus have been included along with an NBC London 2012 shield.

8/9: Media Retail pins

Some new pins today issued by US broadcaster NBC, but available for retail in the USA. They follow on from the 5 NBC pins already in the catalogue. These ones mix London landmarks together with 2 pins that are part of a set of 20 depicting Olympic sports.

Thanks to pin-architect for this piece of news.

3/8: Media Pins

It seems as if the media organisations are now starting their pin programmes. This week, 4 media pins have been spotted.

The first comes from Eurosport and combines their logo with a pale blue London 2012 logo and the words 'official broadcaster'

The other 3 pins all come from NBC, the principal USA Olympic broadcaster. At the moment I don't have any images I can use, however the pins are...

• Standard NBC blue rectangular pin with 'NBC', peacock logo, Olympic rings and words London 2012
• NBC London 2012 shield logo
• NBC London 2012 shield logo on a red telephone box

26/7: First Media Pin Issued

Next, what is probably the first media pin officially released in connection with the London 2012 Games. Just in case anyone mentions the CTV pin which appeared on eBay - my belief is that the pin was never officially issued. This pin comes from 'insidethegames.biz' who are a media company that reports the latest news form the Olympics and Paralympics.

I should declare an interest at this point! As some of you know elements of my website and this news blog are published under the 'insidegamescollecting.biz' banner, so whilst I have not accepted money for this post, I did get a free pin!

Anyway, the pin is issued on a card and as you can see is limited to 365 pieces. Whilst it doesn't contain the logo or 'London 2012' words, the organisation is an Olympic accredited media company and part of the Olympic family and therefore probably should be recognised as the first media pin of the Games.