The Art of Trading Pins: Creating Custom Pins for Your Team

With the revelry of the Big Game fresh in the rearview, many sports fans are turning their gaze toward the excitement of Spring Training to get their fast-pitch fixes. Baseball is just one of many sports with a long history of using trading pins as a way of promoting the team’s brand, celebrating players and accomplishments, and engaging fans. Trading pins aren’t just for professional teams though—the pins’ comebacks in the 1980’s saw Little Leagues through Varsity teams embracing the tradition. What is the history of sports trading pins, and how can they benefit your teams?

The History of Trading Pins

Trading pins have a long history among sports teams, with some sources suggesting the earliest use of them being the original Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. With sports teams coming from all around the world, the cardboard and ribbon “pins” were initially a way for officials and athletes to identify themselves. Over the years, the pins evolved to represent the various countries and events, and it became a tradition to exchange them within the Olympic Village. Today, the Games host entire venues for traders and collectors to buy, swap and admire these collectibles.

Around the same time, companies began producing baseball cards as a way to promote their brands, and eventually added small, button-like pins that enthusiasts could collect. While cards dominated sports memorabilia for the better part of the 20th century, baseball trading pins started making a comeback through youth sports in the 1980’s, and were exchanged as a token of sportsmanship and achievement between teams.

Today’s Trading Pins

Technological advancements in design and production capabilities have launched trading pins into an entirely new and exciting era. At Galaxy Design Squad, we’re able to create a custom lapel pin to meet any unique and unforgettable design you can imagine. Trading pins are available in any size or shape, and in full color. Also, to give them an even bigger wow-factor and to increase their collectability, additions like glitter, sliders, spinners, bobblers, glow-in-the-dark finishes, and even LED blinking lights can be added. These tokens become incredible mementos for everyone involved in supporting the games, including:

• Players and managers
• Coaching and support staff
• Administrative staff
• Mascots
• Varsity members
• Cheer members
• Band Members
• Athletic Boosters

More opportunities to create collectible trading pins arise when teams progress through regional and state competitions, and Galaxy Design Squad offers an impeccable design team with fast turn around and reliable delivery to make your vision a reality.

Hit it Out of the Park with Galaxy Design Squad

Memories of great events in sports can fade before the next season starts, but impressive mementos like custom sports trading pins can help commemorate important teams and moments and help promote team and brand loyalty. When it comes to designing your sport’s team’s next trading pins, Galaxy Design Squad is in your corner and your imagination is the limit. Call us today with your ideas and questions!