(ARA) - Known as the most popular spectator sport of the Olympic Games, pin trading has become an enjoyable way for people to meet others from around the world. Pin trading offers a memorable Olympic experience for serious pin collectors and fascinated spectators alike.

"Pin trading is a phenomenon," said Haven Riviere, general manager of The Coca-Cola Company's 2002 Olympic Winter Games program. "Coca-Cola wanted to give fans around the country a chance to get in on this fun tradition."

Following are some fun facts about the history of pin trading as well as information on how to get started from home.

The History of Olympic Pin Trading

The tradition of Olympic pin trading began in 1896 at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. It started as a ritual among Olympic Games "insiders" -- athletes, officials and media -- who traded colorful badges (cardboard disks imprinted with appropriate titles) used for identification. But the first official souvenir pin was not produced until the Stockholm Games in 1912.

Some of the most valuable pins were created in the early 1900s. More than 1 million souvenir pins were sold to the public between 1933 and 1936 to help fund both the Olympic Winter and Summer Games in Germany. And even though the 1940 Games in Japan were cancelled due to World War II, pins were still produced. To this day, the pins created during these times are some of the rarest and most valuable Olympic pins.

In the 1980's, people "outside" of the pin trading sub-culture became aware of the phenomenon. In fact, the popular phrase "pinheads" was coined during the 1980 Games in Lake Placid. Thousands of "pinheads" roamed up and down Lake Placid's Main Street. In 1988, Coca-Cola established the first Coca-Cola Official Pin Trading Center at the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, Canada. Approximately 17,000 people per day visited the pin trading center to experience cultures from around the world. The spectator sport became so popular, even United States' leaders became involved. During the 1994 Lillehammer Games, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea dropped by the Coca-Cola Olympic Pin Trading Center to trade official presidential seal pins.

How to Start Pin Trading

To jump on the pin trading bandwagon, you don't need to hitch a ride to Salt Lake City -- all you need is an Internet connection. Several Web sites feature pins to collect and trade with the stroke of a key and the click of a mouse. To get started, you'll need some starter pins. While some rare pins can be costly, you don't need to spend a lot to start a collection. Check out the coca-colastore.com Web site where you'll find a variety of affordable pins designed specially for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Once you have a few pins, you're ready to start trading. By using any search engine, you can find several sites set up to trade or buy online. Before you know it, you'll become the newest "pinhead" on the block.

Courtesy of ARA Content