Amna Nawaz
@PBSNewsHour·5.3M subscribers·62.2K videos
Inside the Olympics’ unofficial sport: pin-trading
Posted
February 14, 2026
Views
3,562
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February 14, 2026
3,562
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2:23Now PlayingPin trading, a well-loved tradition of the Olympics, once again has athletes and fans alike buzzing.
Affectionately referred to as the games’ “unofficial sport,” the souvenir swapping traces its roots back to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, when cardboard badges were worn by athletes.
Today, national Olympic committees, media organizations and official Olympic sponsors all create their own pins for trading. Athletes and pin fanatics can also create their own.
Some pins are traded, some pins are sold. Rare ones can sell for over $1,000 online, but pin collectors say you can’t put a price on memories.
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