Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

Whitehorse (Mar 20/00) - We enter a Whitehorse diner and are instantly met by a stranger.

On his head is a cap with 'Old Crow, Yukon' emblazoned on the front. "Where you from?" he asks. We answer "the NWT" and he says, "You got any pins?"

Welcome to the world of pin trading, something that is considered a hobby to some, a waste of time to others, and a full-time job for a select few.

The 2000 Arctic Winter Games is the site of some pretty frantic trading, but for NWT team supporter Fred Koe, a Yellowknifer, it's all in good fun.

"I just got into it a couple of days ago. A few people came up and asked me for pins. I had a few give-aways and soon found myself in pretty heavy negotiations," said Koe laughing.

"The athletes and volunteers are fun to trade with but the serious pin collectors are hard bargainers."

Although a relative newcomer to what is becoming known as the 20th AWG sport, Koe has done surprisingly well for himself.

Each country and region offers a unique set of pins. For instance, the NWT has a set of three pins that when put together form an ulu.

Koe has managed to collect complete sets from the Yukon, Alaska, and Nunavut. He was on the hunt for Russian pins, and had the bottom half of a very rare two-pin set depicting Alaska Dene sports.

"I heard there were only 50 complete sets of this one made so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for that top half," said Koe.

A tent set up in the Whitehorse city centre was the official pin trading pavilion. Volunteer Iris Cormier helped man the booth inside.

"For some, pin trading is a very serious business. People collect a series of pins every year an event occurs so keeping the series going is very important to them," said Cormier.

"There are actually people who have business cards that show they are pin collectors interested in only a few select pin series."

She said one rare pin might fetch 40 or 50 pins in a single trade. At the booth, they put out five official 2000 AWG pins for sale each day of the Games. There are 28 designs in all and about 300 of each pin is made. The pins sell for $5 each and the collectors are the first through the door each day to snatch them up.

For the most part, trading pins is a way to meet new people and to learn about new cultures.

"The kids are trading for fun and to make new friendships -- it's not usually for the monetary value of the pins," said Cormier.

Bill Reay is a central Alberta farmer who takes the winter off to travel around and trade pins. He's been doing it for years, belongs to various pin trading clubs, and has between 5,000 and 6,000 pins in his collection. As he nosed around the AWG pin trading tent, it was clear he knows what he's doing.

"Over the years, they certainly build up," said Reay of his current pin collection.

"Really, it's just a lot of fun to travel around and meet people. I don't put a value on my collection."

Perhaps the best example of what the spirit of pin trading is all about was expressed by Nunavut volleyball team member, Devon Killulark. The quiet Baker Lake youth collected about two dozen pins during his time in Whitehorse.

"I'm not much of a talker so it's good when people come up to me and ask to trade," said Killulark.

"The pins I've collected are nice. I'm going to hang them up on the wall to remind me of what a great time I had at the Games."