CELEBRATING 50 YEARS Pins, Patches and other Baubles of Aff ection By Ty Young Updated from the 2010 Balloon Fiesta program ince the start of ballooning in 1783, balloonists and observers alike have had their own personal ways of keeping their ballooning memories close at hand. While the most common form of memories are probably photographs, there is a large world of hobby S enthusiasts that feverishly collect and treasure balloon pins. Pins typically range in size from as small as ¼” all the way up to very rare examples checking in at over 8”. Pins are traditionally manufactured from some form of metal and a variant of enamel type materials that provide the colors on the pin. Early pins were primarily metals with very little if any color, varying from bronze to sterling silver or even solid gold. Later, a beautiful type of pin evolved called “cloisonné” which entailed the melting of glass type materials that are common in many types of jewelry. True cloisonné pins are quite expensive to produce and in the 1980s, alternative forms started to appear to help keep the cost down and also provide a wider, broader scope of colors. Present day pins are limited only by the imagination, with bright colors, springs, fl ashing lights and other enhancements being commonplace. The most common pins are often exact miniature representations of the balloons themselves. Some balloon owners choose to produce several diff erent versions of their pins each year, some for people lucky enough to fl y in the balloon, others for crew members and others that they might freely trade, sell or give TT away, and others that simply represent their balloon. A W Though not all balloonists produce pins, most that do Y A R are usually happy to trade with collectors on the fi eld. O: T The best time to trade with a pilot or crew member is either before infl ation or, even better, after their fl ight PHO is over and the work is done. The easiest way to obtain Above: A young trader starting a pin collection at the Balloon Fiesta’s offi cial Pin Trading event. ® 252 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta