Everybody interested in this hobby should know a few things. First, YOU collect what YOU like and want. Pay attention to remain in a financially limited field. Do not take what you get. Do not collect worldwide. You will not stand it financially and you will become a slave of your collection. I did so, I know what I am speaking about. (Over 40 years collecting: 30000 football pins, 9000 hockey pins) What should one start with? You may try first at all to get pins of your region or country. This is a field you know and have a possibility to get the names of the clubs. If you like big clubs, collect the first leagues of other countries, too. Be aware that the guys offering whole leagues of smaller countries ( Slovenia or Faroe, for instance) are offering you copies which are mainly produced in Slovakia, Sweden and Portugal. You may recognize these pins at the backside, once you have a little experience. These guys do not care about your collection, but about your money. Stay in contact with experienced collectors and try to get single pieces.
You should always have a list of the clubs playing in the leagues you are looking for. This simplifies your job and you will be proud of your progresses. Remember YOU decide What YOU are interested in. Try to get contacts to other collectors and exchange with them at pin shows or by mail. Some countries (Italy,Serbia-Montenegro) have big qualities differences. You may decide what pin you like. Spain has low quality pin, but they are interesting. You like Spanish football, collect, otherwise YOU decide that YOU do not like. Each collector has his way to store his collection. Try to classify regionally. Be aware that you will never have all the pins of your collecting field. This is not stamp collecting where everybody knows what has been issued.
It is very important that you will try to get pins everywhere, at games, by mail, by exchanging, on flea markets. If you not enjoy each new pin you get, forget it. You will stop soon.
Fernand Welschbillig -
Sport pins collector from Luxembourg. Football pin collector (1962-1989): 30200 pieces. Icehockey pin collector (1989- today): 8790 pieces. Chairman of the ALCIF (Luxembourg's Football Pins' Collectors' Club) since 1995, before treasurer for 8 years. The most interesting part in his football collection are Germany, especially Southern Germany, both Irelands, Italy.