Object ID
2015.21.15
Object Name
Pin, Lapel
Date Created
2004
Event
2004 Summer Olympics
Measurements
2.54 cm. Diameter, Item (Overall)
Material
Metal; Paper; Plastic
Object Entities
Object Description
A gold-colored lapel pin. The front of the pin is blue and white. The center part contains the seal of the United States Department of Homeland security. The seal consists of a blue and white eagle against a circular blue background. In front of the eagle's chest is a shield. The top of the shields is blue and contains 22 stars. The bottom part of the shield is split in two. The left side depicts grass and a white mountain against a blue sky, while the right side depicts waves of the ocean. The eagle has an olive branch in the talon on the left side of the pin and a bunch of arrow in the talon on the right side of the pin. Its head is facing toward the left side. Surround the eagle is a red circle, which the eagles wings break through at two points. Around the red circle is a blue circle. Between the two circles, printed in blue, are the words "U.S. Department of" at the top and "Homeland Security at the bottom. The outer part of the button is blue. At the top, the Greek name for "Athens" is printed in white, followed by "2004". On the bottom is an image of the Olympic rings. On either side of the rings is an image of a laurel branch in white. There is a gold-colored ring between the inner and outer portions of the front design. The edges and back are made of the same metal. The metal at the back is covered with small dimples in a grid pattern. The back has a pin with a butterfly clutch fastener. Below this is a smooth rectangle containing the following: PinCrafters 888-388-4288 www.pincrafters.com The pin is inside a small plastic bag, which is stapled closed.
Origin
This pin was donated by Jenny Boondas. It was part of a collection belonging to her brother-in-law, Constantine Brown, who died in 2014. The pin is from the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. This was the second time Athens hosted the Olympics, the other being the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The modern Olympics are based on a Ancient Greek religious and athletic festival that was held every four years in the city of Olympia.
Trading and collecting pins is a popular activity during the modern Olympics, both for participants and visitors. Many different pins are created for each Olympics. It is unclear why a United States Department of Homeland Security pin was created for the 2004 Olympics, although one publication suggested it was a reference to the money and effort that Greece had spent on security for the games.
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Pin, Lapel, 2004, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/10944. Accessed 03/29/24.