Dave Phillips of Red Deer is a big Brier fan and has about 10,000 pins from attending 34 years’ worth of major curling events. He brought some to Kamloops for the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier — they filled a bag that eventually weighed 37 pounds.
Jessica Wallace photo/KTW
Curling isn’t the only sport taking place at the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier in downtown Kamloops.
“The Brier has always been a big event for pin collecting, pin trading,” said Dave Phillips of Red Deer.
Retired from the military, Phillips and his wife are in Kamloops this week, volunteering at the men’s national curling championship.
While he is busy helping out by officiating games at his 34th Brier, Phillips’ real challenge comes off the ice.
“I’m looking for Molson Canadian and DoubleTree right now,” he said. “I’ve got three or four days left.”
So far, he’s managed to find 38 of 40 collector’s pins from this year’s event, including the Tankard Trophy, volunteer and heart pins.
They will join his framed collection of about 10,000 pins and he hopes they won’t push the 37-pound luggage bag of pins he flew in from Alberta over WestJet’s baggage limit.
The Brier is one of five curling events Phillips has been to this year. He is selective about pins he collects, though — championships and clubs only — otherwise, he would have more.
“I know two fellas that have upwards of 25,000 pins,” Phillips said.
He’s not sure why pin collecting and pin trading have become traditional to curling, but the former curler notes it has become integral to the events.
“You meet a lot of nice people doing it,” he said.
Phillips knows four other collectors hanging out at Interior Savings Centre, but he’s seen upwards of 15 or so regular collectors at any given event.
But, for those starting at pin No. 1, be warned — older pins are tough to come by.
“The 1927s are very hard to find,” Phillips said of the Brier’s inaugural year.
A quick Ebay search shows pins selling in a range from $2 to $200, but Phillips said he’s seen them go for up to $2,000.
He’s not selling, though.
“It’s called pin trading,” he said. “A pin for a pin — that’s what it’s all about.”
