14.02 Passion and Lechery Thrive in Sochi Olympic Pin Trading

SOCHI, February 14 (Howard Amos, RIA Novosti) – Douglas Todd has traveled from California to be at the Winter Olympics, but he is not interested in sports.

The 52-year-old doctor has come to Sochi – like he has come to all the Games since 1984 – to trade lapel pins, the small commemorative badges given out to athletes, journalists and company representatives.

Todd said he’s brought about 28 pounds (12.7 kilograms) of pins with him this year, but he has no idea of the total number in his collection.

“I stopped counting when I had 5,000, but that was 15 years ago,” he said, as he stood near the entrance to the Olympic Park wearing a white waistcoat covered in his wares, periodically shouting out “want to exchange?” to passers-by.

Russia has a long tradition of pin trading, but traders in Sochi said some regulars had decided not to come this year because of travel difficulties and fears over security.

“It’s just above Iran and it’s hard to get to,” said John Duick, a construction worker from Vancouver attending his fifth Olympics as a pin trader.