1984 Los Angeles Olympic Sponsor Pin ~ Arizona Sparkling Water Sam the Eagle with Torch

A 1984 Los Angeles Olympic sponsor pin from Arizona Sparkling Water, showing Sam the Eagle, the official mascot of the 1984 Games. Sam wears his red, white and blue top hat with the Olympic rings and holds the Olympic torch high. He stands on a base reading "Arizona Sparkling Water".

The story behind this pin: The 1985 Pin Collector's Guide lists this pin under Arrowhead Water, an official sponsor of the 1984 Los Angeles Games, together with pins for the Arizona Sparkling, Great Bear and Ozarka water brands. An earlier Arrowhead pin, made in 1981, showed Sam the Eagle holding a glass of water. Only about 1,500 were made before the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee (LAOOC) discontinued it under a new policy: the mascot could not hold any product, because Sam holding or touching a product implied the LAOOC endorsed it. After that ruling, the water pins showed Sam holding the Olympic torch or used the "Stars in Motion" logo instead, with only the brand name on the pin. Coca-Cola, the Games' official soft drink sponsor, probably had some influence on that decision, since a mascot holding a drink would compete with its own Sam the Eagle pins.

• Year: 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics
• Sponsor: Arizona Sparkling Water
• Mascot: Sam the Eagle with the Olympic torch
• Style: Domed enamel, gold tone, cut to shape
• Size: approx. 5/8" x 1 1/8"
• Epoxy enamel coating shows age related yellowing
• Back: Stamped "L.A. 84 © 1980 LA OLY COM," single post with clutch
• 1985 Pin Collector's Guide: #47, page 36
• Approx. quantity produced: 2,000 (1985 Pin Collector's Guide)

Packaging

All orders shipped in corrugated box for extra protection, we don't use bubble mailers.

Shipping

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