The first PIN March of all took place in March 1997. However for me it started about a year before that. In early 1996 six european Hard Rock Cafe Pin Collectors met at HRC Antwerp, Belgium, for some trading and fun: Cedric Engelbert from Belgium, Gabriel Probst and Dany Christen from Switzerland and Stefan Winkler, Ulli Ratz and... me (Jens Beckmann from Germany).

It was during this trading session that the idea of a big Hard Rock Cafe Pin Collectors Event in Europe was born. Some months later (in March 1997) the first PIN March took place at HRC Antwerp, Belgium. 120 Pin Collectors showed up - some even came all the way from America for the event. 4,500 US-$ were made for charity (the charity organization was the "Instituut for tropische geneeskunde".

Here is the report I wrote in 1997 after I came back from this very first european PIN March:

FRIDAY - A NORMAL DAY AT HRC ANTWERP ?

Although the actual event took place on Saturday I arrived in Antwerp the night before. I knew that some other collectors would do the same - so I expected two or three to be at the HRC. But: When I arrived there I couldn't believe it: It was just about 4 pm but there were a lot of people with pin-bags trading and having fun.

At the Merchendise Counter I was very impressed: They had an official HRC T-Shirt for sale to commemorate our event. Whow, I was so proud.

I had left my pin-bags in my hotel - so I went back to pick them up. While arriving at the hotel a few guys stood in front of it and of course these were collectors too. I knew Stefan Winkler and Paddy Müsse from earlier meetings - but there were others I had never seen before - but had met often on the Internet. It came out that these were Jerry Christman from Florida and Fastfred Rebhun and his wife Michelle from Phoenix, Arizona. I had traded with them quite often on Compuserve or the Internet - but this was the first time we met in person. It was really great.

Being on our way back to the HRC a couple came in our direction - and as they had a lot of pins on their jackets they had to be collectors. This were Peggy Fitzgerald and husband on their way back to the hotel. It was really strange to walk threw the streets of Antwerp and to meet people you have never met before - but you know they are Pinheads like you. It was a great experience.

The evening was great for me. I traded all night long. My traders bag was getting empty more and more - but my 'new pins for collection'-bag was getting bigger and bigger. Whow. I had about 70 new pins when I came back to my hotel - including a lot of old and dated pins and even two Opening Staffs - and the actual event had not even started...

Later that evening some whispering began. I had no idea what this was all about but then someone told me that actually one of the famous 4 Traders was arriving. Whow, "Uncle Dan" Schmider in person was here. I had heard a lot about the 4 Traders - but this was the first time to meet one of them in person. I was so impressed when I saw that he had suitcases full of pins - and a lot of these pins were pins I had never seen before.

When I went back to my hotel that night I was very happy. Happy that I had met so many new faces, happy that I had met Uncle Dan and happy to have so many new pins for my collection. And I was really looking forward to the next day - I mean official Pin March 1997 had not even begun...

SATURDAY - THE ARRIVAL OF THE PIN COLLECTORS WORLD

After a nice breakfast at the Hotel Florida, where most of the Traders stayed, we took all our pins with us and went to the HRC Antwerp. We arrived there at about 11.30 am - and I couldn't believe how many traders were there even at that early time. We were lucky enough to get a good table to spread out our pin bags. But about half an hour later it was almost impossible to get a table - every single space was gone - pin-bags, price-guides and the offical pin-collectors guides (that was the pre-version in black and white of course) were everywhere. It seems that everybody was really excited about this event - well, at least I was !

Stefan Winkler was pretty busy with putting every raffle- and auction-item in its place. There were so many of them. Thanks to everybody who donated stuff ! There were T-Shirts from all over the HRC-world (even some Staff-T-Shirts), sweat-shirts, jackets, shot-glasses, special event staff passes, watches, HRC-calenders and of course a lot of pins ! Everybody who entered the 'Pin-Section' of the HRC Antwerp received the special-button with his or her name on it. Some collectors even had presents with them, like HRC-buttons (I saw Christmas 96-buttons and even some of these nice Soccer 94-buttons were given away for free). As always our swiss friends had some really nice chocolate with them and we all enjoyed it.

At about Noon there was a short welcome to everybody by Paddy Müsse and Nathalie, the GM of HRC Antwerp. Nathalie was really amused and happy to see how many pin-heads were there even at that early time. They both did a great job as they only said a short welcome and hello to everybody - and just minutes later the trading could go on - and boy it did. I had never seen so many pins in a single room before. And it was even interesting to see how everybody stored their traders. Some had them on a simple towel - some had nice traders-bags with them - and some had other ideas. It was really interesting.

The merchendise store had a lot of work. Almost everybody bought the two new pins (that was the second edition of the Diamond Guitar and the new blue-green Caddy). And also a lot of these nice Antwerp Pin Run 97-T Shirts were sold. There were only 100 in L and 100 in XL - and they were sold out fast.

For me the most important part was not the trading anymore (well, it's easy for me to say that after trading so much on Friday). For me the most important part was to meet the people I had traded so much with on CompuServe or the Internet IN PERSON for the first time. It was so great to see someone coming right in front of me asking if I was Jens Beckmann and then introducing theirselfes to me as someone I knew for months or even years via E-Mails. I was so excited.

At about 3 pm the 'pin-section' of the HRC was just crowded - and more and more people came in. The Organization Crew tried to catch up and to write everybody's name down. But at that time they lost track. It was almost impossible as so many came in. I'm sure there were more then 150 pin-heads that were there on saturday - what a great crowd.

THE AUCTIONS

With a delay of about an hour the auctions began at 4 pm. Stefan Winkler had made a nice Auction-catalog which everybody could buy for just 1 US-$. All items that were in the auctions came from donations made by several HRC-Pin-Collectors and several HRCs. Most of all the collectors were looking forward to the auction of two Opening Staff-Pins (the ones from Key West and - of course - from Antwerp). The HRC-Staff was very excited because they were curious to know what these collectors would be willing to pay for one of their Opening Staff-Pins. But the most excited person was Carol Feuerborn - she simply wanted to have this Antwerp Opening Staff and when the Auctions began she was just looking forward to that item... but she had to wait.

Other items came first - and some of them were really great. So a lot of money for the good purpose came in. To name just a few items: The Key West Opening Staff Pin found a new owner for US-$ 240 ! Two pin-moulds from Thorcraft in which pins originally had been made for the HRC Reykjavik found new owners for US-$ 155 and US-$ 165. And a set of the 2 Washington DC Inauguration pins from 1993 and 1997 went away for US-$ 110.

The 'star' of the evening in fact was the Antwerp Opening Staff Pin. Bidding started at $ 150 and believe it or not, during this serious work for some of the collectors the others had a lot of fun. Carol was so excited that she sometimes tried to bid more - although her own bid already was the highest one. Bidding went on and on - 175, 200, 225, 250, 300, 325 - especially the Antwerp HRC-Staff was very curious to see how far these collectors would go. 350, 375 and at $ 400 finally Carol was the lucky one to get the pin - and I can tell you I have never seen anybody that happy spending $ 400 on a little piece of metal. But knowing how much she wanted to have this pin I can understand her.

When the acutions were over a lot of money was made for the good purpose. Now the HRC Staff had a lot of work to do as almost everbody thought that this was the right time to have dinner. It seemed like tons of burgers & ribs were served. And in between some of us still traded, traded and traded.

THE RAFFLE

At about 9 pm the drawing of the raffle items took place. With some little problems the organization-crew managed to give away hundreds of itmes that were there - donated by Hard Rockers, Pin-Heads and Hard Rock Cafes from all over the world - thanks a lot to everybody who donated something.

Marie-Luise Pross, Stefan Winkler, Paddy Müsse and I tried to sell tickets for the raffle to everybody. A ticket was about 1,60 $ - but for just $ 40 you could get tickets of your height - a big deal and almost everybody had choosen that deal. Especially the HRC Antwerp-Staff bought a lot of tickets when they had seen how many pins and great T-Shirts there were.

It took me (yes, I was asked to announce all winning numbers - and to be honest my voice was down for about a week after this 'voice-marathon') more than an hour to give every item away - and I guess everybody received at least one item. And some of us were lucky enough to win a lot. I was very happy when I saw that the HRC Staff also won a lot.

When all raffle items were gone we were very tired - but also happy... now it was time for the Cheque !

THE CHEQUE

Remember: Every single dime (or belgium franc) that came in from the auction or the raffle was for a good purpose. The HRC Antwerp had decided that all funds should be donated to the Instituut voor tropische Genesskunde, Antwerp. This organisation hosts young students from Africa and other development countries, and trains them to fight tropical diseases in their home countries.

During the drawing of the raffle-items a Professor from the organisation came in with some of his students. When I recognized him I saw him smiling - he was very happy to see how many people were there.

When every raffle-item was given away Paddy Müsse from the Organisation-Crew of the Antwerp Pin March 97 and Nathalie, GM of HRC Antwerp gave the Cheque of 129.554 belgium Francs (more than $ 4.500) to the Professor and his students.

Everybody was happy that this great amount of money came together from a day of pure fun and the Professor thanked some of us later. He was really impressed by the crowd !

Well for some of us it was time to leave (it was almost midnight). A great day for all of us - and the Organization-Crew was just tired - and happy !

Some of us stayed at the HRC untill closing at about 2 am - and some went into their hotel to check their new pins.

When I woke up on Sunday morning at the Hotel Florida I felt a little bit sad because everything was over now - and I thought that I would have to E-Mail all of my new friends again instead of having a beer with them in person.

But while sitting in the breakfast-room of the hotel I saw some of them coming in, and more, and more, and more. When I had my second coffee about 25 HRC-Pin-Traders were in the breakfast-room - and it was a great atmosphere as everybody was happy about the event we had been part of.

I personally had breakfast with my wife (of course), Stefan Winkler (who was still one of the happiest persons on earth) and Sara Wetegrove. I can tell you one thing for sure - having breakfast with Sara is very special. I'm kind of grumble in the morning - and before I have had my third coffee I usually don't talk a single word. But with someone like Sara at your table you have to smile. Sara, thanks a lot for this special breakfast (and say it again for me... FAHRVERGNÜGEN ).

Now that's the end of this report - I hope you liked it. Again a big thank you to everbody involved in this great event - and I hope to see you all again soon - maybe at a Pin March or at any other HRC Pin Collectors Event.