On the other side of the Atlantic from Wall Street, a market — more wholesome than cutthroat — has sprung up at the Paris Olympics. The commodity at the center of it all? Pins. The city has seen an influx of collectors from all over the world, each eager to begin or expand their Olympic pin collection and share their stories. 'People are wired to trade,' asserts Craig Robbins, a passionate pin collector from Los Angeles. 'Human beings, we want to trade.
Serena Williams, a former Olympian, described herself as a 'first-class pin collector' in a video on the Olympics’ official Instagram account. She even has her favorites: 'There a few Thailand ones I’ll never trade. I finally was able to nab the North Korean pin.' Britain's Andy Murray, the tennis player who just retired in Paris, is also all-in pin trading, according to former tennis player Laura Robson on Eurosport.