What is the Pinsource and who is responsible for it?
The Pinsource began as an idea of 4 men in March of 1987 in Missouri. They were all Jaycee pin traders and they all believed there should be a way to collect and maintain detailed information about Jaycees pins and their own collections.
At that time the four had a combined eighty one (81) years of knowledge of Jaycee pins and pin trading. So, they formed a little company, known as MAMMA, which is the Mid America Metal Merchants Association. Those four men were (1) Bob Holbert, (2) Earl Sawyer, (3) Dave Gerhart and (4) Tom Hendrix, Jr.
Of course nothing could get done with out the good wives of these men. Except Tom is a bachelor! However, Mary Sawyer, Sandy Gerhart and Pat Holbert were an important part of the association that put together the Pinsource. Many hours of looking at pin collections and typing on computer keyboards to get information entered into a custom written database program was undertaken by all of the individuals named above.
There were a lot of pin collectors around the country that provided information that was used to make the database as complete as possible. No one individual or small group of folks could present to you as much information that there is in The Pinsource without the cooperation of lots of different people from many different states from all over the USA.
After many weeks of hard work, proofreading, retyping information and rereading, a document was printed. Then it was proofed again and finally made available to anyone who wanted to purchase it. It was a large document. Multiple pages with a lot of information. This was a long time before the Internet and three ring binders was the only method of distribution available. Therefore, its distribution was limited
Now its time to come forward into the 21st century.
After searching diligently, we were able to find the old computer that held the original database.
A computer wizard, Lowell Vahl, was able to convert the database into a modern program and get it onto a web site. Now we must maintain it and upload scans of pins on the web site.
Then Debbie Vahl, Lowell’s wife, another good woman, enters the picture. She has the knowledge and skill to deal with the graphic challenges and enjoys the work that it takes to get the little pictures on the web site so that all of us can actually see the pin as well as read about it in the database.
So there are more good people involved with The Pinsource. All of us have the same goal. Making it possible for anybody with any interest to be able to have fun and enjoy to the fullest extent possible the hobby of trading and collecting Jaycee trading pins.
Now you know the particulars of The Pinsource. The who’s and the what’s. How it began and how it got to where it is today.
We know the database isn’t perfect. Probably never will be. We keep finding new information almost every day and we even continue to find errors in the work previously done. And that’s wonnderful that there are folks that still have an interest in Jaycee pins and want to contribute information and keep the database updated and correct.
Keep the information coming and keep using the database for one of the most fascinating hobbies there is, collecting and trading Jaycee pins.
As long as there are individuals with an interest, we will keep the database alive and active and as accurate as we can!
THE PRINCIPALS OF THE PINSOURCE