The Collector: A Roma fan reveals his extensive pin collection

The world of football is home to thousands of different types of collectors: from shirts (both match-worn and replica), to scarves, matchday programmes and so much more.

Collecting pin badges, however, might be a rarer occurrence – especially in Italian football, which has not always had the same culture for memorabilia as among football supporters elsewhere in the north of Europe.

Don’t tell that to Massimo, however, a long-term Roma fan who has been collecting pins – mostly Giallorossi-related – for more than 40 years. In that time he has collected hundreds of the badges, many sourced from obscure corners of the world.

"Collectors need to find a niche," Massimo told us.

"I started collecting pins when the 1977 European Cup final was played in Rome, between Liverpool and Borussia Moenchengladbach.

"I used to live opposite the Stadio Oimpico and it was teeming with English fans who all had caps full of pins. It was a big thing in England. Clubs would produce pins to commemorate matches or events. It Italy there was no real market for official merchandise."

With a passion sparked on one of those classic European nights, Massimo's collection understandably focuses on pins that commemorate Roma's European adventures in some form.

We spoke to Massimo about his collection - how it began, how he finds pins and which items in his collection are among his favourites...

Are there lots of collectors of Roma pins out there?

"No, there aren’t many of us. I know a few but there isn’t a community as there is for, say, Hard Rock Cafe pins. People don’t organise get-togethers to swap items or anything like that."

Which was the first pin in your collection?

"I think it started with four pins I came across at the market in Porta Portese. They were very basic and the crest wasn’t perfect either. Once the Internet started, far more opportunities became available. I managed to find one for the famous coin-toss match against Gornik Zabrze [1970 Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final, when Roma were eliminated on a coin toss].

"Traditionally the main producers were English or Russian. They still produce a lot nowadays for group-stage matches in European competitions. Another part of my collection contains pins from different groups of the Curva Sud. One of my favourites is a CUCS pin."

Do you buy them online or from shops as well?

"I try to go to at least one European away game every season, if possible against an English club. I love the football culture there, Outside the stadiums you always find stands selling pins for each individual match or for the group the two teams are in."

"Pins are popular in Germany too, where it’s usually the clubs who produce them. They often produce pins with the kit for that season. I’d love it if that were to catch on. In England it’s still done more on an amateur level."

Is there a particular pin you’re looking for or that you regret not being able to buy?

"There was one I tried to buy on eBay. It was in the shape of a stamp with a Lupetto on it. I under-estimated my competitors and they outbid me."

Massimo's five favourite pins in his collection...

5. Roma logo pin, 2000s

"It wasn’t easy to choose five because I have lots of beautiful pins in my collection. I’ve chosen this one because it’s part of a series of official pins made by Roma. I really like the design of this one with a ball and the crest in the middle. It went on sale around 2006. You can see the high quality of the materials. It’s more refined than most of the pins in my collection."

4. UEFA Cup group stage pin, 2005

"I love pins made for the group stages of European competitions. I’ve got lots of them but I especially like this one in the shape of a scarf as it’s different to the others. This is the 2005-06 UEFA Cup group stage, when we played Strasbourg, Basel, Red Star and Tromso."

3. CUCS pin, 1980s

"This reminds me of when I used to go to the Curva myself. It’s a Scottish-influenced lion rampant. You can find the same design on the scarfs from 1982-83. I had one that I lost unfortunately. At the time, at least before the 1984 final, English fans were seen as a source of inspiration and Liverpool fans in particular, with the Kop, were the most choreographic."

2. Classic Barilla shirt pin, 1990s

"This is a modern pin but it’s in the shape of a shirt, which I really like. It’s recent but depicts a retro shirt. I’d love it if they were to produce a pin with the current season’s shirt every year. In fact, I’d like to have a little box with all three kits for each season."

1. Real Madrid v Roma, USA 2002

"This was for a friendly between Real Madrid and Roma in August 2002. It was played at Giants Stadium in New York and was part of the Live and Let Live campaign, an AIDS fundraising initiative. I’m really fond of it because it’s very rare and I went to great lengths to track it down."

Bonus pin: CSKA Moscow v. Roma, 1991-92 Cup Winners' Cup

"I bought this one from a Russian collector. He didn’t actually want to sell it but I managed to convince him by swapping it for a rare match programme. This is a typical Russian-style pin. The material is not the best but it’s very elaborate. It was made for the Cup Winners’ Cup match in 1992."

Follow Massimo on Twitter: @ilbanale