First Place Collectibles

What First Place Collectibles does

First Place Collectibles, LLC (DBA First Place Pins) is a St. Louis, Missouri-based custom awards and collectibles manufacturer founded in 2018 by two partners, Zach Hickert and Larry Puzniak. The company designs and produces made-to-order team trading pins, championship rings, medals (including oversized 5-9 inch bodybuilding medals), commemorative coins, and modern trophy concepts (heavyweight belts, Trophy Hat, fist plates) for youth sports organizations, tournament directors, race directors, IFBB/NPC bodybuilding promoters, clubs, and artists. Manufacturing relies on soft enamel, litho with epoxy dome, and die-cast finishing techniques with factory-direct supplier relationships, and the company offers premium "sizzle" add-ons such as danglers, spinners, glow-in-dark, glitter, and rainbow plating.

The business operates a hybrid B2B/B2C model. B2B revenue is driven by custom quote-based sales with all-inclusive design-to-delivery pricing and a 50% deposit structure, anchored by official partner relationships with Cooperstown All Star Village (since 2018) and Ripken Baseball (since February 2025), plus an affiliate arrangement with Rawlings Tigers Baseball. B2C revenue runs through a Shopify storefront selling pre-designed collectibles including Hall of Fame rings ($240), pendants ($45-$75), Cooperstown pin packs, and baseball cards. The company serves 150+ teams annually at Cooperstown, and markets via organic social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), email newsletter, and partner referrals. No external funding or institutional investment is disclosed; the operation remains bootstrapped with two core partners.

Name

First Place Collectibles

Legal name

First Place Collectibles, LLC

Website

https://firstplacepins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Place Collectibles is a St. Louis-based custom manufacturer of team trading pins, championship rings, medals, and commemorative coins serving youth sports tournaments, race directors, bodybuilding promoters, and organizations, with anchor partnerships at Cooperstown All Star Village and Ripken Baseball.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Sports Awards & Collectibles

NAICS

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Collectibles (Non-Card) Retail (e.g., coins, pins, figurines) (CRAMAOAD)

Keywords

• Custom trading pins
• Championship rings
• Custom medals
• Commemorative coins
• Sports collectibles

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Product Manufacturing: B2B custom manufacturing of team trading pins, championship rings, medals, commemorative coins, and trophies for tournament directors, race directors, sports organizations, and promoters. Products are made-to-order with pricing based on design specifications, quantities, and customization options. Price quoted is all-inclusive from design to delivery.
2. E-commerce Retail Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of pre-designed collectible products through Shopify storefront including Hall of Fame rings, pendants, commemorative pins, and baseball cards.
3. Bodybuilding & Fitness Awards: Specialized oversized medals, heavyweight belts, and championship rings for IFBB and NPC bodybuilding competitions. Priced based on size, quantity, and add-ons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

First Place Collectibles is a custom manufacturer of made-to-order collectible awards and keepsakes, primarily serving youth sports tournaments. Its core offerings include team trading pins (soft enamel and litho with epoxy dome), individually sized custom championship rings, championship and finish-line medals (including oversized 5–9 inch medals for bodybuilding competitions), die-cast commemorative coins, lapel and art pins, and modern trophy concepts such as heavyweight belts and Trophy Hats. Pricing is custom quote-based with all-inclusive design-to-delivery costs and a 50% production deposit.

Product overview

First Place Collectibles is a custom awards and keepsakes manufacturer offering made-to-order collectible products primarily for the youth sports market. The product portfolio centers on Team Trading Pins and Championship Rings as core offerings, complemented by Championship Medals, Finish Line Medals, BodyBuilding & Fitness Awards (for IFBB/NPC events), Commemorative Coins, Lapel & Art Pins, and Modern Trophy Concepts (including heavyweight belts and trophy hats). The company operates a retail web store selling pre-designed products like St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame rings and pendants, Cooperstown pin packs, and a Baseball Card Shop. All products are custom-designed per client specifications with multiple colors, finishes, and styles available. The company serves tournament directors, race directors, sports teams, athletic departments, and special organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Team Trading Pins Custom soft enamel and litho with epoxy dome trading pins for travel baseball, softball, and tournament teams. Available with enhancements including danglers, glitter, rainbow plating, glow-in-dark, spinners, blinky lights, bobble heads, and sliders. Offered for Cooperstown All Star Village, World Series events, and general tournament use.
• Championship Rings Custom-designed championship rings for teams, tournaments, and organizations. Available in any size with customizable sides and individual player names. Offered for baseball, softball, football, soccer, and lacrosse.
• Championship Medals Custom championship medals with ribbon design for tournaments and special events. Designed to be worn by players rather than collected as dust-gathering trophies.
• Finish Line Medals Custom finish-line medals for race events including marathons, half marathons, 5K, 10K, triathlons, trail running, and fun runs. Includes commemorative coins and full-color silk lanyards.
• BodyBuilding & Fitness Awards Oversized medals ranging from 5 to 9 inches for bodybuilding and fitness events including IFBB and NPC competitions. Includes custom 4-color sublimate silk lanyards, medal backers, heavyweight belts, and Best Overall Championship Rings.
• Commemorative Coins Custom die-cast commemorative coins for player recognition, team achievements, and event giveaways. Suitable for sale or distribution at events.
• Lapel & Art Pins Limited edition enamel pins for artists and organizations, used for personal promotion, commemorating milestones, and turning art into collectible commodities.
• Modern Trophy Concepts Alternative trophy concepts including custom championship fist plates, Trophy Hat concepts combining tournament caps with oversized pins, and heavyweight belts. Designed to replace traditional plastic trophies.
• TRADE BAIT Cooperstown Pin Packs Pre-packaged team trading pin sets for retail sale, specifically designed for Cooperstown All Star Village baseball experiences.
• St. Louis Softball Hall of Fame Ring Custom ring representing career excellence on the softball diamond for St. Louis Softball Hall of Fame inductees.
• St. Louis Softball Hall of Fame Pendant Pendant symbolizing individual career excellence and lifelong achievement in St. Louis softball. Priced at $45.00. Order deadline December 1, 2025 for March 2026 Hall of Fame Ceremony; hand delivery available.
• STL Limited Art Pin Series Limited edition art pins produced in collaboration with local St. Louis artists.
• St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame Ring Hall of fame ring representing career excellence and positive impact on the St. Louis area. Available in large (26mm x 28mm) or small (22mm x 24mm) ring tops, sizes 6.5–16.5, priced at $240.00. Includes cherrywood ring display box and a custom industry icon.
• St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame Pendant Hall of fame pendant representing career excellence and positive impact on the St. Louis area. Includes gold-plated chain and custom industry icon. Priced at $75.00.
• Coronavirus Cancels Cooperstown Trading Pins Limited edition commemorative trading pins remembering the 2020 Cooperstown Dreams Park season that was canceled. Features oversized 2.5-inch pins with bobble and glitter elements. Available as individual sets ($21.00) or team quantity packs.
• Baseball Card Shop Retail offering of baseball trading cards including Topps relic cards, factory sealed boxes, rookie cards, and limited edition releases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150 teams served in a single year at Cooperstown

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ripken BaseballcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2025Multi-year partnership announced February 11, 2025 establishing First Place Collectibles as Official Awards Partner for Ripken Baseball. The partnership brings big-time awards and player recognition to The Ripken Experience venues. FPC provides custom collectibles including player rings, championship medals, swag chains, skills awards, team trading pins, and specialty retail souvenirs. Represents shared commitment to provide players, coaches, and families with unparalleled baseball experiences that create lifelong memories.
• Cooperstown All Star VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Since 2018, First Place Collectibles has served as the Official Team Trading Pin Partner for Cooperstown All Star Village, a world-class family baseball resort. The company creates custom team trading pins for 12U travel ball teams heading to the destination. Pin trading is a signature experience at the venue, and FPC helps teams create unique pins that facilitate trading with other teams, siblings, coaches, umpires, and staff throughout the week-long event. Contact Ann or Larry for Green Monster special offers including free team banners or bonus pins.
• Rawlings Tigers BaseballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRawlings Tigers Baseball organization affiliate partner. As an affiliate team, Rawlings Tigers receive an exclusive 7% discount off every product created for them. All designs are pre-approved with team customization available. The partnership provides a structured product catalog with customizable player trading pin designs including Tigers Home, Tigers Badge, Tigers Bat & Balls, and Tigers Strike Zone options.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Jostens: Established legacy manufacturer of championship rings, class rings, and recognition awards. Competes with FPC in the championship ring category but operates at a much larger scale across scholastic and collegiate sports through a national sales network.
• Awards.com: Broad awards and recognition products retailer offering trophies, medals, plaques, and pins. Overlaps with FPC's range but distributes through a general catalog/channel rather than specialized tournament partnerships.

Emerging players

• Owl & Lark: Custom trading pin manufacturer with focus on small-batch and boutique orders. Comparable product line but with a smaller scale and more niche customer focus than FPC's high-volume tournament relationships.

Direct peers

• Dynamic Products: Manufacturer of custom trading pins, medals, patches, and bobbleheads for sports teams and corporate clients. Direct competitor offering a similar portfolio of customization-heavy recognition products.
• Baron Championship Belts: Specialty manufacturer of heavyweight championship belts and buckles for wrestling, MMA, and bodybuilding competitions. Direct competitor in FPC's bodybuilding and modern trophy concept category, particularly IFBB/NPC oversized belt awards.
• Pinsanity: Direct competitor in custom enamel trading pins for sports teams, schools, and corporate customers. Operates a similar made-to-order B2B model with comparable pricing tiers and customization options, overlapping directly with FPC's core trading pin product line.
• Allied Enamel: Custom enamel pin manufacturer offering trading pins, lapel pins, and collectible pins for teams and organizations. Comparable B2B custom manufacturing model with similar product customization capabilities.
• Starter Pins: Custom lapel and trading pins for sports teams, schools, and events. Direct competitor in the made-to-order custom pin space with similar pricing tiers and customer base of tournament and team customers.
• PinPros: Custom trading pin manufacturer with strong presence in youth sports, school, and team markets. Competes head-to-head in the travel baseball and tournament team trading pin segment that is FPC's anchor business.
• Wizard Pins: Custom trading pins and lapel pins for sports teams, schools, and corporate clients. Direct competitor in soft enamel and lithograph pin production with comparable pricing and minimum order structures.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/firstplacepins
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV-B4HBa_tx7nHjwx8HQY4Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/firstplacecollectibles
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstplacecollectibles
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firstplacecollectibles

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Place Collectibles