A fun little collection that I put together is a type-set, one of each type, of patrol identification. I use this for displays at troop and council activities as it catches folks attention. They can connect to the collection because of the current badges that they’re familiar with or from the ones when they were kids. From this connection, they then get interested in the earlier versions. I include some information as to when each were used as well as that although some look the same from the front there are noticeable differences on the back. I’ve been able to put together not only a type-set but a type-set of the same patrol.

Here’s what I’ve included:

Flying Eagle patrol ribbon. Patrol ribbons were used from 1911 to 1929. The earliest ones were 5 1/2″ long. This one is 4 1/2″ which puts it in the 1925-1929 era. This is the style of patrol identification that England use and the BSA adapted it. What makes the BSA versions distinctive from UK versions is the flat metal bar and prongs, or tab, used to hold the ribbon to the shirt. UK versions used a safety pin. Someone can fill me in but some countries may still be using patrol ribbons to this day. Being here in Michigan we often see Canadian versions that are not that old and thus confuse novice collectors here thinking they have a really old piece of insignia and they don’t.

A square patrol medallion used from 1925-1926 and only in a few select councils. The reason for going to symbols was because people could not remember which combination of patrol colors go with which patrols unless they got out their handbook. These were screen printed on square pieces of felt. We still do not know how many different ones exist. In theory there could be 50 just like the patrol ribbons. The top collectors of these have between 10 and 20 different. A nice collection has 5 to 10, they are that hard.

After the successful test of the square patrol medallions, the BSA went to round versions. They also went to embroidering the patches rather than screen printing. The first ones, used from 1927 to 1933, did not have BSA on them and were made of felt. They added BSA in 1933 but kept it on felt. In 1953 they switched to red twill. In 1972 they went to multi-colored twill (no example pictured) and dropped BSA. In 1989 they went to tan twill.

Even though some of the material was used for a long period of time, felt and later twill, there are noticeable differences when one turns them over.

The felt BSA come in what is called ‘black back’ and ‘white back’. The difference was the color of the backing thread used in the embroidery process. Black backed patrol medallions were used from 1933 to the late 1930s. The white backed ones were used from 1940s to 1952.

In the red twill patches there are three types of backs – rubber back, paste back, and plastic back.

I don’t yet have an example in Flying Eagle but in the rubber back there are even two more varieties – where the ‘rubber’ backing material is completely over the embroidery or under the embroidery. Here’s an example though for Frontiersman.

Collectors have taken these further and pursued even more varieties! As with any Scout badges used for so many years and made by different manufacturers there are even more varieties although the ones listed here are what we consider the major versions.