Scout Patch Collectors

Friday Scouting Hot Finds Newsletter May 6, 2016

I got some good advice from Bob Sherman on my dilemma mentioned earlier in the week. I was trying to decide whether or not to place a bid on a big auction lot that had some of my favorite items that unfortunately would have all been dupes in my collection. Ironically I’m faced with a similar question today as I spot one of the Top 10 OA pieces from South Carolina (not a need) on eBay today. The advice is to only pick it up if you can get it for a good price and plan to use it later to trade in value against your needs. Being a spontaneous bidder can get you into trouble in this hobby.

I’ve seen a wonderful little renaissance happening in my home lodge when it comes to interest in collecting and trading at events. I know some of you might like to see this happen at your OA lodge so let me share what kinda got it rolling.

I really have to credit it partly to Wes Drennan who has been coming to our events for the last three years. He is not a lodge brother but is a patch collector that now is known as a mudblood (Harry Potter joke) who is welcome. Wes brought stuff out to trade and was willing to engage the youth and answer questions and get their collecting juices flowing. Some other adults in my lodge started collections – first Ray Williams then Charles Galloway now Phil Bethune. They were willing to bring their collections out to display and that planted a seed. Now I’ve seen two more adults show a lot of interest and one 18 year old told me recently he wanted to have a complete flap collection in a few years. All this followed maybe a decade long fade in interest at my lodge events. So there is hope you just have to plant seeds and water them.

Every few weeks I like to throw up a 50% off sale in one of my store categories to help push out some inventory. So this weekend you can pick from over 750 district activity patches I have live and get 1/2 off. I’ve got some old felts in there that are now pretty cheap.

CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE MAY 6, 2016 ISSUE OF THE SCOUTING HOT FINDS NEWSLETTER