Antiques and Collectibles: 100 years of Boy Scout collectibles - Post Bulletin:
"You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business and future careers as you earn merit badges in Boy Scouts. There are more than 100 merit badges, ranging from American business to woodworking.
“My collecting started around 1978, as I tried to replace the patches my brother had traded,' Dietz said. 'I now have more than 1,000 items.”
Troop insignia, patches and pins are popular with collectors, but out of all the collectible items, the most popular is the Boy Scout handbook.
“I have started to limit my collecting to old uniforms, books, merit badges and trophies,' Dietz said. 'I have two items in my collection that are exceptionally valuable to me. One is a first edition of the first Boy Scouts of America handbook. The other is a full-size, original lithograph poster encouraging the purchase of war bonds for World War I. It is a 1918 poster by J. C. Leyendecker.”"