Scouting Hot Finds Boy Scout Memorabilia

I caught up with Hank Birdsong a long time collector in the hobby at the Charlotte Trade-O-Ree.  After basically finishing his core OA section flap collection - Hank came up with a very original idea for a new pursuit.  He went back to his roots from his first NOAC and started collecting OA names and numbers.  While this might be a familiar collection target for many - he came up with his very own unique rules and parameters as to what he puts in.  Listen to the rules he has created and how it's an almost never ending process of upgrading the issues in his collection.  To see the collection in person is also a nice bonus as it's all layed out in Best Hobby Pages.

Have you ever looked at your Boy Scout collection and struggled to figure out what the small differences among common rank and position patches mean? In this episode of the show we go into a deep dive on how to identify and sort your BSA rank patches using the leading reference books in the hobby. It's a fun rabbit hold collection that almost every Scout or Scouters can start today.

This episode is packed with knowledge and an awesome unboxing. Ryan Losonsky returns for the final installment in my interview with him. This time we are talking about nuts and bolts….literally! Ryan has created a 90+ panel traveling Scout museum and in this video we are going to talk shop. The big unboxing for this week is a truly live box that came in this week from California featuring an outstanding OA collection with some killer (not exaggerating) flaps. The giveaway returns as well to don't forget to sign up to get your name in the virtual hat for that prize. If you want to find that original video that we referenced in the link is https://youtu.be/yUQTMi9Al8c.

In this episode you will see how Ryan Losonsky has developed his model for a traveling Boy Scout history display that is adaptable to the audience. He also shares ideas for how you can get invited to display which in some ways is a challenge as well. We also discuss the notion that perfection can be the enemy of getting started as you don't need to have 100% of the items.During the show you will also get to see three unboxings including one that is very timely for me. Oh and of course a giveaway! These are in every episode of the show. You can put your name in for the prize at www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/prize

OK spoiler alert! Today I'm telling the whole story of how I came to work with a Hollywood Costumer named Danielle to help outfit the actors in Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans. I took my family to see the movie on Thanksgiving Day. I had really been hesitant to do a video about my involvement until I saw the final cut. You never know how things are going to turn out and I wasn't sure if they would have made changes since my involvement was more than a year ago. But the uniforms were awesome, the portrayal of Sammy Fabelman's time in Scouts was awesome (can you tell I am a child of the 80s?) and I loved the movie. The overall arc of the story line is heavily focused on the family dynamics. But the the parts in the beginning of the movie with his patrol and troop were just plain fun to watch. Of course in this episode I'll have a giveaway and an unboxing! Oh and if you've read this far down I have an Easter Egg surprise for you. Something that I just found this morning when I was doing my homework for this episode. I was so shocked when I found this that I immediately called my wife and had one of those moments on the phone where she first asked "is everything ok?". Watch to find out!

In this episode of the show I am back with some great content. The highlight is an interview with Russell Smart at the Charlotte Trade-O-Ree. He came to the event with an amazing display of Scouting history. His focus was the 20 plus iterations of which merit badges were required for the rank of Eagle Scout. So in each frame he has the patch, medal and merit badge patches from every time the BSA changed the requirements for its highest rank. You can also see a series of small Boy Scout collection unboxings where I did a marathon run. I hope you appreciate the Scobby Doo time effect to speed up the transition. You can also watch to see the winner of the giveaway last week of the 1937 National Scout Jamboree patch. Of course I have another giveaway this week. All you have to do is put in your name and email at www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/prize.

Patch Trading at the Jamboree! Listen in to Scouting Hot Finds Live to get the story on visitors and patch trading at the Jamboree from Tico Perez. This episode includes a new giveaway (and the live picking of last week's winner!). You can also catch a number of unboxings. In this episode I try to also pivot towards a focus on newer collectors by calling out the opportunity to fellowship, learn and build your collection at Trade-O-Rees. Please leave comments and feedback as I love to see where everyone would like to see me focus the content.

In this episode of the show you can here more from the 2023 National Jamboree Chairman Tico Perez. In this segment Tico discusses innovative ways the BSA has thrown out the old rule book about how a Jamboree is run. This includes the opportunity for ANY Scouter to attend with a troop or on staff. He shares that in this new model a leader can attend with their Scout and live the adventure. They are also looking to add another 1,000 staff members and shares how for younger staff members there is a generous discount.During the show there will also be an unboxing of a Boy Scout collection that I got in. I will also premiere a special video that I recorded for my Patreon Group. The video is called the Inside the Warehouse feature and shows my sorting project in action.You can enter the giveaway mentioned in this episode by going to http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/prize. The drawing will stay open for one week following the video.

If you are a Scouting memorabilia collector this is the show for you! This is the first episode of my new weekly show Scouting Hot Finds Live. You will not want to miss everything I have packed into a 30-minute livestream including an unboxing, cool giveaway, interview with the 2023 National Scout Jamboree Chairman Tico Perez and a Trade-O-Ree update. The link to participate in the giveaway and get a chance to win the signed sash by the founder of the OA is http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/p... This format will be interactive to join live so you can leave comments and be part of the fun.

Chris Jensen is once again hosting the Pre-NOAC Trade-O-Ree and in this interview he shares all the details of the event coming up July 23-25 in Knoxville, TN. The TOR runs Saturday - Monday which means the last day is when all the contingents show up. In the podcast we talk about this bi-annual gathering of the hobby and why this is a don't miss event for any Scouting memorabilia collector. You can get a copy of the flyer and see what other TORs are happening around the country on my website at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com. You can find Chris Jensen's website at http://www.Streamwood.net which includes additional information about the event.

Version III of the Camp Book II has been published and my guest is Bob Sherman who is the lead author on the project along with Dave Minnihan and Kevin Doyle. This latest version now tops out at 1600 pages identifying each known Boy Scout camp by alpha, state and council. In the interview Bob shares all the research that has been added in this edition including whether camps are known to have issued a patch.The book is available as a digital download or you can buy the whole 1600+ page printed copy at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Order of the Arrow cataloging going back 50 years is the topic of this month’s Scouting Hot Finds Insiders Round Table. Bill Mulrenin served as the New York State Editor on the Blue Book project for the last 3 editions. So in the discussion we take it all the way back to Bill Price books of the 1970s to describe how far this has come. The next big leap forward that we cover is the 1979 publication of the Arapaho book which really helped the hobby. The key feature here was adding high quality images to help with the identification. We didn’t mention it (sounds like a topic for another Round Table) but there is also tons of great historical data in the Arapaho uncovered from National BSA records. Finally we single out multiple ways that the Blue Book published in 1996 really improved OA cataloging. Over the six editions of the Blue Book things such as chronological listing, decimal numbering, as well as including neckerchiefs, chapter issues and event issues were big improvements. If you are a Boy Scout patch collector I think you will find this video to be very educational as Bill has a wealth of history in the hobby to share.

Wiatt Williamson has cracked the code on how to write a Scouting memorabilia guide book. In his years in the hobby he has written over a dozen guides for Order of the Arrow lodges, councils and camps. In this interview he shares the blueprint and makes an offer to share his easy to use template with everyone out there. I think that his idea can be a powerful positive force for the hobby. Imagine if in your state there was a free PDF for all the CSPs (David McIntyre) or for the camps that have been part of your council's legacy through mergers. If you write it they will collect it to borrow a twist a line from a classic movie.

Mitch Reis has just published the 5th Edition of A Guide To Dating And Identifying Boy Scouts Of America Badges, Uniform, & Insignia. This book is one of the reference "bibles" that all Scouting memorabilia collectors should have on their shelf. There is hardly a topic that is not covered if it was worn on a uniform. In this interview Mitch goes all the way back to his earliest efforts on this project. We hear how catching up since the last edition in 2009 was such a challenge. But in the end he has crafted a reference book that will be such a vital piece to feed collectors with new rabbit holes to go down. I was reading the book myself and spent way too much time looking at the Cub Scout listing. Now I'm going to put together a Cub display as I just finished 5 years of being a den leader.If you enjoy this content please consider helping me fund this podcast by joining my Patreon Group called the Scouting Hot Finds Insiders. For as little as $1 per episode you can join and make sure that the podcast remains a bi-weekly effort to interview interesting people in the hobby. You can also unlock exclusive content that I only publish there. That includes an "After the Interview" segment with Mitch where I asked him some extended questions to get his opinion. Check it all out at http://www.ScoutingHotFinds.com.

Perhaps the first podcast I ever listened to back in 2006 was an ambitious project that was launched by some guys out of Coosa Lodge 50 in Alabama. Clothtalk was their idea for an audio podcast that would focus on the hobby of collecting Scouting memorabilia. For 29 episodes these guys brought on guests for interviews, had a Trade-O-Ree correspondent, and asked their guests "what's your favorite patch?" Chris Brightwell was part of that original team although he was more of the engineer making the magic happen. In this interview Chris goes back to 2005-2006 and shared where the idea was born, who made it happen, and reminisces about how this podcast was maybe ahead of it's time. I say right from the beginning in the intro that their podcast was the inspiration for me to pick up a microphone and start SHF Radio back in 2011. You can find the show notes page at http://www.Scoutpatchcollectors.com. Be sure to go there to find a link to the original Clothtalk episodes that Chris was able to resurrect including the show notes pages. In my Patreon group the Scouting Hot Finds Insiders you can find an extended version "After the Interview" segment where I hear about an amazing audio project that Chris is helping to launch called the Scouting Memories Podcast. You can find out more at http://www.ScoutingHotFinds.com.

For about 15 years Bill Mulrenin has been a constant on the Internet for the Boy Scout memorabilia collecting hobby. His website at www.NYOATRADER.com is the prototype for what a niche blog site in our hobby should be. As the New York OA Blue Book Editor he created the site to help share knowledge and also to keep up with new Order of the Arrow issues from the Empire State. In this interview we go all the way back to the beginning of this idea. We also talk about his work on the board of the Ten Mile River Scout Museum. Going forward Bill has used some of the down time during the 2020-21 pandemic to work on the site and has plans to improve it going forward.If you enjoyed this content please consider joining my Patreon Group called the Scouting Hot Finds Insiders. My backers in this group specifically help me hire an audio and video editor to bring this podcast to life along with my series of unboxing videos. You can find out more and access exclusive content (including my After the Interview segment with Bill) at www.ScoutingHotFinds.com.

A decade ago Bill Chadek took a gamble on a Boy Scout pocket knife.  He cleaned up a beat up old knife and brought it back to life with elbow grease, sandpaper, and lots of polishing.  This was the beginning of a side business refurbishing vintage BSA pocket knives, sheath knives and hand axes. Today his completed projects sell at auction for as much as $400 on eBay.  Over the last decade of honing his craft Bill has experimented with different woods, learned how to forge a much improved leather sheath, and mastered polishing metal. In the interview we talk in depth about one of his most well known projects - recreating the "Kit Carson" style combo with sheath knife with a hand axe mated together.When I came across Bill promoting his projects on Facebook I quickly became a fan.  While connecting on this interview Bill actually agreed to repair the sheath for my favorite Western BSA knife.  I came away really impressed by his craftsmanship. I love how he is taking something old and recycling it to make it a presentation item.  He shares in the interview that several Scoutmasters have purchased these to give them out as gifts for Eagle Scout presentations.If you enjoy this interview with Bill Chadek then you might want to hear the exclusive bonus content that I have posted in my Patreon Group.  I had one thorny question for Bill and decided to put that in my "After The Interview" segment rather than include it in the public audio.  We also talk about the possibility of me sending him some items to refurbish. You hear access that bonus content and become a member of the Scouting Hot Finds Insiders for as little as $2 per month at http://www.scoutinghotfinds.com.  There are also exclusive videos in the Insiders group.  The whole purpose of this Patreon group is to support the hiring of an audio and video editor so I can put out more content in 2021!

For several decades Russell Smart was on a mission. He came up with a simple enough goal. Can I get the first patch issued by the oldest lodge in every state? That rabbit hole of collecting led him to add other needs to the list but eventually he was able to get that impossible collection about 93% complete. In our interview we go back in time to talk about Order of the Arrow insignia before the flap. Russell did a lot of research during his quest to build this collection and he shares some incredible stories that all Scouting memorabilia collectors will want to hear. We talk about the Wabaningo book in 1952 that kinda set the early collecting community ablaze. However, the reason for the timing of this interview is that he is now in the process of divesting the collection and finding new homes for the great pieces in the collection. You can find his initial sale of the 100 best pieces here https://bit.ly/LegacyOAcollection. During 2021 my goal is to publish bi-weekly with new interviews focused on the hobby of collecting Scouting memorabilia. In order to do that and improve not only the quantity of episodes but the quality I'm asking for your help. Please consider joining my Patreon group called the Scouting Hot Finds Insiders at http://www.ScoutingHotFinds.com. Members get exclusive behind the scenes content from the podcast, unboxing videos, and my business as a Scouting memorabilia dealer. Even just a pledge of $2 per month will help me hire an audio editor to make these episodes possible. If you want to see my archive of all the episodes go to my website at http://www.ScoutPatchCollectors.com. There I have a page with all the episodes linked, my Scouting Hot Finds Newsletters, Trade-O-Ree calendar and more.

At the 2019 World Scout Jamboree held in the United States Doug Schwab helped to staff the Spirit of Jamboree Museum. In this interview we talk about his experience and the book he published that documented the once in a lifetime display of Scouting memorabilia from the World Scout Jamboree. The book is a beautiful full color hard back with professional quality pictures of all the displays including the text which tells the story. During the interview Doug shares how the museum project came about with Russell Smart and Rick Bragga leading the charge. During the the interview he thanks many more members of the staff such as Sam Fairchild, Dave Miura, Bob Hannah and more (complete list on the Author's Note page of the book). The effort to assemble this museum onsite was monumental and completely lead by a team of dedicated volunteer Scouters and collectors including several from other countries making it a truly international effort. If you would like to reach out to Doug he shares in the podcast that you can do so at spiritofjamboree@gmail.com. If you can help me get the podcast published every two weeks please consider becoming a Scouting Hot Finds Insider and support the project as a patron at http://www.ScoutingHotFinds.com. I am asking listeners to consider donating as little as $2 per month (which works out to $1 per episode) for me to hire an audio and video editor. My goal is to continue putting out high quality content for the Scout patch collecting hobby and this is a way that I'm asking fellow collectors to chip in to help. You can find all the previous 89 episodes of the podcast dating all the way back to 2011 when it launched at http://www.ScoutPatchCollectors.com. There you will see that I also publish an email newsletter to over 5k collectors several times per week called the Scouting Hot Finds Newsletter. I've been publishing that newsletter since 2010. I live in Charlotte, NC where I am a full time memorabilia dealer, collector, and active volunteer Scouter. You can reach me at Jason@ScoutPatchCollectors.com.

The first episode of the Scouting Hot Finds Radio in almost a year should be the launching pad for a real rebirth of the podcast. I know I am guilty of saying that a few times over the last couple of years but I'm laying down roots to make this podcast sustainable. In this episode you will hear about 3 topics that I think fit with the theme of roots. The first of those is my plans for where I'm going with the Scouting Hot Finds Radio Podcast. It first rolled out in 2011 and so I'm going into year 10 of the podcast with only 89 episodes under my belt. I have figured out a way to make the podcast sustainable on a bi-weekly basis. But that commitment opens the door to part 2 of the podcast where I announce the opening of the Scouting Hot Finds Insiders group on Patreon http://www.scoutinghotfinds.com I have been putting out free content for the Scouting collecting community for more than a decade. Every newsletter, every podcast, every video is totally free. But to make better content on a consistent basis I'm asking for your support. By joining the SHF Insiders you have help me hire an audio editor that will make a bi-weekly schedule for the podcast doable. I end the episode by going way back to my podcast roots. In 2006 I was a featured guest on the original podcast for our hobby, Cloth Talk. With permission from Chris Brightwell I'm rebroadcasting my interview with Tim and Ben talking about eBay in our category 15 years ago - talk about a time capsule! Look for the next episode to drop soon which will be my interview with Doug Schwab on the Spirit of the Jamboree museum at the 2019 World Scout Jamboree.

Rick Stewart has been writing a quarterly article for the ISCA Journal on the topic of Scouting museums going on four years now. During a 20+ career as a professional Scouter and more as a volunteer he can also claim to have visited the National Scout Museum at all 4 of its locations over the last several decades of moving. In this wide ranging interview we go in depth on what make a Scout museum great and how a council might go about setting one up. I have a special take on this as there are no Scout museums in my home state of South Carolina and I'd love to see that change in the next few years. You can find all the archived episodes of Scouting Hot Finds Radio on my website at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

John Smilek says this will be the year. On the 100th anniversary of the first Boy Scouts of America merit badge pamphlet being published he and other collaborators will publish a full reference guide for collecting this niche in the hobby. The guide will include thousands of pictures and a complete explanation of the different types and sub-types issued through the years. In this interview John explains the history of these utilitarian books including the answer to a good trivia question. For what merit badge was the first ever pamphlet published in 1919? The answer will surprise you. There is also a companion video of this interview located on my website at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

John Athayde and his collaborators on Patchvault.org are ready to turn back control of Order of the Arrow memorabilia listing to the people. With a background in software and a core group of collectors supporting the effort they have expanded the site from it's roots as Virginia OA specific to now include about 70 lodges. What sets this site apart is the quality of the work. Their guiding rule is that a picture is the best representation of a patch. In this interview John gives the history of the project and invites others to jump in.

http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com Mike Clinch is a great example of a Scouter and collector who is willing to invest hundreds of hours of his own time into building something for others. A few years ago he published an amazing two volume set of books detailing in color the merger history of all Boy Scout councils and OA lodges. Teaming up with the likes of Bill Topkis, Jeff Morley, Bob Sherman and others he is now helping to expand that work to include camps. By allowing us to visually understand the sometimes complicated merger history of BSA councils his work is like somebody sharing the answers to the homework problem. Only with his skill as a geographer the maps and charts he makes are so much better than anything I've even. Add to the mix OA section mergers and his project keeps growing. Best of all he is not profiting from any of this but rather proceeds of the printed books are donated back to Scouting. As you can tell I'm a huge fan and glad to have him on the show and let him share and get a little well deserved recognition for his hard work and unselfish service to the hobby.

Scouting collectors who have spent time learning about Scouting history have an obvious way to give back to the program. Collections merit badge allows a Scout to take a patch collection and with the right coaching fulfill the requirements. Scouting Heritage teaches Scouts about our movements history while also getting them to take an active role documenting their own troop and local history. Stuart Tucker of the Mecklenburg County Council is a regular merit badge counselor for both of these badges. For going on three years now he has also used a Boy Scout Trade-O-Ree as a useful backdrop to teach these merit badges. In this interview Stuart explains how he has incorporated merit badge instruction into the Charlotte Trade-O-Ree held in April. You can also find the resource material that he shares on the show notes page at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

The National Scouting Historian Summit will take place June 9-15, 2019 at the Philmont Training Center.  This week long course will teach over 100 Scouts and Scouters the rules, tools and strategies needed to preserve and share Scouting history in your troop, lodge, council and community.  In this interview the two co-leads Bill Topkis and Jeff Morley share the details of this first of it's kind event.  We also chat about how this unique course came to develop including the work over the course of a decade or more with the musuem at the National Order of the Arrow Conferences. Bill and Jeff also share a few examples of the things participants will learn.  Do you love to share the history of Scouting with others and want to be equipped with expert level advice on how to do it successfully?  Do you dream of having a Scout museum or historical society in your council?  Do you want to become part of a network of experienced and dedicated Scout historians that you can then call on for advice?  Then the National Scouting Historian Summit is for you!  But don't wait to sign up as it's already filling up fast. http://www.historiansummit.com Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Andrew Silverstone could teach us all a thing or two about the Scout Oath and Law.  When he heard that some Scouts had lost their patches at the 2017 National Scout Jamboree he sprang into action organizing rescue boxes.  Using social media he gathered donations and made sure that these Scouts first experience with trading patches wasn't a disappointment.  In my interview Andrew tells the story of how it all happened.  He also shares why this was so meaningful for him as he was a victim of this mishap himself back at the 1985 Jamboree. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Scott Wheeler is a Boy Scout memorabilia collector who has a collection with over 100,000 unique items.  The only way he can keep track of all these items is by creating checklists.  That has led him to create the best 2017 National Jamboree checklist of council issued items.  By Scott's estimation there are around 2000 items issued for this Jamboree including some amazing sets.  In our interview we talk about how Scott got started in collecting and as you might guess it goes right back to a Jamboree. We also go off down many other topics is a fun and lively interview with one of the good guys in the hobby. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Nick Wolf, the Patch King, has a Top 10 list just for folks headed to the Jamboree.  As a veteran trader of several Jambos now Nick has come up with ten important tips he shares with the listeners.  I was able to sprinkle in some stories and commentary on Nick's list to give you some good examples.  The bottom line is that anybody going to the 2017 National Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel National Scout Reserve would get something helpful from his tips. Certainly his list is not all inclusive and so if you have some you'd like to share please leave them as a comment.  Likewise if you have questions regarding patch trading at the Jamboree please reach out to me. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

In getting ready to host a Boy Scout memorabilia show (we like to call them Trade-O-Rees) I was asked by the troop committee chairman to come give a patch trading class to the Scouts of Troop 33.  Episode 79 is the audio of that patch collecting talk that I gave to about two-dozen Scouts ranging from fresh Tenderfoots to high school aged Eagles.  I know that many other people have been in this situation.  Tasked with creating a 30-40 minute talk on a hobby that not that easy to translate.  After getting some advice from others my spin was to focus more on the "why" rather than the "how".  I tried to make connections with the Scouts through their participation in the program and show how easy it was to use the memorabilia to walk back in time.  I would appreciate any feedback and likewise feel free to take what I've shared and use it if you are ever in that situation.  I discovered that anyone born after 1996 is referred to as Generation Z so my goal was to try and speak on their level and not make it a pro-level how to class. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Becky Byrns was the first collector to host a national Girl Scout collectors show back in the 1990s.  Now with 15 shows under her belt and another coming up in a few weeks she is my guest on Scouting Hot Finds Radio.  Becky and I talk about the unique points of Girl Scout memorabilia including badges, dolls, jewelry and more.  Since I've been collecting Girl Scout stuff for about four years I've enjoyed leaning on her as a resource and was excited to get her on the show to share that with everyone.  We also try and compare and contrast how Boy Scout collecting is different from Girl Scouts. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Today on the podcast I welcome Nick Wolf who many of you know as the "Patch King".  After using some customized patch trading blankets at the 2015 National Order of the Arrow Conference Nick set about seeing if he could design and produce a patch trading blanket for the hobby.  After six months of developement he released his blanket which features room for up to 30 different flap/CSP shaped patches along with a zipper system to keep them in place.  Since then Nick has also released a matching blanket that is the perfect size for OA two-piece sets and is about to come out with one madef or neckerchiefs and jacket patches. In this interview Nick shares the story of how he got inspired to make the patch blanket and we talk about the process of getting it to production.  The hope is that many Scouts and Scouters attending the 2017 National Scout Jamboree will put these to good use.  Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Join me as Russell Smart shares details on this summer's Boy Scout National Jamboree. As the Program Chairman he has spent many hours planning since the 2013 National Jamboree to iron out the wrinkles and make this summer's event amazing.  During July 2017 over 40,000 Scouts and Scouters will descend on the Summit Bechtel National Scout Reserve in West Virginia.  As the Summit is the world's premier high adventure base the memories that will be made will last a lifetime. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Listen in to hear the wisdom of Uncle Nick.  My interview with Nick Loesch will trace his history in the hobby and get his impressions on how it's changed over the years.  Nick attened the 1964 Jamboree as a boy and caught the patch collecting pretty hard.  It was at the 1965 NOAC that he burned a Blue Heron Lodge flap to make a point about boys ripping off each other while trading.  After taking a break from the hobby to raise kids Nick jumped back in the late 1990s and never looked back.  He started on eBay in 2001 and has been a regular on the TOR circuit for years. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Everyone interested in selling on eBay needs to pay attention to the fees that are going to take a hard bit out of your bottom line.  In today's episode of Scouting Hot Finds Radio we are taking a hard look at what it costs to sell on eBay and look at some strategies that might help you take advantage of the quirks of selling on eBay including whether or not you should have an eBay store. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

The collectibles category lives on eBay.  Amazon? Forget about it!  Try doing it yourself with your own website?  Good luck!  So when eBay updates their fees and policies twice a year buyers and especially sellers need to pay attention.  In this episode of Scouting Hot Finds Radio I am going to break down the changes eBay is rolling out to the marketplace on May 1, 2015.  For the most part it's a story of carrots and sticks.  Some of the changers are meant to entice sellers to behave in a way that eBay sees as healthy for the site.  Other changes are meant to rap you over the knuckles if you go against the tide especially if relaunching the same auctions a dozen times was your game. Today's episode is just shy of thirty minutes long and in it I will cover the A-Z of the update.  I will really focus on how this impacts buyers/sellers in the collectibles category where Scouting memorabilia has a home.  At the conclusion I will also share how I think this affects me as an eBay Powerseller with an Anchor level store subscription.  BTW, check out my store at http://www.patchblanket.com to see what I've got up for sale.As always you can listen to Scouting Hot Finds Radio (now on episode 73!) on iTunes or Stitcher Radio.  Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

I met Mary Lou Schwarzer at the recent Easley, South Carolina Trade-O-Ree sponsored by Chris Jensen.  What makes his encounter interesting is that she drove down from the Blue Ridge Mountains Council in Virginia (http://www.bsa-brmc.org) to unload a lot of her council's old inventory including camp patches, OA and special issue CSPs.  In talking with here I also learned that she has an official BSA council account on eBay and regularly sells items on that marketplace as well.  Mary Lou graciously agreed to let me interview her to find out her impressions of the TOR and tips on how it works for a non-profit to sell on eBay. The interview runs about fifteen minutes and I think it really should give Boy Scout councils and other non-profits some ideas for how to leverage the millions of potential customers on eBay.  What if you could sell on eBay with no listing or final value fees and get reduced shipping costs?  Listen in while she also explains how sellers can use the service to donate money directly from their auction sales to the non-profit of their choice.  What if councils could reach out to local sellers and have them 10% of their gross eBay sales as a contribution? This is episode #72 of the podcast built for the Scouting memorabilia collecting community and I have big plans to keep going in 2015.  I hope to have more guests, more topics and with the largest National Order of the Arrow Conference ever taking place at Michigan State you can believe this is going to be a good year for the hobby. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

I decided to record this episode of the podcast when I got a message from a Facebook friend.  Krishna Palani asked, "Can you please offer me some resources and tips for trading patches at NOAC? I'm relatively new to trading and I'm going to NOAC this year." I started to fire off a message back when I realized that this was probably a topic that a lot of Arrowmen were curious about.  I'm estimating that only 1/5 youth at the 2015 NOAC will be veterans of the last conference in 2012.  So very few of them have had any experience going to a NOAC and might be curious for some tips just like Krishna.I spent some time writing an outline and just hit record.  I talked for almost 45 minutes straight through without taking a break or hitting the edit button.  This might be the first time in years that I've just recorded my stream of thought and never edited a single word in post-production.  However, I'm extremely happy with the result.  I think the content in this show will be very valuable for any Arrowmen (youth or adult) that has never attended a National OA Conference.  What you get here is my unfiltered opinion and I'm sure I'm going to make a few people mad with me for that reason.Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

The last several episodes of Scouting Hot Finds Radio have focused on unique strategies that people in the hobby of collecting Boy Scout memorabilia have used to feed their habit. Today's episode of the podcast takes the question to one of the young guns in the hobby Nick Wolf of the Connecticut Yankee Council and Owaneco Lodge 313. Nicknamed the "Patch King" by his own lodge brothers because at such a young age he seemed to be loaded with tons of cloth, Nick has developed a unique social media strategy to turnover his inventory.I have been buying/selling for a long time and I got lots of great ideas from listening to Nick share his strategy. In many ways it runs counter to what the typical trader in this hobby would think. Nick would rather sell 100 $1 patches than 1 $100 patch.Many people on Facebook and especially in the Scout Patch Collectors Facebook Group will know Nick from his Cyber Monday Deal sheet. He just wrapped up his 3rd annual sale and was able to surpass what he sold from the first and second combined. However, his strategy doesn't center around a 1/year offer. He has a talent for sourcing patches as well. Somehow while vacationing in Hawaii with his family he returned to CT with thousands of patches from a Scout shop in CA.If you listen to the show and have some feedback please post it below. You can find nick on Facebook and I've included a copy of his most recent Cyber Monday Deal sheet here. He also has a website and you can find him on eBay. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Richard Mori has been collecting Scouting memorabilia and specializing in rare books for many years.  In this interview he reveals a strategy for success that he feels confident nobody can duplicate.  What is really interesting about the way that Richard makes money in the hobby of collecting Boy Scout and Girl Scout memorabilia is that he does it the old school way.  You won't hear the words Internet or eBay mentioned in this interiew.  However, that's not to say that there aren't some nuggets that any collector can take away and relate to.This episode represents the third in a series I am doing on ways that people have taken their passion for a hobby and figured out how to make it pay for itself by earning a little money.  In Episode #67 we focused on how to sell on consignment and in #68 we talked about having an antique mall booth.  I hope that you will enjoy this episode of the show just as much. Richard Mori lives in New Hampshire but can be found traveling around the country to shows throughout the year.  He has established a wide network of contacts both in the Scout collecting community and among book dealers. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

When the Boy Scouts of America announced they would be building a permanent Jamboree site in the hills of West Virginia Todd Kelly started making some trips to the "Mountain State" to scope out locations for a Trade-O-Ree. One of the results of that venture was deciding to rent out a booth in two different antique malls in nearby Beckley, West Virginia.  Along with his partner at the time Todd got into the business of selling Scouting collectibles at an antique mall.  It's been almost four years since he dipped his toes into this strategy and Todd is now doubling down on this idea.Tonight on Scouting Hot Finds Radio I have the second show in a series on interesting ways that people in the hobby of Boy Scout memorabilia collecting can turn over some of their inventory and make money.  Sure we all know about selling on eBay but in this series I am uncovering some of the lesser known strategies that people are using.  We've already covered selling on consignment in Episode #67 of the podcast. As Todd and I both have antique mall booths we cover a lot of ground in this interview.  You can hear everything from what the basic financial arrangement is with the owner of the store to tips on what questions to ask and what to avoid.  You'll hear how "clutter" is not a four letter word in this strategy and the advantages of having a 7-day a week brick and mortar location that you don't have to staff yourself.  We also cover a tricky situation that you want to avoid and the secret formula for knowing if your antique booth is worth all the trouble and effort. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Her eBay user ID was a perfect choice several years ago - my_real_job_is_tattoos.  Ironically as her eBay business grew she was able to leave behind that "real job" and make a full time living as a work from home eBay Powerseller.  Angie Diller is my guest on Scouting Hot Finds Radio and our topic is essentially sourcing.  For Angie she runs a business totally based upon consignment with regular pickers that bring her items to sell on eBay.  This interview is the first in a series of shows that I'm going to publish describing strategies that people in the hobby can make a little money to feed their habit.  I got my real start on eBay as a consignment seller about 10 years ago so this interview brings me back to my own eBay roots.  As you listen to the interview we dive into how Angie runs her business including talking about unique sticky points with selling on consignment.  How do you determine the consignment rate?  What happens with returns? How do you handle your consignors to make sure there are no bad surprises?  These are all questions that Angie and I dive into during this interview.  As for pickers she has some war stories to share in the hot Michigan estate sale market.  If you enjoy this episode be sure to tune in over the next few months as I do more show topics about making money selling memorabilia.  Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Chris Jensen of Streamwood Inc. has been in the Boy Scout memorabilia hobby since the 1960s and as a full-time memorabilia dealer he has hosted more than forty trade-o-rees including ones for the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC).  In August of 2015 the Order of the Arrow will be holding it's 100th Anniversary NOAC at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.  Streamwood will be running a NOAC trade-o-ree for the three days leading up to the event on August 1-3.  In this interview Chris Jensen goes over all the details for the Big Monster NOAC TOR.  We also talk about his impressions as to why there are so many new TORs popping up on the calendar. If you want to know more about the TOR visit his website at http://www.streamwood.net. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

My guest is Bob Sherman who is a well known figure in the hobby of collecting Boy Scout memorabilia.  Some have taken to calling him the "camp patch man" as he has been writing the camp patch column in the ISCA Journal for a whopping 22 years now.  The focus of our interview tonight is discussing the brand new edition of the Camp Book II that has just been published and is available as a PDF either through instant download or CD on eBay.  The book comes in at 1250 pages but you can still purchase it on eBay from my partner there RadarBSI.  One of the key things about the Camp Book II is that is also the best reference piece for the history of Scouting councils.  It is packed with information about early teens and twenties councils that most people don't even know existed.  Towards the end of this interview I reveal a pair of special bonus items that I am committing to give away with every sold copy of the Camp Book II V2 (2014).  You'll just have to listen in to hear what I've got up my sleeve. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

When Boyd Williams attended the 1981 National Boy Scout Jamboree and traded a few patches he probably never thought he'd eventually become one of the well-known collectors in Tennessee.  However, after moving back home to Franklin, Tennessee in 1994 and getting back active in Scouting he soon caught the patch collecting bug.  As an active Scouter in the Middle Tennessee Council and Wa-Hi-Nasa Lodge 111 he started collecting everything local.  Along the way his passion for that local stuff led him to dig deep for council and district activity patches - something that many collectors ignore.  In fact one of the reasons he states for getting into that niche is that others were'nt interested in it.  So back around 2005 even though he admits to not being a computer genius he started building a website to document his collection and preserve the history of the activity patches from his council.  http://www.mtcpatches.com was built using a now defunct software program so when it crashed in 2013 he got help from a local Scouter and set about building it back from scratch.  Today, the website has neat district maps and every council and district patch that he knows of.  Boyd has even expanded to add a category for the Grimes Canoe Base and the shoulder insignia of the MTC.  In our interview Boyd and I talk about all this and I share how his site is an inspiration for me and should be to others. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Justin Carlisle began collecting Boy Scout cancer awareness patches about the time that his Order of the Arrow chapter issued a patch to help raise funds for the local chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Greenville, SC.  Soon he discovered that several OA lodges had produced memorabilia to help find a cure for cancer and he was hooked.  With his own father falling a victim to cancer he decided to write a reference guide for others Scouting memorabilia collectors who were interested in this niche.  Teaming up with Brett Estrade who runs Patchtrends.com he put together a guide that has all known issues including pricing data.  In this episode of the Scouting Hot Finds Radio Justin and Brett share the story of this new collectors guide.  For other Scouting memorabilia collectors who have notions of writing a similar collecting resource guide Brett Estrade is willing to partner with them by offering his database of prices realized from the Boy Scout category of eBay.  At the time of this episode that catalog holds over 2 million price points. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

During the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America in 2010 John Soresen got the idea to create a traveling display that he calls Scouting History on Wheels.  In my interview with him today John shares the story of how he put together the display and what he is trying to share with the audience.  Perhaps the most unique thing he has done is assemble a patrol of Scouts in vintage uniforms to perform flag ceremonies in classic fashion.  John's story and willingness to be a Boy Scout evangelist for the movement should be an inspiration for all memorabilia collectors. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

In the conclusion of my interview with Brad England the coufounder of the Scout Patch Collectors Facebook Group we reflect back on how the group has impacted the hobby.  Brad and I also talk about how in many ways the group is an anomaly for Facbook in that is is uber-active.  Finally we make a wish list for tools that we lack as admins of the group. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

Brad England and I literally launched the Scout Patch Collectors Facebook as a direct result of this radio show two years ago.  I noticed Brad swapping Boy Scout patches on Facebook and lined him up on an interview to share his strategy.  Out of that conversation was born the idea to create a group on Facebook devoted to trading patches and the group was born.  In this interview the cofounders look back as the group climbs over 5,000 members with no signs of slowing down. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.

For more than a decade the Scout Patch Collectors Base Camp has been the goto reference directory for those interested in Scouting memorabilia.  Glenn Chase is my guest tonight and I consider him to be one of the Internet pioneers of the hobby.  As the curator of the base camp since it launched he has probably seen every patch collecting website there is including many that are now long gone.  In this show Glenn shares the story of where he got the idea for the project and how he has kept it going all these years.  We also talk about his other hobby websites and he gives some great advice to those seeking to get started on a website project. Find more Scouting memorabilia content and all of my podcasts at http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com.