Automobiling Merit Badge History

Earned through 1961166,914

Best year19317,930 earned

All-time popularity#120official, as of 2020#126by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1912. Peak year 1931 with 7,930. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19110 earned

191216 earned#32 of 51

191347 earned#34 of 56

191494 earned#34 of 58

1915108 earned#27 of 58

1916124 earned#29 of 56

1917299 earned#25 of 58

1918348 earned#25 of 58

1919822 earned#26 of 59

1920840 earned#23 of 59

19211,615 earned#22 of 61

19221,936 earned#24 of 61

19232,041 earned#23 of 63

19242,054 earned#24 of 64

19253,152 earned#23 of 64

19264,133 earned#23 of 65

19275,003 earned#23 of 68

19285,582 earned#28 of 88

19296,540 earned#23 of 89

19306,844 earned#23 of 92

19317,930 earned#25 of 96

19327,046 earned#26 of 98

19336,925 earned#30 of 101

19345,109 earned#29 of 101

19355,000 earned#29 of 101

19364,038 earned#30 of 101

19374,299 earned#31 of 102

19384,766 earned#32 of 105

19394,714 earned#33 of 106

19404,444 earned#34 of 106

19413,929 earned#35 of 106

19423,005 earned#41 of 110

19433,006 earned#49 of 112

19443,686 earned#50 of 111

19454,055 earned#46 of 111

19464,036 earned#39 of 111

19474,010 earned#36 of 111

19483,814 earned#36 of 111

19494,159 earned#36 of 111

19504,287 earned#42 of 111

19514,388 earned#45 of 111

19524,493 earned#49 of 120

19533,445 earned#53 of 105

19543,703 earned#55 of 103

19553,517 earned#57 of 100

19563,715 earned#54 of 100

19573,889 earned#55 of 100

19584,223 earned#51 of 101

19593,795 earned#59 of 101

19604,057 earned#60 of 100

19614,177 earned#60 of 101

"#60 of 101" means the badge was number 60 of the 101 merit badges earned that year. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

19110none earned

191216#32 of 51

191347#34 of 56

191494#34 of 58

1915108#27 of 58

1916124#29 of 56

1917299#25 of 58

1918348#25 of 58

1919822#26 of 59

1920840#23 of 59

19211,615#22 of 61

19221,936#24 of 61

19232,041#23 of 63

19242,054#24 of 64

19253,152#23 of 64

19264,133#23 of 65

19275,003#23 of 68

19285,582#28 of 88

19296,540#23 of 89

19306,844#23 of 92

19317,930#25 of 96

19327,046#26 of 98

19336,925#30 of 101

19345,109#29 of 101

19355,000#29 of 101

19364,038#30 of 101

19374,299#31 of 102

19384,766#32 of 105

19394,714#33 of 106

19404,444#34 of 106

19413,929#35 of 106

19423,005#41 of 110

19433,006#49 of 112

19443,686#50 of 111

19454,055#46 of 111

19464,036#39 of 111

19474,010#36 of 111

19483,814#36 of 111

19494,159#36 of 111

19504,287#42 of 111

19514,388#45 of 111

19524,493#49 of 120

19533,445#53 of 105

19543,703#55 of 103

19553,517#57 of 100

19563,715#54 of 100

19573,889#55 of 100

19584,223#51 of 101

19593,795#59 of 101

19604,057#60 of 100

19614,177#60 of 101

Grand total through 1961:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Automobiling: workbook data

Printings (42)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	HC	Notes
c	1920		1C				3305		HB 20th Edition refernece
x	1920		2	back-1920-automobiling			3305
	1921	not made
	1922	not made
x	1923		2	back-1923-automobiling			3305
	1924	not made
x	1925		3A	back-3			3305
c	1926		3A	back-3			3305		back inside page = Boy's Life for a Dollar Ad
x	1926		3A	back-3			3305		back inside page = Don't Miss your Boy's Life Ad
x	1927		3A	back-3			3305
x	1928		3B	back-3			3305
c	1929		3B	back-3			3305
x	1929	December	3B	back-3			3305
x	1930	August	3B	back-3			3305
c	1930	September	3B	back-3			3305
x	1931	May	3B	back-3			3305
x	1931	May	3B	back-3			3305		with pasted 1931 requirements
	1932	not made
x	1933	March	3B	back-3	2M		3305
	1934	not made
x	1935	January	3B	back-3	1M		3305
x	1935	November	3B	back-3	2M		3305
	1936	not made
x	1937	July	3C	back-3	2M		3305
	1938	not made
x	1939	February	3D	back-3	1M		3305
c	1940	January	3D	back-3	1M		3305
x	1941	February	3D	back-3	3M	1941	3305
x	1941	February	4A	back-4	3M	1941	3305
x	1942	May	4B	back-4	2M	1941	3305
	1943	not made
x	1944	April	5A	back-5a	1M	1941	3305
x	1944	December	5B-1	blank	2M	1941	3305		black and white pavement
x	1945	June	5B-2A	blank	1M	1941	3305		black pavement
x	1945	November	5B-1	blank	2M	1941	3305		black and white pavement
x	1946	April	5B-2A	blank	2M	1941	3305		black pavement
x	1947	June	5B-2B	blank	2M	1941	3305	HCF	black pavement
c	1948	August	5B-2B	blank	2M	1941	3305	HCE
x	1949	October	5B-2B	blank	2M	1941	3305
	1950	not made
x	1951	January	5B-2B	blank	2M	1941	3305
x	1951	September	5B-2B	back-6a	3M	1941	3305	HCH
x	1952	November	6	back-6b-1	3M	1941	3305	HCI
x	1953	October	6	back-6b-1	3M	1941	3305
x	1954	September	6	back-6b-2	4M	1941	3305	HCJV1
	1955	not made
x	1956	January	6	back-6b-2	5M	1956	3305	HCJV1
x	1956	September	6	back-6b-2	3M		3305
x	1957	March	6	back-6b-2	5M		3305
x	1957	November	6	back-6b-2	7M		3305
	1958	not made
x	1959	May	6	back-6c-2	5M		3305	HCJV2
x	1960	September	6	back-6d	5M		3305

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1911	0
1912	16	32	51
1913	47	34	56
1914	94	34	58
1915	108	27	58
1916	124	29	56
1917	299	25	58
1918	348	25	58
1919	822	26	59
1920	840	23	59
1921	1,615	22	61
1922	1,936	24	61
1923	2,041	23	63
1924	2,054	24	64
1925	3,152	23	64
1926	4,133	23	65
1927	5,003	23	68
1928	5,582	28	88
1929	6,540	23	89
1930	6,844	23	92
1931	7,930	25	96
1932	7,046	26	98
1933	6,925	30	101
1934	5,109	29	101
1935	5,000	29	101
1936	4,038	30	101
1937	4,299	31	102
1938	4,766	32	105
1939	4,714	33	106
1940	4,444	34	106
1941	3,929	35	106
1942	3,005	41	110
1943	3,006	49	112
1944	3,686	50	111
1945	4,055	46	111
1946	4,036	39	111
1947	4,010	36	111
1948	3,814	36	111
1949	4,159	36	111
1950	4,287	42	111
1951	4,388	45	111
1952	4,493	49	120
1953	3,445	53	105
1954	3,703	55	103
1955	3,517	57	100
1956	3,715	54	100
1957	3,889	55	100
1958	4,223	51	101
1959	3,795	59	101
1960	4,057	60	100
1961	4,177	60	101