Conservation Merit Badge History

Earned through 1952117,836

Best year19515,864 earned

All-time popularity#135official, as of 2020#141by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1911. Peak year 1951 with 5,864. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19111 earned#16 of 22

191215 earned#34 of 51

191331 earned#37 of 56

1914100 earned#32 of 58

191596 earned#30 of 58

1916139 earned#26 of 56

1917164 earned#32 of 58

1918266 earned#26 of 58

1919628 earned#28 of 59

1920694 earned#25 of 59

19211,442 earned#23 of 61

19222,011 earned#22 of 61

19232,195 earned#22 of 63

19242,210 earned#22 of 64

19253,225 earned#22 of 64

19264,586 earned#22 of 65

19275,145 earned#22 of 68

19284,156 earned#32 of 88

19293,486 earned#36 of 89

19303,554 earned#36 of 92

19313,664 earned#41 of 96

19322,892 earned#43 of 98

19332,876 earned#43 of 101

19342,535 earned#45 of 101

19353,751 earned#37 of 101

19362,743 earned#41 of 101

19373,412 earned#33 of 102

19383,691 earned#40 of 105

19393,919 earned#42 of 106

19403,830 earned#43 of 106

19413,565 earned#40 of 106

19423,012 earned#40 of 110

19433,380 earned#43 of 112

19444,757 earned#38 of 111

19454,884 earned#37 of 111

19464,106 earned#38 of 111

19473,584 earned#38 of 111

19483,510 earned#39 of 111

19494,092 earned#38 of 111

19504,481 earned#40 of 111

19515,864 earned#36 of 111

19525,144 earned#42 of 120

"#42 of 120" means the badge was number 42 of the 120 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.

19111#16 of 22

191215#34 of 51

191331#37 of 56

1914100#32 of 58

191596#30 of 58

1916139#26 of 56

1917164#32 of 58

1918266#26 of 58

1919628#28 of 59

1920694#25 of 59

19211,442#23 of 61

19222,011#22 of 61

19232,195#22 of 63

19242,210#22 of 64

19253,225#22 of 64

19264,586#22 of 65

19275,145#22 of 68

19284,156#32 of 88

19293,486#36 of 89

19303,554#36 of 92

19313,664#41 of 96

19322,892#43 of 98

19332,876#43 of 101

19342,535#45 of 101

19353,751#37 of 101

19362,743#41 of 101

19373,412#33 of 102

19383,691#40 of 105

19393,919#42 of 106

19403,830#43 of 106

19413,565#40 of 106

19423,012#40 of 110

19433,380#43 of 112

19444,757#38 of 111

19454,884#37 of 111

19464,106#38 of 111

19473,584#38 of 111

19483,510#39 of 111

19494,092#38 of 111

19504,481#40 of 111

19515,864#36 of 111

19525,144#42 of 120

Grand total through 1952:

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.

Conservation: workbook data

Printings (33)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	HC	Notes
c	1920		1C						hb 20th editon reference
x	1920		2						20c Wireless
	1921	not made
	1922	not made
x	1923		2						15c Radio
	1924	not made
c	1925		3A over 2	back-3
x	1925		3A	back-3			3309
x	1926		3A	back-3			3309
x	1927		3A	back-3			3309
x	1927		3A	back-3			3309		with 1929 pasted requirements
	1928	not made
x	1929	October	3B	back-3		1929	3309
x	1930	March	3B	back-3			3309
x	1930	October	3B	back-3			3309
x	1931	March	3B	back-3			3309
x	1931	October	3B	back-3			3309
	1932	not made
x	1933	April	3B	back-3	1M		3309
c	1934	June	3B	back-3	1M		3309
	1935	February	3B	back-3	1M		3309
x	1936	March	3B	back-3	1M		3309
x	1937	January	3C	back-3	2M		3309
x	1938	May	3C	back-3	1M		3309
x	1939	November	3D	back-3	1M		3309
x	1940	November	3D	back-3	1M		3309
x	1941	October	3D	back-3	3M		3309
x	1941	October	4	back-4	3M		3309
x	1942	July	4	back-4	2M		3309
	1943	not made
x	1944	April	5A	back-5a	2M		3309
x	1945	January	5B	blank	3M		3309
x	1945	September	5B	blank	2M		3309
x	1946	October	5B	blank	3M		3309
	1947	not made
x	1948	April	5B	blank	2M	1946	3309
x	1949	February	5B	blank	2M	1946	3309	HCG
x	1950	February	5B	blank	3M	1946	3309
x	1951	May	5B	back-6a	2M	1946	3309
x	1951	July	5B	back-6a	3M		3309
	1952	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1911	1	16	22
1912	15	34	51
1913	31	37	56
1914	100	32	58
1915	96	30	58
1916	139	26	56
1917	164	32	58
1918	266	26	58
1919	628	28	59
1920	694	25	59
1921	1,442	23	61
1922	2,011	22	61
1923	2,195	22	63
1924	2,210	22	64
1925	3,225	22	64
1926	4,586	22	65
1927	5,145	22	68
1928	4,156	32	88
1929	3,486	36	89
1930	3,554	36	92
1931	3,664	41	96
1932	2,892	43	98
1933	2,876	43	101
1934	2,535	45	101
1935	3,751	37	101
1936	2,743	41	101
1937	3,412	33	102
1938	3,691	40	105
1939	3,919	42	106
1940	3,830	43	106
1941	3,565	40	106
1942	3,012	40	110
1943	3,380	43	112
1944	4,757	38	111
1945	4,884	37	111
1946	4,106	38	111
1947	3,584	38	111
1948	3,510	39	111
1949	4,092	38	111
1950	4,481	40	111
1951	5,864	36	111
1952	5,144	42	120