Foundry Practice Merit Badge History

Earned through 195213,958

Best year19282,374 earned

All-time popularity#204official, as of 2020#206by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1923. Peak year 1928 with 2,374. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

192335 earned#62 of 63

1924128 earned#59 of 64

1925122 earned#60 of 64

1926254 earned#61 of 65

1927559 earned#59 of 68

19282,374 earned#49 of 88

1929376 earned#76 of 89

1930435 earned#79 of 92

1931455 earned#87 of 96

1932399 earned#85 of 98

1933465 earned#87 of 101

1934345 earned#91 of 101

1935909 earned#78 of 101

1936380 earned#87 of 101

1937904 earned#77 of 102

1938414 earned#94 of 105

1939417 earned#97 of 106

1940398 earned#95 of 106

1941455 earned#94 of 106

1942425 earned#88 of 110

1943352 earned#96 of 112

1944360 earned#103 of 111

1945379 earned#103 of 111

1946339 earned#102 of 111

1947281 earned#101 of 111

1948309 earned#100 of 111

1949332 earned#102 of 111

1950269 earned#106 of 111

1951686 earned#92 of 111

1952402 earned#113 of 120

"#113 of 120" means the badge was number 113 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.

192335#62 of 63

1924128#59 of 64

1925122#60 of 64

1926254#61 of 65

1927559#59 of 68

19282,374#49 of 88

1929376#76 of 89

1930435#79 of 92

1931455#87 of 96

1932399#85 of 98

1933465#87 of 101

1934345#91 of 101

1935909#78 of 101

1936380#87 of 101

1937904#77 of 102

1938414#94 of 105

1939417#97 of 106

1940398#95 of 106

1941455#94 of 106

1942425#88 of 110

1943352#96 of 112

1944360#103 of 111

1945379#103 of 111

1946339#102 of 111

1947281#101 of 111

1948309#100 of 111

1949332#102 of 111

1950269#106 of 111

1951686#92 of 111

1952402#113 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.

Foundry Practice: workbook data

Printings (14)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	BSA #	HC	Notes
x	1925		3A	back-3		3742
x	1926		3A	back-3		3742
	1927		3A	back-3		3742
	1928	not made
	1929	not made
x	1930	March	3B	back-3		3742
	1931	May	3B	back-3		3742
x	1931	May	3B	back-3		3742		with pasted in new requirements
	1932	not made
	1933	not made
	1934	not made
x	1935	March	3B	back-3	1M	3742
	1936	not made
x	1937	May	3B	back-3	1M	3742
	1938	not made
	1939	not made
x	1940	January	3B	back-3	1M	3742
	1941	not made
x	1942	April	3B	back-3	1M	3742
	1943	not made
	1944	not made
x	1945	June	5B	blank	1M	3742
c	1946	April	5B	blank	1M	3742
	1946	not made
	1947	not made
	1948	not made
x	1949	March	5B	blank	1M	3742
	1950	not made
x	1951	August	5B	back-6a	1M	3742	HCH

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1923	35	62	63
1924	128	59	64
1925	122	60	64
1926	254	61	65
1927	559	59	68
1928	2,374	49	88
1929	376	76	89
1930	435	79	92
1931	455	87	96
1932	399	85	98
1933	465	87	101
1934	345	91	101
1935	909	78	101
1936	380	87	101
1937	904	77	102
1938	414	94	105
1939	417	97	106
1940	398	95	106
1941	455	94	106
1942	425	88	110
1943	352	96	112
1944	360	103	111
1945	379	103	111
1946	339	102	111
1947	281	101	111
1948	309	100	111
1949	332	102	111
1950	269	106	111
1951	686	92	111
1952	402	113	120