Interpreting Merit Badge History

Earned through 195241,372

Best year19331,676 earned

All-time popularity#179official, as of 2020#184by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1911. Peak year 1933 with 1,676. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19113 earned#7 of 22

191227 earned#19 of 51

191352 earned#32 of 56

1914112 earned#30 of 58

1915141 earned#24 of 58

1916130 earned#27 of 56

1917228 earned#27 of 58

1918232 earned#29 of 58

1919359 earned#35 of 59

1920452 earned#28 of 59

1921730 earned#33 of 61

1922890 earned#33 of 61

1923918 earned#34 of 63

1924876 earned#33 of 64

19251,279 earned#31 of 64

19261,404 earned#36 of 65

19271,449 earned#45 of 68

19281,360 earned#63 of 88

19291,545 earned#54 of 89

19301,417 earned#58 of 92

19311,619 earned#58 of 96

19321,545 earned#59 of 98

19331,676 earned#60 of 101

19341,381 earned#61 of 101

19351,507 earned#68 of 101

19361,305 earned#61 of 101

19371,218 earned#69 of 102

19381,345 earned#66 of 105

19391,375 earned#67 of 106

19401,626 earned#61 of 106

19411,533 earned#61 of 106

19421,154 earned#65 of 110

19431,073 earned#73 of 112

19441,382 earned#74 of 111

19451,337 earned#74 of 111

19461,071 earned#74 of 111

1947924 earned#73 of 111

1948756 earned#77 of 111

1949848 earned#79 of 111

19501,031 earned#79 of 111

19511,081 earned#81 of 111

1952981 earned#90 of 120

"#90 of 120" means the badge was number 90 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.

19113#7 of 22

191227#19 of 51

191352#32 of 56

1914112#30 of 58

1915141#24 of 58

1916130#27 of 56

1917228#27 of 58

1918232#29 of 58

1919359#35 of 59

1920452#28 of 59

1921730#33 of 61

1922890#33 of 61

1923918#34 of 63

1924876#33 of 64

19251,279#31 of 64

19261,404#36 of 65

19271,449#45 of 68

19281,360#63 of 88

19291,545#54 of 89

19301,417#58 of 92

19311,619#58 of 96

19321,545#59 of 98

19331,676#60 of 101

19341,381#61 of 101

19351,507#68 of 101

19361,305#61 of 101

19371,218#69 of 102

19381,345#66 of 105

19391,375#67 of 106

19401,626#61 of 106

19411,533#61 of 106

19421,154#65 of 110

19431,073#73 of 112

19441,382#74 of 111

19451,337#74 of 111

19461,071#74 of 111

1947924#73 of 111

1948756#77 of 111

1949848#79 of 111

19501,031#79 of 111

19511,081#81 of 111

1952981#90 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.

Interpreting: workbook data

Printings (16)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Run	HC	Notes
c	1920		2			20c Wireless
	1921	not made
	1922	not made
x	1923		2			15c Wireless
	1924	not made
x	1925		3A
x	1926		3A
x	1927		3A
	1928	not made
x	1929	December	3B
	1930	not made
x	1931	June	3B
	1932	not made
	1933	not made
	1934	not made
x	1935	October	3B	1M
	1936	not made
x	1937	November	3B	1M
	1938	not made
	1939	not made
x	1940	March	3B	1M
	1941	not made
x	1942	September	3B	1M
	1943	not made
x	1944	November	5A	2M
	1945	not made
x	1946	January	5B	1M	HCE
	1947	not made
x	1948	February	5B	1M
	1949	not made
x	1950	January	5B	1M
x	1951	July	5B	1M	HCH

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1911	3	7	22
1912	27	19	51
1913	52	32	56
1914	112	30	58
1915	141	24	58
1916	130	27	56
1917	228	27	58
1918	232	29	58
1919	359	35	59
1920	452	28	59
1921	730	33	61
1922	890	33	61
1923	918	34	63
1924	876	33	64
1925	1,279	31	64
1926	1,404	36	65
1927	1,449	45	68
1928	1,360	63	88
1929	1,545	54	89
1930	1,417	58	92
1931	1,619	58	96
1932	1,545	59	98
1933	1,676	60	101
1934	1,381	61	101
1935	1,507	68	101
1936	1,305	61	101
1937	1,218	69	102
1938	1,345	66	105
1939	1,375	67	106
1940	1,626	61	106
1941	1,533	61	106
1942	1,154	65	110
1943	1,073	73	112
1944	1,382	74	111
1945	1,337	74	111
1946	1,071	74	111
1947	924	73	111
1948	756	77	111
1949	848	79	111
1950	1,031	79	111
1951	1,081	81	111
1952	981	90	120