Physical Development Merit Badge History

Earned through 1952267,769

Best year194515,423 earned

All-time popularity#91official, as of 2020#97by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1914. Peak year 1945 with 15,423. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19145 earned#54 of 58

1915184 earned#21 of 58

1916193 earned#23 of 56

1917311 earned#24 of 58

1918412 earned#23 of 58

1919942 earned#24 of 59

1920917 earned#22 of 59

19211,434 earned#24 of 61

19221,950 earned#23 of 61

19231,932 earned#24 of 63

19242,094 earned#23 of 64

19252,358 earned#24 of 64

19263,263 earned#24 of 65

19274,074 earned#24 of 68

19288,442 earned#22 of 88

19295,619 earned#27 of 89

19305,559 earned#28 of 92

19317,591 earned#26 of 96

19326,735 earned#27 of 98

19337,026 earned#28 of 101

19346,851 earned#26 of 101

19358,259 earned#25 of 101

19367,198 earned#25 of 101

19377,572 earned#24 of 102

19388,685 earned#25 of 105

193910,094 earned#25 of 106

194010,203 earned#25 of 106

19419,528 earned#25 of 106

19429,313 earned#22 of 110

194312,653 earned#19 of 112

194415,263 earned#20 of 111

194515,423 earned#20 of 111

194612,550 earned#20 of 111

194711,073 earned#20 of 111

194810,183 earned#20 of 111

194911,564 earned#20 of 111

195013,178 earned#20 of 111

195114,026 earned#21 of 111

195213,112 earned#24 of 120

"#24 of 120" means the badge was number 24 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.

19145#54 of 58

1915184#21 of 58

1916193#23 of 56

1917311#24 of 58

1918412#23 of 58

1919942#24 of 59

1920917#22 of 59

19211,434#24 of 61

19221,950#23 of 61

19231,932#24 of 63

19242,094#23 of 64

19252,358#24 of 64

19263,263#24 of 65

19274,074#24 of 68

19288,442#22 of 88

19295,619#27 of 89

19305,559#28 of 92

19317,591#26 of 96

19326,735#27 of 98

19337,026#28 of 101

19346,851#26 of 101

19358,259#25 of 101

19367,198#25 of 101

19377,572#24 of 102

19388,685#25 of 105

193910,094#25 of 106

194010,203#25 of 106

19419,528#25 of 106

19429,313#22 of 110

194312,653#19 of 112

194415,263#20 of 111

194515,423#20 of 111

194612,550#20 of 111

194711,073#20 of 111

194810,183#20 of 111

194911,564#20 of 111

195013,178#20 of 111

195114,026#21 of 111

195213,112#24 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.

Physical Development: workbook data

Printings (38)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	HC	Notes
x	1919		1B-2	blank		1919			hb 20th edition reference
	1920	not made
	1921	not made
	1922	not made
c	1923		2						15c Radio
c	1924		2						15c Radio
c	1925		2						20c Radio
x	1925		3A
x	1926		3A
	1927	not made
x	1928		3B
x	1928		3B						with pasted 1929 requirements
x	1929	August	3B
x	1930	March	3B
x	1930	May	3B
x	1930	November	3B			1930	3325
x	1931	March	3B			1930	3325
x	1931	October	3B			1930	3325
x	1932	May	3B		1M	1930	3325
x	1933	May	3B		1M	1930	3325
x	1934	April	3B		1M	1930	3325
c	1935	January	3B		1M	1930	3325
x	1935	August	3B		2M	1930	3325
x	1936	August	3B		2M	1930	3325
x	1937	November	3B		2M	1930	3325
x	1938	October	3B		2M	1930	3325
x	1939	September	3B		2M	1930	3325
	1939	September	4		2M
x	1940	September	4		2M
x	1941	May	4		2M
x	1942	March	4		3M			HCB
x	1943	February	4		3M
x	1944	March	4		7M
x	1944	March	5A		7M
x	1945	January	5B-1		6M
x	1945	October	5B-2		6M
x	1946	December	5B-2		5M
	1947	not made
x	1948	June	5B-2		4M
x	1949	June	5B-2		4M
x	1950	March	5B-2		5M
x	1951	April	5B-2		4M			HCH
x	1951	November	5B-2		6M
	1952	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1914	5	54	58
1915	184	21	58
1916	193	23	56
1917	311	24	58
1918	412	23	58
1919	942	24	59
1920	917	22	59
1921	1,434	24	61
1922	1,950	23	61
1923	1,932	24	63
1924	2,094	23	64
1925	2,358	24	64
1926	3,263	24	65
1927	4,074	24	68
1928	8,442	22	88
1929	5,619	27	89
1930	5,559	28	92
1931	7,591	26	96
1932	6,735	27	98
1933	7,026	28	101
1934	6,851	26	101
1935	8,259	25	101
1936	7,198	25	101
1937	7,572	24	102
1938	8,685	25	105
1939	10,094	25	106
1940	10,203	25	106
1941	9,528	25	106
1942	9,313	22	110
1943	12,653	19	112
1944	15,263	20	111
1945	15,423	20	111
1946	12,550	20	111
1947	11,073	20	111
1948	10,183	20	111
1949	11,564	20	111
1950	13,178	20	111
1951	14,026	21	111
1952	13,112	24	120