The Scout Patch Auction
Specializing in rare Scouting collectibles

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Glossary

Scouting collectibles have a large number of abbreviations and jargon. Some of the most frequently occuring ones are presented here for your reference.

A: An arrowhead shaped patch
B: Bullion patch
BMT: Base material, the cloth that a fully embroidered patch is stitched onto. Often hobbyists note the variety of an issue based upon the base material.
BSA: Boy Scouts of America
BWR: Blue, white and red
BWS: Blue and White Strip, both pre-cursor to and contemporary with red and white strips (see RWS), for councils and communities. Blue is the background material. These were used for the Sea Scout blue uniform. Generally these were discontinued in 1972.
BYS: Blue and Yellow Strip, pre-cursor to red and white strips (see RWS) for councils and communities. Generally these were discontinued in 1954. Typically come in half-strips with one line of text. Council strips and state strips are considered more collectible than city/community strips.
C: (1) Chenille patch type, e.g. like a high school letter patch. (2) Cut edge patch.
CAW: Overlapping designs of a compas, anchor and wing representing the Exploring Division by the combination of the Senior Scout program with Sea Scouts and Air Scouts.
Call Back: An auction service where the auctioneer will telephone you if another bidder has topped your bid and you can continue bidding.
cb or CB: Cloth backed Click here to see an example
CD: Computer designed (manufactured) patch.
ce: Cut edge patch
CSP: Council Shoulder Patch
Death' flap A flap or patch issued as the final issue of a merging lodge specifically to commemorate the ending(death) of the lodge. They normally have the 'birth' and 'death' dates of the lodge on them.
DJ: Diamond Jubilee (1985 for 75th anniv. of the BSA) item.
Explorer Green: Used to describe the cloth color of items designed to match the Explorer uniform shirts from the 1950s through the 1970s. Click here to see an example
F: Twill, non-fully embroidered, OA pocket flap.
FDL: Fleur-de-lis, the official Scout sign of the BSA.
GB: Gauze back. Click here to see an example
GMY: Gold mylar (metalic) thread.
H: A historical patch or reproduction issued by an authorized agency.
J: Jacket patch synonomous with back patch.
JSP: Jamboree Shoulder Patch, a council shoulder patch worn at a jamboree with some form of special marking indicating the jamboree.
JCP: Jamboree Contingent Patch, a temporary patch not intended for wear on the shoulder.
K of D: Knights of Dunamis, a society for any one who earned the Eagle rank. This was replaced in the early 1970s by NESA. The Kof D was not an official part of the BSA program, NESA is.
KRS: Khaki and Red Strip, pre-cursor to red and white strips (see RWS) for councils and communities. Generally these were discontinued in 1954. Typically come in half-strips with one line of text. Council and state strips are considered more collectible than city/community strips.
L: A leather patch
LSA: Lone Scouts of America, a separate organization from the BSA
LSS: Lone Scout Service, the program division within the BSA supporting the Lone Scout program after its inclusion in BSA.
LSD: Lone Scout Division, early name for the program division within the BSA supporting the Lone Scout program after its inclusion on BSA.
M: Metal badge
MB: Minimum bid.
MT First Flap: Order of the Arrow flap issue conforming with the Dr. Jeff Morley and Bill Topkis First Flap book.
N: Neckerchief
N/C: Neckerchief
NESA: National Eagle Scout Association, a BSA program for any one who has earned the Eagle rank.
NOAC: National Order of the Arrow Conference, a bi-annual meeting of all Order of the Arrow lodges. Prior to 1948 the event was called a National Meeting.
NT: No direction to the twill
OA: Order of the Arrow, an honor camper society of typically older Scouts. Only Scouts elected to the OA can become members. Since 1948 it is an official program of the Boy Scouts of America. The organization was first founded in 1915. The organization affiliated with an individual council is referred to as a "lodge."
OA Name Set: One patch from each OA lodge that ever issued a patch.
OA Number Set: One patch from each OA lodge number that ever issued a patch.
pb or PB: Plastic backed Click here to see an example
PP: Pocket patch
R: (1) Round patch type. (2) Rolled edge patch.
re: Rolled (Merrow) edged patch
RWB: Red, white, and blue
RWS: Red and white strip, a pre-cursor to the council shoulder patch that was only red and white. Red is the background material. Their description is often abbreviated with the letter 'C' replacing the full spelling of the word 'COUNCIL' and a '/' used to designate another line of text. There can be significant differences in value between slight variations of the wording on these strips. Also see: KRS, BWS, WBS, BYS and Half strip.
S: A fully embroidered, solid, OA flap or CSP
Sea Scout White: Used to describe the cloth color that matches the summer/dress uniform of the Sea Scout program. Click here to see an example
Sea Scout Blue: Used to describe the cloth color that matches the fall uniform of the Sea Scout program. Click here to see an example
SMY: Silver mylar (metalic) thread.
SS: Scout sign, a registered trademark of the BSA. A stylized FDL.
Superseded: After the merger of two or more BSA councils, an Order of the Arrow lodge might keep its same number but with a different name. The old name has been "superceeded" by the new name.
T: Twill, non-fully embroidered CSP
TLR: Twill slanting to the left that has a heavy texture or is rough.
TLS: Twill slanting to the left that has a light texture or is smooth.
TOR: Trade-o-ree, a collector's swap meet.
TRR: Twill slanting to the right that has a heavy texture or is rough.
TRS: Twill slanting to the right that has a light texture or is smooth.
w/: With
w/o: Without
X: An odd shaped patch not described elsewhere.
XF: A patch in extra fine condition but is used
W: Woven patch
WAB: An OA patch pictured in the first illustrated OA patch book, the Wabaningo Book published in 1952.
WBS: White and Blue Strip, both pre-cursor to and contemporary with red and white strips (see RWS), for councils and communities. White is the background material. These were used for the Sea Scout white uniform. Generally these were discontinued in 1972.
Z: A fake patch

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