I caught up with Hank Birdsong a long time collector in the hobby at the Charlotte Trade-O-Ree.  After basically finishing his core OA section flap collection - Hank came up with a very original idea for a new pursuit.  He went back to his roots from his first NOAC and started collecting OA names and numbers.  While this might be a familiar collection target for many - he came up with his very own unique rules and parameters as to what he puts in.  Listen to the rules he has created and how it's an almost never ending process of upgrading the issues in his collection.  To see the collection in person is also a nice bonus as it's all layed out in Best Hobby Pages.

Have you ever looked at your Boy Scout collection and struggled to figure out what the small differences among common rank and position patches mean? In this episode of the show we go into a deep dive on how to identify and sort your BSA rank patches using the leading reference books in the hobby. It’s a fun rabbit hold collection that almost every Scout or Scouters can start today.

This episode is packed with knowledge and an awesome unboxing. Ryan Losonsky returns for the final installment in my interview with him. This time we are talking about nuts and bolts….literally! Ryan has created a 90+ panel traveling Scout museum and in this video we are going to talk shop. The big unboxing for this week is a truly live box that came in this week from California featuring an outstanding OA collection with some killer (not exaggerating) flaps. The giveaway returns as well to don’t forget to sign up to get your name in the virtual hat for that prize. If you want to find that original video that we referenced in the link is https://youtu.be/yUQTMi9Al8c.

In this episode you will see how Ryan Losonsky has developed his model for a traveling Boy Scout history display that is adaptable to the audience. He also shares ideas for how you can get invited to display which in some ways is a challenge as well. We also discuss the notion that perfection can be the enemy of getting started as you don't need to have 100% of the items.

During the show you will also get to see three unboxings including one that is very timely for me. Oh and of course a giveaway! These are in every episode of the show. You can put your name in for the prize at www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/prize

OK spoiler alert! Today I'm telling the whole story of how I came to work with a Hollywood Costumer named Danielle to help outfit the actors in Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans. I took my family to see the movie on Thanksgiving Day. I had really been hesitant to do a video about my involvement until I saw the final cut. You never know how things are going to turn out and I wasn't sure if they would have made changes since my involvement was more than a year ago. But the uniforms were awesome, the portrayal of Sammy Fabelman's time in Scouts was awesome (can you tell I am a child of the 80s?) and I loved the movie. The overall arc of the story line is heavily focused on the family dynamics. But the the parts in the beginning of the movie with his patrol and troop were just plain fun to watch. Of course in this episode I'll have a giveaway and an unboxing! Oh and if you've read this far down I have an Easter Egg surprise for you. Something that I just found this morning when I was doing my homework for this episode. I was so shocked when I found this that I immediately called my wife and had one of those moments on the phone where she first asked "is everything ok?". Watch to find out!

In this episode of the show I am back with some great content. The highlight is an interview with Russell Smart at the Charlotte Trade-O-Ree. He came to the event with an amazing display of Scouting history. His focus was the 20 plus iterations of which merit badges were required for the rank of Eagle Scout. So in each frame he has the patch, medal and merit badge patches from every time the BSA changed the requirements for its highest rank. You can also see a series of small Boy Scout collection unboxings where I did a marathon run. I hope you appreciate the Scobby Doo time effect to speed up the transition. You can also watch to see the winner of the giveaway last week of the 1937 National Scout Jamboree patch. Of course I have another giveaway this week. All you have to do is put in your name and email at www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/prize.

Patch Trading at the Jamboree! Listen in to Scouting Hot Finds Live to get the story on visitors and patch trading at the Jamboree from Tico Perez. This episode includes a new giveaway (and the live picking of last week's winner!). You can also catch a number of unboxings. In this episode I try to also pivot towards a focus on newer collectors by calling out the opportunity to fellowship, learn and build your collection at Trade-O-Rees. Please leave comments and feedback as I love to see where everyone would like to see me focus the content.

In this episode of the show you can here more from the 2023 National Jamboree Chairman Tico Perez. In this segment Tico discusses innovative ways the BSA has thrown out the old rule book about how a Jamboree is run. This includes the opportunity for ANY Scouter to attend with a troop or on staff. He shares that in this new model a leader can attend with their Scout and live the adventure. They are also looking to add another 1,000 staff members and shares how for younger staff members there is a generous discount.



During the show there will also be an unboxing of a Boy Scout collection that I got in. I will also premiere a special video that I recorded for my Patreon Group. The video is called the Inside the Warehouse feature and shows my sorting project in action.

You can enter the giveaway mentioned in this episode by going to http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/prize. The drawing will stay open for one week following the video.

If you are a Scouting memorabilia collector this is the show for you! This is the first episode of my new weekly show Scouting Hot Finds Live. You will not want to miss everything I have packed into a 30-minute livestream including an unboxing, cool giveaway, interview with the 2023 National Scout Jamboree Chairman Tico Perez and a Trade-O-Ree update. The link to participate in the giveaway and get a chance to win the signed sash by the founder of the OA is http://www.scoutpatchcollectors.com/p... This format will be interactive to join live so you can leave comments and be part of the fun.