eBay Scouting Hot Finds Newsletter
TUESDAY MORNING EDITION - MARCH 1, 2016    
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One of the fun parts of writing a regular newsletter is getting to start conversations about topics in the hobby.  I want to share some advice I received back from the readers on a few issues I brought up in recent editions of the Hot Finds.
Vintage Boy Scout Memorabilia Up First
Recently I asked for advice on how to make displays useful when showing Scouts.  Tracy Mesler responded back with sage advice.  
"Take a lead from the NOAC museums the last two times. Hold text down to short-speak. Headlines and brief captions. To expedite the lines at NOAC, Bill rewrote every text block holding virtually everything to under 140 words. Many to a single simple sentence. You/we are trying to give a brief overview and some context, not the history lessons we all enjoy telling. i.e., start short and simple. Embellish only if critical context is missing." 
Order of the Arrow Auctions Live on eBay
On the question of Patch-L and the Facebook group I heard back from Hank who said. "I'm a member of Patch-L, thus have seen the pro/con as it were email traffic from the various members.  Personally, I refuse to use Facebook, Twitter, and the other venues as I HATE Spam both in the can and email ....Additionally, those "old timers" if you will in my Lodge that still collect also refuse to use Facebook.  They prefer using good old email, mail, phone, TOR's and even eBay to find their needs." 
Scouting Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
On the idea of how to organize an OA name/number type OA collection Richard wrote: Your idea of organizing your flap collection by states and original 12 regions sounds appealing at first glance.  However, it depends on what you are trying to accomplish.  If you want to illustrate a specific historical point, it might make that easier.  However, it seems to me that it would take a lot more effort for the general collector.  You have to have a map of the regions and a list of what lodges were in each state.  Seems like a lot of work unless you are focusing on one state or region. My immediate preference would be to organize by number.  A card at the beginning of each lodge can be used to identify regions, states, areas & trace merger activity.
Get In On The OA Activity Patch Blind Trade
19 collectors are in so far! Do you have a bunch of stale OA activity patch inventory that you need to turn over and shake up?  Things like OA conclaves, fellowships and OA activity patches?  Today I'm launching an OA activity patch blind trade whereby you can send in up to 50 patches (no more than 5 of any patch) and get back the same number different.  The minimum to get in is 10 patches.  Send me an email if you want more information!
Patchblanket.com eBay Store Santeeswapper
I got home yesterday and was doing a happy dance. In my mailbox was a nice check from a collector who is getting some good stuff from me.  On the doorstep was the collection I purchased that is going to keep me busy for the next month.  I thought Monday's were supposed to be bad?
This coming weekend we will be celebrating Girl Scout Sunday at church.  I don't have a head count on how many girls I expect to come with their families but I look forward to this chance to worship and fellowship with our Scout family.  I'll try and take a picture to include in next week's Hot Finds.

Yours in Scouting,

 


Jason Spangler
Santeeswapper LLC



The 2014 V2 is loaded with 1251 pages of reference material for Scouting memorabilia collectors.  It includes all known camps and includes information on their council names, dates of operation and more. You can purchase this PDF as an instant download($17) or as a cd on eBay($20).  If you want a hard copy the printed version($55) of this book is also on eBay.
Have a resource book for the hobby in you? Email me about being your publisher