In 1911, 57 merit badges were issued by the Boy Scouts of America. Many of them exist to this day, these are in forest green. [1] Many of the others have been discontinued or reintroduced with different names. Of the discontinued original merit badges, four were offered in 2010 as part of the Boy Scouts of America centennial. These merit badges are in beige.
Soon after the introduction of merit badges, the ranks of Life, Star, and Eagle were created to recognize the earning of merit badges; Star was moved before Life in 1924.
| Merit badge | Subject matter | Original Logo | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Agriculture | Plow | Merged into Plant Science, 1975 |
| Angling | Angling, Fishing | Fish | Renamed Fishing in 1952 |
| Archery | Archery | Bow and Arrow | |
| Architecture | Architecture | Arch | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Art | Art | Palette | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Astronomy | Astronomy | Star | |
| Athletics | Athletics | Wingfoot | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Automobiling | Automobile safety | Red Wheel | Exists today as Traffic Safety |
| Aviation | Aviation | Airplane | |
| Bee Farming | Beekeeping | Bee | Discontinued 1995 |
| Blacksmithing | Blacksmithing | Anvil | Discontinued |
| Bugling | Bugling | Bugle | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Business | Business | Crossed quills | Renamed American Business in 1966. |
| Camping | Camping | Tepee | |
| Carpentry | Carpentry | Plane | Partially replaced by Woodwork, 1952. Carpentry introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge. |
| Chemistry | Chemistry | Retort flask | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Civics | Citizenship | Ceremonial Ax | Renamed Citizenship, later split into Home, Community, Nation, and World |
| Conservation | Conservation | Forest | Exists today as Fish and Wildlife Management and Environmental Science |
| Cooking | Cooking | Kettle | |
| Craftsmanship | Artisan | Calipers | Split into various Building and Handicraft merit badges |
| Cycling | Cycling | White Wheel | |
| Dairying | Dairy farming | Butter Churn | Merged into Animal Science, 1975 |
| Electricity | Electricity | Lightning Bolt | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Firemanship | Fire safety | Crossed noozles | Renamed Fire Safety in 1995 |
| First Aid | First aid | Cross | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| First Aid to Animals | Veterinary medicine | Cross w/Dog | Renamed Veterinary Medicine |
| Forestry | Forestry | Pine Cone | |
| Gardening | Gardening | Ear of Corn | |
| Handicraft | Handicraft | Hammer and Plunger | Split into various Building and Handicraft merit badges |
| Horsemanship | Equestrianism | Horseshoe | |
| Interpreting | Interpreting | Handshake | Discontinued 1952 |
| Invention | Inventing | Gear | Discontinued 1915 |
| Leatherworking | Leatherworking | Leather Stamp | Renamed Leatherwork |
| Lifesaving | Lifesaving | Life preserver | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Machinery | Machinery | Wrench | Discontinued 1995 |
| Marksmanship | Shooting | Target | Split into Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting |
| Masonry | Masonry | Trowel | Discontinued in 1995 |
| Mining | Mining | Shovel | Renamed Geology |
| Music | Music | Lyre | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Ornithology | Ornithology | Hummingbird | Was originally required for Eagle, replaced by Bird Study |
| Painting | Paint | Paintbrush | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Pathfinding | Orienteering | Indian Head | Replaced by Orienteering. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge. |
| Personal Health | Physical Fitness | Heart | Replaced by Personal Fitness in 1952 |
| Photography | Photography | Camera | |
| Pioneering | Pioneering | Ax and Pickax | |
| Plumbing | Plumbing | Faucet | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Poultry Farming | Poultry | Rooster | Merged into Animal Science, 1975 |
| Printing | Printing | Printing Press | Merged into Graphic Arts, 1987 |
| Public Health | Public Health | Torch | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Scholarship | Scholarship | Torch & Book | Logo used continuously for 100 years |
| Sculpture | Sculpture | Head | |
| Seamanship | Boating | Anchor | Split into Motorboating and Small Boat Sailing, 1964 |
| Signaling | Semaphore | Semaphore Flags | Discontinued in 1992. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge. |
| Stalking | Tracking | Raccoon | Discontinued 1952. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge, and renamed Tracking |
| Surveying | Surveying | Telescope | |
| Swimming | Human swimming | Man Swimming | |
| Taxidermy | Taxidermy | Talon | Discontinued in 1952 |