Collectible of the Day 154 - Mid-America Council R2-D2 items

[darthskellington]

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Today we take a look at some more obscure R2-D2 items. In 1978 the Boy Scouts of America's Mid-America Council produced patches for their Scout-O-Rama, featuring a green R2-D2-like droid. The patches are quite desirable, for both Star Wars and Boy Scout patch collectors, as they are one of the first Star Wars themed Boy Scout patches.

Perhaps even harder to find are two items I snagged in an auction. First is a collectible souvenir mug from the same Scout-O-Rama, featuring the patch art. These types of mugs are often produced for Scout Camps and large events, like Scout-O-Ramas and Jamborees.

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The second item is a neckerchief from the Scout-O-Rama. What's interesting about this is that it uses completely different artwork. R2-D2 is shown from a different angle with more detail on his legs, but essentially is the same design.

If anyone else out their owns these, please speak up. I'd be curious to learn how many of these are out there in circulation. I'm also in the market for the matching patch.

Thanks to our friends at www.starwarsguide.net for the patch image.

 

[darthskellington]

Found a little more information on Mid-America Council items. Looks like there is another version of the mug that says Honor Unit underneath the image. There is also reportedly a neckerchief slide. I also recently came across a belt buckle.

 

[Buzz Bumble]

I wonder if the Galactica 1980 Space Scouts got one of those patches.


By the way, that "neckerchief slide" is officailly called a "Woggle" ... I was a boy scout years ago, and hated every second of it.

 

[darthskellington]

I was a scout myself. Some of it was fun, some not so much. I suspect a lot has to do with the leaders and other kids involved in it. As one of the earliest Star Wars/scout crossover items, I've been having fun slowly tracking down these Mid-America Council items. Turns out this council is located around Omaha , Nebraska, and includes parts of Iowa and South Dakota. As a kid I lived in Nebraska and was in Cornhusker Council, the neighboring council.