| Football badge collecting itself is a fairly recent | | | | (although most clubs have a very small range) or you |
| phenomenon, first gaining widespread popularity | | | | could try going to programme and badge fayres |
| amongst fans in the late 60s early 70s and then | | | | around the country where you can pick up some |
| growing into the massive business it is now. | | | | good deals, ultimately though the best (and easiest) |
| Badge collecting in general has been around for years, | | | | place to expand your collection is the internet which |
| in fact compared to other areas football badge | | | | of course usually means eBay, to this end we have |
| collecting (on a large scale) is a relatively young | | | | set up on each individual teams page a search tool |
| hobby. | | | | specifically for that team. |
| There are thousands of other badges out there from | | | | In the early stages of your collection this is definitely |
| different genres, military badges being one of the | | | | the best way to grow your numbers, but be careful |
| biggest and it certainly outdates football. Even Butlins | | | | though, a lot of the badges on eBay are very |
| has its own massive collector circle with some of the | | | | common so don't be going over the top with the |
| prices being reached for rare editions being | | | | amount you pay, you will usually find that what you |
| astronomical. | | | | think is a "rare" badge (and never believe that |
| So, you would think that the obvious area for | | | | description off a seller without careful investigation) |
| football badge collectors is their your own team but | | | | will always come back up for sale in the next few |
| you would be wrong, although the majority of people | | | | days or weeks. |
| do concentrate on their own particular football team | | | | Obviously as you get more experienced you will |
| there is other specialised areas such as FA Stewards | | | | recognise the real rare badges and these are well |
| badges, Referees badges, International badges, | | | | worth spending your hard earned on, just be careful |
| Football Association badges, County FA's etc | | | | in the early days as there are a lot of people out |
| So where do you start? | | | | there who will take over the odds for a badge that |
| Well if you go to matches you will no doubt have | | | | they have paid pennies for and there is nothing more |
| seen the "badgeman" stood on a corner somewhere, | | | | frustrating and annoying than seeing the same badge |
| this is the guy I blame for getting me started and | | | | that you have just spent good money on being sold |
| who ultimately led to me spending thousands on | | | | over and over again by the same seller.... believe me |
| badges!! | | | | Ive been there!! |
| Hes a good start, then there's the club shop | | | | |