Green's Guidelines

N.B.: These guidelines were developed by Dr. Barry Green for assisting Virginia (SR-7A/Section E-9) lodges determine the proper numbering for simultaneous issues. These are suggested to augment OAIG guidelines and should be used only when no other guideline is available. Any Issuer could specify their own ordering, which would take precedence.

Be cautious when looking at the stickers on the back of patches. They can aid in determination of the date made; but, not as to the actual date of distribution which should determine the placement in listing. (ie: if sticker shows January as a manufacturer date, but Lodge/ Council does not distribute patch until July, all patches distributed before July would be listed before the patch made in January).

If a patch made for an event that does not occur, and the patch is distributed/sold at a later date the patch should be listed when distributed NOT by the date of the cancelled event. Likewise, if a patch for an event is not available for the event due to lateness in manufacturing or delivery the patch should be listed on the date it was distributed. (ie:if a Conclave flap is not available during Conclave and NOAC flaps are distributed before the later arrived Conclave flaps, the NOAC flaps would be listed before the Conclave flaps even tho the event preceded the distribution of the NOAC flaps).

When two or more patches are issued/distributed at the same time:

  1. The Trader Flap should be listed before the Delegate (which most likely shall be a smaller number produced)
  2. If no patch is designated a delegate, or if a patch design is the same on two or more patches then the color of the border shall determine the placement by the FIRST letter of the color alphabetically in order. (ie: a Black border would be placed before a Red border; a Green border before a Purple border then a Yellow border.)
  3. A ghost patch should be listed last. If multiple ghost patches are distributed, the color of the ghosted patch determines the order (alphabetically as above) Except when a Ghost patch is designated a Delegate which would place it last as In (a) above. If more than one flap is designated as a delegate, they would be listed by their color alphabetically. If all Ghost patches are the same color, but have different border colors, the border color determines the order they should be listed alphabetically.
  4. Special Sets (to honor someone, or a position as a Region,Section,or National Individuals). When in sets: one or two or more patches with the same design would follow above rules as above: (ie, a Blue border before a White border) If Chief sets are issued and the person being honored is given a limited edition number of patches (with a different type border maybe Mylar) to personally hand out, then this should be classified as a Delegate patch and be listed last after other patches.
  5. If new patches are made using older designs used for special occasions like anniversaries and distributed in sets with changes to the border only (like Mylar) Then the new patches should be listed in the same order as the older patches were distributed. ie: If a ghost series previously made distributed separately at different events- red,blue,green,yellow,black and orange, after a period of time made a ‘Set’ of new patches which were distributed at the same time with previous design only change was a Mylar border, the patches would use the previous order: red,blue,green,yellow,black and orange and disregard the alphabetical order.