RSPCA 200th anniversary five-badge thank you card
A special five-badge RSPCA 200th-anniversary enamel-pin set, mounted together on a single 'thank you' card, was issued during the 2024 bicentenary and functions as both a donor gift and a collectible linking modern fundraising to two centuries of animal welfare.
The bicentenary
The RSPCA marked its 200th anniversary in 2024 with celebratory events, fundraising appeals and a range of branded merchandise. The bicentenary was an opportunity for the charity to recall its 1824 origins and to generate funds for ongoing work — and commemorative pins formed a visible part of the merchandise offer.
What the five-badge thank-you card is
One notable item from the anniversary range was a small multi-pack containing five enamel pins mounted together on a single printed “thank you” card. The format is typical of charity thank-you gifts: compact, attractive and easy to distribute as a token of appreciation to donors or as a low-cost retail item at events and reserve stalls.
Collectors and sellers on the secondary market describe these packs as part of the official 200th collection; many examples survive still attached to their original backing card, which helps confirm provenance and intended grouping.
Design and motifs
The five-pin sets generally mix species imagery with commemorative branding. Typical designs in the bicentenary range include familiar companion and wildlife silhouettes (dog, cat, hedgehog, bird) alongside a central pin carrying RSPCA wording or the 1824–2024 mark. The species selection reflects the charity’s broad remit — companion animals, wildlife and farm welfare — while the central pin frames the set as an anniversary item.
Exact combinations vary between packs; some sets emphasise domestic pets while others favour wildlife motifs. Colourways and minor design differences appear across runs, which can create subtle variants collectors notice.
distribution and issuance
The RSPCA issued anniversary pins through its official online shop, at branch and volunteer stalls, and during local bicentenary events. The five-badge thank-you card appears to have been used as both a retail product and a donor gift, depending on branch decisions and event contexts. Volunteer-run stalls at fairs and rescue-centre shops were common distribution points, alongside limited online availability when stock allowed.
Value to collectors
Collectors place particular value on multi-pin sets that remain mounted on their original card backing. The card provides immediate provenance: it records the intended grouping and usually carries branding, year or short explanatory text that dates the issue. For an anniversary item, that printed context is especially important because it ties the pins to a specific campaign moment (the 200th) rather than to general retail stock.
Condition and completeness are the main drivers of desirability. A mint, unopened five-badge set on its original card will attract more interest than loose pin badges
Rarity and value signals
Not all anniversary merchandise is rare — many single retail pins were produced in sizeable runs — but multipacks presented as thank-you items can be scarcer, especially if reserved for donors or limited events. Key rarity signals include original card backing, unusual colour variants, and any branch- or event-specific print on the card (for example a regional thank-you stamp).
A final thank you
The five-badge thank-you card is a neat example of how modern charities convert support into visible tokens. For collectors it offers a compact, contextual set that ties fundraising practice to a specific historical moment. For badger4peace readers — who care about animal welfare, campaigning and badges as social history — the set crystallises how a small object can tell a larger story about two centuries of public support and evolving outreach strategies.
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