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Girl Scout Compasses

Learning the mysterious skills of the compass was often a highlight for a Girl Scout. 

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  • In the early years compasses were offered in the catalogs, but did not have the logo. 

  • The first compass with a Girl Scout mark happened in the 1931 catalog. 

  • No compasses were sold during the height of World War II.  

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1931

  • 3 compass styles were offered:

    • M-351 & M-352 look the same, but for 50 cents more, the M-352 had small dots of radium (!) on the North and Scout points so they could be seen in the dark.

    • M-353 did not have the trefoil on it.

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1933

2 styles are known:

  • Green accent to the dial face

  • No green accent to dial face

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Canadian Girl Guide Compass from the same era

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1933

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1935

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  • This design was the standard Girl Scout compass until 1964

  • Different shades of green Bakelite are known

  • No compasses were sold in the 1942 Fall - 1945 Spring catalogs

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No compasses were sold through the GS catalogs from

Fall of 1942 through Spring of 1945

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1946

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1950

1962

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1970

  • Traditional trefoil

  • Image is black & white from catalog

  • MM on left edge is noted in 1,2,3,etc.

  • "GS" mark

  • MM on left edge noted in 1,2,3,etc. 

  • "GS" mark

  • MM on left edge noted in 10, 20, 30, etc.

  • Silva System on right lower corner changed

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1965

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1979

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1979

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1991

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  • Subtle change in 1999

    • "Girl Scout" wording changes to black​

    • Compass needle is 2-tone

    • Size remains the same, though it looks smaller here

1999

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These 2 yellowish-greenish Girl Scout compasses with black dials are different and were launched in different years:

The one on the left:

  • Debut in 1987

  • Girl Scout logo on lower left corner

  • open spot for lanyard is on the bottom

  • The large arrow on the plastic near the bottom is open black lines

The one on the lower left:

  • Debut in 1989

  • Girl Scout logo in on the upper right

  • open spot for lanyard is on the top

  • Large black arrow near the bottom is solid black

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Some years one style was in the catalog, on other years the other one was offered.

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1987

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1992

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1993

1989

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1999

  • Design change to a rounded bottom

  • GS mark moved to left side

  • Image is poor quality, compass on multicolored background

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2007

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2015

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2015

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2017

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2018

Girl Scout Camp Equipment

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Girl Scout Collapsible Cups  |  Girl Scout Canteens  |  Girl Scout Mess Kits & Table Sets

Girl Scout Chow Kits & Cutlery Sets  |  Girl scout Binoculars  |  Girl Scout Whistles

Girl Scout Compasses  |    Girl Scout Axes, Hatchets & More

Girl Scout Camp Memory Books

Girl Scout Camp Savings Fund Booklets

Girl Scout Sleeping Bags & 1 Hammock

Girl Scout First Aid Kits

Girl Scout Knife - Folding Blades & 1 "All-in-One"

Girl Scout Knife - Fixed Blades

Girl Scout Flashlights and Lanterns: Early Days (1925-1959)

Girl Scout Flashlights & Lanterns: 1960 Onward

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