Golly Sanctuary, GollyExpert.co.uk - the best place to sell your golly badges, buy golly badges, prewar golly badges

Golly Sanctuary

The GollyExpert receives lots of enquiries from people who collected badges in their childhood and are loathed to simply discard them. With the passage of time they are often scratched or damaged and of little value to colelctors, so we decided to set up the 'Golly Sanctuary' - a retirement home for Robertsons Golly badges!

Anyone who wants to preserve the memory of their collecting days can donate their beloved golly badges to the golly sanctuary and we guarantee that they will remain as a permanent feature of our collection. We accept badges in any condition and no golly badge will be refused entry to the sanctuary.

For details of how to secure your place in the golly sanctuary please contact us.

Rescue 1: First badge to enter the sanctuary!
Many thanks to Sarah Parker for our first donation to the golly sanctuary. This was her story:
"...please find enclosed a badge that has a special memory from my childhood. My Granma used to keep this golly badge pinned up on her notice board in the kitchen. She saved up for it when she was a child and used to wear it on her uniform at school. When she got married she pinned it up in her kitchen and it stayed there for the next 30 years. Every now and then I'd ask her if I could play with it and she would unpin it and pass it to me. I was always dropping it on the stone floor which is why it is scratched and chipped, but it reminds me of wonderful memories growing up and 'going round to granma's!
When my Granma has died I was asked what items I would like, this was the only thing I chose and it has been in my kitchen drawer ever since. Its not a very suitable place to keep him, and when I came across your Golly Badge Sanctuary I knew my granma would approve so please find him enclosed... I hope you treasure him as much as we did.
Yours sincerely
Sarah P..."
Thanks Sarah, this is a lovely story and I can guarantee that this item will have a wonderful home in our Golly Badge Sanctuary. Hopefully there will be a few more friends to join him shortly.
Rescue 2: Metal detector find
Hot on the heels of out first entry into the golly Sanctuary, we have this metal detector find from John in Cumbria.
"...I was out with my metal detector on a treasure hunt, one sunny Saturday afternoon when I came across this damagaed little badge. I remember collecting similar badges when I was young but I didn't think anything of it at the time so I put it in my pocket and carried on searching. This was my only find on that day and when I got home and showed my wife she wasn't impressed, so I'm donating it to the Golly Sanctuary as I'm sure it will have a better home there!
Regards
John S..."
Well Jon, I can assure you it will be well looked after with us, alongside the other badge in the Sanctuary.
Rescue 3: Jolly Golly Golfers
When we were contacted by Tony asking if we would buy his Golly badges from him we were very excited as we knew they were the Jolly Golly Golfers from his original description. These were the first golly badges made by the most famous golly badge manufacturer - H.W.Miller - and amongst our favourite items.
Unfortunately these badges have seen better days, and along with the obvious stress marks and significant enamel loss on the legs there were scratches and chips on the head which meant that these badges were of little value. But when we pointed out that we run a Golly Badge Sanctuary for people to 'retire' their battered and bruised badges he was happy for his two golfers to join the club!
Tony didn't have any connection with these badges as he bought them in a job lot from a car boot sale and he was more interested in the ceramic jug that they came in, but as promised he wrapped them carefully to avoid any further damage and upon receipt we agreed to refund his postage as a gesture of goodwill. Thanks Tony - your badges now have a great home in the Golly Sanctuary...
Rescue 4: Alaine's Gollies
Alaine contacted us early in 2016 to find a new home for her golly badges: "... I loved colelcting these as a child. It was so exciting when a new one arrived. Unfortunately times have moved on and this affection is not shared by my son so they need a new home. The local charity shop has refused them and I don't want them to go out with the rubbish. They are probably not worth much but I would appreciate it if you could look after them for me..."
We are always happy to hear happy memories of Golly collecting, and receive new items into the Golly Sanctuary. We guarantee to give each one a happy home...
Rescue 5: Helen's Hoard
Helen from Hertfordshire was thrilled when we offered to rehome to her small collection.
"...I collected these sometime in the 1970's and they have been in my Hertfordshire attic for over 2 decades! I refuse to throw them away, so I'm glad I've foudn someone willing to take them in. Thanks for giving them a home..."
No problem Helen - thanks for sending them in! They are now have a lovely home amongst lots of other golly friends (and the odd wooden sheep!)
Rescue 6: Lucas's Little Gems
Many thanks to Lucas for our sixth entry into the Golly Sanctuary.
He said he had a few badges he wanted to send us, but when the box arrived we were thrilled to see so many lovely items and so well wrapped. In total there were 92 badges, 8 pottery band members,1 fridge magnet and a golly birthday card!
They have all now got a great home... and the size of the sanctuary has now more than doubled... If you have any golly badges you don't want to discard feel free to contact us and we will add them to the Golly Sanctuary.
Rescue 7: Garden Find!
Its fair to say that Golly items turn up everywhere... which is not surprising given that Robertsons were once the world's largest preserve manufacturer. Filling over 100 million jars of jam at their peak and selling their items all over the world. This item was sent in from an avid gardener who found it whilst digging over her allotment. Its a jar from the 1960's and whilst they are not that rare its nice to see it with its lid intact. She was looking for a good home for it so we were more than happy to accept this item into our Golly Sanctuary.
If you have any old jars or other golly related items that need a good home please contact us...
Rescue 8: Carolyn's Collection
The latest addition to the Golly Sanctuary comes from Carolyn who was looking for a home for her childhood badges and she was thrilled to find that we offer exactly that. Her collection comes mainly from the white waistcoat period with a couple of additional designs from the 1970's and 1980's. She has fond memories of collecting them from her younger days and they were often played with, which is why some of them are chipped and damaged, but all gollies can find a home in the Golly Sanctuary - regardless of condition.