Badges were plentiful in the Seventies. Back then, seems every film, product and organisation used them for marketing, handing them out like candy at Halloween. They'd come stuck on the covers of comicbooks. One day you'd post an envelope stuffed with promotional crisp packets, the next more badges would arrive. Plus every newsagent, post office, toy shop, pound store and cinema sold badges like there was nothing more exciting than affixing a logo, slogan, sketch or photo to your lapel. Which, of course there wasn't, as badges rocked, and hard.

Badges were the gateway drug to me becoming a collector. By the time I was 13, I was mainlining Star Wars merchandise like a fiend and fully devoted to the hunting and gathering of stuff and things for life. I stand by that choice. 

Collecting has kept me in touch with my childhood self. I liked that guy, and he deserved to stick around. Collecting has kept me young and silly because there are enough adults in the world. Nothing has kept me younger, though, or sillier, than badges. They are the time machines that take me back to the window of the house I grew up in. They are the treasures with which I've wilfully ruined the lapels of every coat and jacket I've ever owned. I am the magpie and they are my shiny things. Also, as my collection has grown, increasingly space has decreased, so small precious things are far easier to find a place for. Which is just as well, because Blu Goblin are getting into the badge business, and business is going to be good. 

We're talking full-colour stamped metal pins that fit in your hand and fill your heart with so much nostalgia, it might feel like it's gonna burst. It almost certainly won't, though. In terms of what's available right now, there's a great range of badges from Looney Tunes and Angry Birds to Hanna-Barbera legends Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo and Wacky Races. Like, you can have Dick Dastardly's Mean Machine chasing Penelope Pitstop's Compact Pussycat and the Ant Hill Mob's Bulletproof Bomb across your tee. or your bucket hat!

Full disclosure, by the time I was ten, I wore a denim bucket hat covered with badges. Because that's what cool kids wore, and I was a cool kid. Well, cool-ish. I often think back fondly of that stupid hat and just now am realising that I can buy a new one and use it to display all my new Blu Goblin pins. There. It's decided. 

Before heading off to explore the site, and do check out the badges as they're so much fun, please take a moment to sign up to the newsletter so we can keep you apprised of new drops, exclusive offers and fresh Blog Goblin fun. Excelsior!