Hi, I hope this thread is ok here. 
 

I got this Civil Air Patrol badge at a WWII museum’s estate sale this past weekend.

 

As I was looking at other variants, I started noticing some differences.

First of all the badges are very beautiful and intricately designed in my opinion.

 

The first pic is of mine, followed by two from ebay where the last one looks much simpler in design, and looks brand new. 
Mine has blue thread in the cloud above the eagle head. The eagle has a single black feather coming off the top of the head. The very top feathers are silver.

The next one down is either older/dirtier or both. I appreciate the blue quilted background moreso than the blue threaded one. My propellor has round ends and the next one is sharp.

 

Does anyone know about the history of these type of badges? 

All of them are ‘beauties’, AASLT. However I’m afraid that the differences in design are due to the whims and capabilities (or lack thereof) of the makers versus any intentional changes in design.  Frankly of the examples you posted, the one you now own is definitely more high quality than the rest.

AASLT, here’s an example of the “artistic license” … or the relative skill levels … of three “interpretations” of the US Justice Department’s seal in the centers of these three items:

First up, and probably overall the best of the lot:

 

 

(But notice the white arrows, so thin you can hardly see them.)

 

Next, the eagle has some kind of blue spotted disease and the arrows are just a blue blob:

 

And last, the arrows are nicely done, but that fat eagle is truly ugly:

 

Those are awesome!

And yes, I see what you mean wrt quality