For what it's worth, the hubski badge is way cooler. The reddit "gilding(?!)" is like a badge, but like a literal "badge" badge. Like what pixelated deputies would wear on old-timey pc games of the old west, hokey star and all. Whereas the hubski badge is this elegant, symmetrical design evocative of heavenly bodies and of subatomic particles all at once. I know it's not about winning, but, just saying.
Maybe mk can way in here. Which came first? Where did you get the idea for badges? No offense to hubski (you know I love it), but I find it hard to believe that the behemoth Reddit was browsing hubski and copied one of its features. I wouldn't completely rule it out though.
We added badges one year ago:
http://hubski.com/pub?id=11743
I haven't checked these Reddit Gold badges out yet. Anyone know how they work? I know about Reddit Gold, but is this something different than buying or gifting a premium feature?
When you hover over it it looks like this: 
http://www.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfReddit/comments/14unl6/reddi...
I guess it is a way to publicly show the reddit gold gifting. I remember there used to be posts that got a lot of attention and there would be an "edit: Wow, 3 months of reddit gold for this comment! You guys are awesome!" Now there is a badge.
It's a smart move on their part. I can see someone over there having seen our badges, and being inspired, but I could also see them coming up with it on their own.
I do know that the Reddit admin are aware of us.
At any rate, it's funny to see Reddit doing something like Hubski.
When you said we added them a year ago I thought that's impossible, I have not been on hubski for a year and I remember when badges were added.
Well time flies because I have been on hubski for 470 days.
That aside, whether or not they function the same they look exactly the same.
It must have been pretty recently. I know you could gift reddit gold for a while but I haven't seen the badge feature until today. Maybe someone who is on there more often can shed soem light.