Maggieaxid,

You may indeed be right in the case of your particular group. AXD does appear much more consistent than other groups when it comes to marking their badges (I almost always see either the name-date-chapter, or the membership code on quills).

I am quite experienced with badges and can always tell the difference between a manufacturer's serial number, a hallmark, a membership number and any esoteric engravings on the backs of badges. Believe me, a LOT of GLO pins have passed through my hands over the years and I would say nearly 50% of them have no identifying marks whatsoever. Especially the newer ones.

Do you know if your alumna sister's pin was given special treatment because of her tragic and untimely death? Do you think this really happens to every badge that gets returned to your HQ? Also, are you sure your HQ only used her badge ID to track her down? Her relatives must have sent it in along with some kind of letter of explanation. And finally (without actually asking a lady her age), how long ago was this? Within the last 10 or 15 years? Was this sister in the computerized database?

If I understood you correctly, the 2 badges you found are on display in your chapter house? That's great that they're being displayed. Now, if you had sent them to your HQ instead, do you still think they would be on display? Sad to say, but the badges at your HQ don't stand much chance of seeing the light of day unless they're particularly unique or historical, or unless they get "recycled" to a new sister.

Why does it annoy you that the ebay sellers don't always get the names right? Most people in the world don't know the greek alphabet or what the various badges look like. Why should they? It's important to you and me, so we expect that it should be important to others. But that's an unrealistic expectation. Do you realize the sheer volume of items that estate dealers have to buy and sell every year to make a decent living? Some just don't have the time or the inclination to research these little beauties properly. Hell, I buy junk pin lots all the time. I pick out the GLO pins and then dump the rest on ebay with little or no research as to what they are or what they mean. Besides, the smart sellers know we're doing a keyword search on "sorority pin" anyway so we'll find it regardless of the description. Anyway, that's just business, and I see no reason to take it personally. These people generally aren't out on some malicious crusade to disrespect greeks. They're just doing their job.

wptw

wptw, good point man! I know you and someone else I cant mention are doing for certain reasons!

I too would love to collect all of the Beautiful Badges and Pledge Pins and have them donated to my house! Placed in a nice frame for all to see and admire!

While I feel LXA has a Beautiful Badge there are many more out there and I Admire them a lot!

Each in its own significant way mean the Badge means something special to each member for what they went through to acheive it.

That is the key from first hand knowledge!

Jono has a LXA Badge that NO ONE can identify and has a treasure that may never be seen again!

I know where his will go so I for one am not worried. I know where mine will go so neither am I!

There are some vultures out there who will try to hold someone up for the price but not me!:)

While I don't think that collecting badges is neccesarliy wrong, I do think that it is kind of random. I like admiring other GLOs badges, but I would never want to own one...part of the reason I love our badge so much is because of the symbolism behind it.

Also, if anyone is curious, Delta Zeta also marks our badges...and if a member does not register with National HQ, upon her death, her badge is sent back to National HQ.

Blaire

So proud to be a DELTA ZEE!

No matter the letter, greeks do it better!

I have nothing against anyone who collects them personally, so please don't take it that way. I just don't see how a person who doesn't understand the meaning of something can collect it. It's just my opinion though.

brooklineu,

Two excellent points!

There is another thread around here somewhere that talks about a very old PiKA pin that has been handed down through the family. It's a touching story, yet I couldn't help chuckling to myself and wondering when someone was going to get on there and berate that person for owning a PiKA badge. I mean, she's obviously not a PiKA and technically (according to some people here) she has no right to own that badge and having it in her posession is disrepsectful to PiKA!

This exact scenario is how some of those VERY old and historical badges show up on ebay from time to time. They were handed down and handed down through the family until eventually they appeared at the estate sale of a great-grandniece or something. I think handing pins down through the family is a fantastic way to preserve the history, as well as preserving the memory of the original owner. How could you possibly tell these people that the fraternity or sorority is the rightful owner of the pin and what they're doing is wrong?

As far as militaria goes, I am perplexed about this as well. Masonic items are another good example. Rich with history and sentiment and esoteric symbolism, yet no one gets their knickers in a twist when someone puts on of their pins on ebay. Actually I have a theory about this, but it's likely to piss a few people off, so let me at least get another cup of coffee first.



Maggieaxid:

Fair enough. But hey, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. I never personally understood why Beanie Babies were such a hot commodity.

I honestly don't think you have to know the exact symbolism of a given badge in order to appreciate it. Our ideals and our rituals are all so similar, the symbols I see on your badge will undoubtedly remind me of what the symbols on my badge mean. That's what I mean when I talk about collecting as a tool to appreciate our shared greek heritage. And THAT is the attraction of collecting. That is also why you typically don't see non-greeks collecting. For them, it really has no meaning whatsoever. Just gold and gems. But for greeks, it is still loaded with meaning even if we don't know what A.X.D. stands for. Besides, for your typical greek it's certainly not rocket science to look at a quill or a lamp or a diamond or a kite or a cross and get a general idea what the symbol is trying to convey.

wptw

That was me (and I'm a "he." ;) ) Given the tenor of some notes on collecting, I too was waiting for someone to demand that I send it back to Pike's HQ. I was pleasantly surprised when the only response from a Pike expressed pleasure and appreciation that I had the badge and treasured it.

A Phi Mu's pin has her initials, the date she was initiated, and her chapter initials. Nationals retains "ownership" of the badges -- it's noted *everywhere* that a Phi Mu does not actually own her pin, she's simply given the privledge to wear it.

Which is kind of interesting, because according to all that, I should let my spouse/children know AND put it in my will that I'd like my badge sent back to Nationals. But truly considering it... I'd love it if some great-great-granddaughter of mine was able (and interested) in wearing it.

Are fraternity pins the same way? Would a father pass on his badge to his son?

~ Jacquelyn

Hi. Me again.

wptw, at the risk of sounding quite ignorant and stupid, what exactly do you *do* with these pins?

I'm asking because I love and cherish mine... and it sits quietly in a beautiful little box on my dresser. I can't quite imagine what I'd do with a whole collection.

Where's the interest in GLO pins originate for you?

~ Jax

Hi Jacquelyn,

I do with them what ALL collectors do. I close the shades, crank up some backstreet boys, put on a ball gown, pin them all on me, turn on the disco ball and dance around in front of the mirror pretending I'm wearing a technicolor dreamcoat. Oh, and then I worship Satan, of course. All collectors do. But that goes without saying. :p

Actually, I love and cherish mine too. Some of them sit in a beautiful velvet lined display case in my library. Sadly though, the majority of my pins are starting to spend more and more time in a safety deposit box. I wish that weren't the case, because it really goes against the whole point of collecting them. But with the rising price of badges and the increased attention this subject gets, theft is becoming more of a problem for everyone.

Well, as a fraternity member myself, I just find them an excellent reminder of the finer points of being greek. Regardless of what group you belong to, you can appreciate them as outward symbols of high inner ideals, and for the most part the shape and symbolism are unchanged since the founders orignally designed them. Most of the other aspects that define a GLO (constitution, bylaws, ritual, policies, etc.) have all changed with time. But with few exceptions the badge has stayed the same. They are beautiful little pins, and a great link to our past and to our shared heritage.

wptw

HAHAHAHAHA! That cracked me up.

Seriously, though, thanks for the info. Helps me understand a little bit better. :-)

Greek love!
~ Jax

Who Cares
 

I used to get mad, but then I was thinking who cares. If I saw a lady with a Phi Tau pin, I'd laugh because Phi Tau is all males. If I saw a guy with a Phi Tau pin, I'd do our secret %^$^% and if he did not know #$%$$%, I'd ask him, why is he wearing a fraternity pin he is not involved with. He would be caught slipping all the time and every brother comming in contact with the person would know he is not the real thing. So, who cares. If someone wants to make a hobby out of collecting pins let em'.
FKT
www.bspotonline.com/phitau

I also agree that collecting badges is not bad. Only if you arent doing it for profit and you dont plan on wearing it. Of course because it means something to me I am going to try and get it before another non member does, but if you are a collector who enjoyes the beauty of my badge with no ill intent I would rather you have it than someone who it holds no value and would just turn around and sell it for profit.

I may not know the symbolizm behind your badge but we are all in a greek family per se and I do understand the bond and the meaning behind a badge. I think that in its self validates my desire to have a collection of GLO badges.