Okie. :) It will have to wait a few days while I update the Boston Alum site (almost done -- just the friggin' photo album) and then I'll start up some research!

Hi, I'm Lucypm on Ebay.

This was an interesting thread to read. It was especially interesting because I have made a decision to stop bidding on badges for the very reasons you see listed here- I am constantly bombarded with requests for badges, and for the record, I gift any older badge to the national archives. The others I give to women who are collegiate chapter presidents, have lost a badge or who I know have made outstanding contributions to our collective sisterhood.
For the record I am not a badge fairy.

I even get requests via non ebay to buy women's badges. This is particularly offensive, although I have purchased them to keep them off of Ebay. I will no longer do that as I feel women who wish to sell their badges should take them to the open market from now on- anything less feels like extortion.

I was going to buy this opal badge for posterity ladies. I was going to preserve it via donation to Foundation for everyone to enjoy for years to come. But I think that the woman bidding against me on this and many other Phi Mu items is making that impossible, so I have decided to stop the madness and cease bidding, which also means I no longer gift badges to women who ask. It also means that someone's mother wins what should be present to everyone- in our archives. But Ebay is an open maretplace, therefore high bidder wins - fair is fair.

So PhiMunursie and her mother are welcome (and surely relieved) to bid on anything else that comes up on Ebay. I have decided to spend my money on something that truly matters- saving a chapter in distress. She and her mother can comfortably collect our artifacts on a personal level to their hearts content. I will no longer be bidding (or gifting).

By the way PhiMuNursie- I suggested to your mother once that she should pursue Alumnae initiation. Should you wish to find out more about that, please feel free to pm me and I can give you the details.

phimuantique, i've pmed you. if you haven't figured out that feature yet, just post on here and i'll explain it. it's more discreet and personal for individualized messages. ;)

Tara
i have a Phi Mu castle...

on second thought
 

I decided that since we were having a discussion about a sister who is now on our boards, and talking openly about Lucypm when she wasn't here, then why should I keep my post private now?

Anyway, basically I feel as though as long as a badge is out of a non Phi Mus hands then whatever we chose to do with badges is essentially our business. Contrary to some beliefs we are not hoarding Phi Mu badges and keeping them from our sisters. If I see a beautiful badge then we bid on it. It's the entire purpose of ebay. While I don't have 500 dollars to spend on a badge to pass along to another sister, though I wish I did, I keep the badges safe for myself and wear them to chapter events and weddings and such. I pretty much feel that is what about 99% of us would do with a beautiful, expensive badge and is not dishonorable in the slightest.

I appreciate what Lucypm is doing with her antiqued Phi Mu finds, with the archives and gifting. What a great asset to our Fraternity. But the idea of helping out distressed chapters is wonderful. If there's struggling chapters that money would go toward then badges are pretty minute on the priority list of who to save (chapter or badge). Anyway, how ever alumnae help out with the Fraternity, be it time or money, is always needed and appreciated, so instead of bickering on here about something so absurd as to what my mother and I do with our badges we get off ebay, I'm going to get started on my Recruitment materials. It's only a few months away....;)

Tara
I have a Phi Mu castle...

I agree, Ebay is an open market place and anyone can win anything if the price is right. What you choose to do with your purchases is entirely up to you, and it is nobody's concern but yours.
The same is true for me. I was simply putting the speculation to rest about the questions posted by you and others on the thread.The questions came up as to why and how I was making decisions about buying and gifting items, now you know the answers.

End of discussion, at least from my point of view.