Thanks Honeychile! :)

Does anyone know who got the one with diamonds? My Mom bid up to $425 to get it for me, but she was outbid...

Not me. :( My husband was bidding on it for my birthday present. My birthstone is a diamond. He stopped at ~$425 too.

Good grief, now there are 3 badges as well as a pledge pin on Ebay.

Okay, so I finally took a look at them and am confused by a comment in the description of one of them. "From the legendary Beta Gamma chapter!" What the heck is Beta Gamma legendary for?! I'm sure there are some stories in the chapter's history, but don't all chapters have them? What's so special about Beta Gamma that some yahoo would call it legendary?!

Okay, that's just my little confusion tirade!

Sarah

Maybe legendary because they are an older chapter? Who knows! I found this neat history about their chapter on their website.

http://www.msu.edu/~aoii/chapter%20s.../heritage.html

I was waiting for someone *cough*Christin*cough* to make a comment about it being legendary because they initiated me - or something along those lines!

Seriously, though, I just never found anything legendary in our chapter history - don't get me wrong, I LOVE our chapter history and the history that is being written since re-colonization and re-organization. I guess I always thought it took something more exciting to be considered a legend.

Sarah

No disrespect to your chapter, Beryana, but maybe it was "sales puffing." I believe that was the term we learned in Marketing class! :)

Oooo...legendary = Higher price!

ETA: Notice how some of the sellers are adding comments about how they know they aren't supposed to sell these badges but they are going to do it anyway?

I think it is funny the way they say, "I do not have to follow your bylaws so don't ask me to donate or give this pin away. I will turn you into Ebay and your ISP if you are rude to me." I'm still waiting for my own badge to turn up on Ebay. Thank God I have my great-grandmother's badge but my badge disappeared around my junior year of college. It was just plain yellow gold but it was my badge and all.

Hey, does anyone know the list of AOII Ebay user names so we know they are AOIIs so we don't bid against them? I'm olemiss_aoii.

AOIIalum may have a list.

I was keeping it at one time, but I deleted it by mistake when my PM box was overflowing :( If anyone else wants to volunteer to keep such a list, feel free to (and let us know how to get our ebay names to you!)

There's another badge on ebay. This one is the plainest - the polished yellow gold. It looks to be quite scratched up. What baffles me is that it is from Delta Delta chapter (Auburn) and the initiation date is 11/10/96. The seller is in Freeport, IL. I guess it seems strange that someone wo initiated that recently has already parted with her badge and somehow it is in Illinois. I realize there are scenarios where this could happen, but it seems odd.

The need for money, it could have been stolen, suspended member that never turned in her badge, etc. When I was talking with Ginger a while ago we discussed this issue. If a task force IS set up would we want to 'rescue' EVERY badge that shows up on e-bay or just the really special ones? If EVERY badge, we would be telling those members that have been suspended and never turned in their badge that we basically would by them back at e-bay inflated prices - and basically 'wasting' the money set aside so that come special badges (or books) there would be no money left.


Sarah

I know I've said this before but mine was lost a few years ago. Luckily, I have my great-grandmother's and my mom and my sister both lend me their badges from time to time. When I first saw this one I didn't read it all the way and I saw 96, I was like, oh my badge, only I was initiated on 10/06/96, and I would have NB and my initials.

Anyway, it could have been lost and then ended up in a pawn shop or something crazy.

That's a tough one. I think the problem isn't that beautiful badges are in the wrong hands, but that any AOII badge is in the hands of a non-AOII. However, there is only so much money.

Sarah, in your experience, is this mostly AOIIs selling their badges - either because they have been suspended, or because they are no longer active and want the money, or is it more likely to be non-AOIIs who find dear-old-departed grandma's jewelry box or have stolen items or whatnot? Is there any way to know?

If it is mainly AOIIs or former AOIIs, maybe HQ could have a buy-back program of some kind. I know for myself, I bought the absolute most inexpensive badge ($35 back in the day!) when I initiated merely because I had no money and I didn't want to ask my mom for it. I love it, bit I would love to upgrade to a nicer badge now, but it would be silly to have 2 badges. If HQ had a resale prgram, I would consider that since my badge would end up with another AOII.

They do have a resale program for badges turned into IHQ. PM me with your email and I can send you the list of what they have. They are discounted some I think, but you can buy "vintage" badges from them.

Just to add, the Emporium, IHQ, etc does NOT purchase back badges so as to trade-in your badge for a nicer one - so if you do purchase a historic badge youwould have two (unless yours was lost, etc).

With regards to who is actually selling the badges on ebay, that is a tough one to answer. It could be collectors, jewelers, someone going through grandma's estate, suspended members, pawn shops, etc. Remember to that ebay is not always the most honest of places. I could put my badge on ebay (not that I EVER would!) and say that I was a collector culling my collection, pawn shop, etc. and just be a suspended member that kept my badge and need the money, etc.

Another thought would be about a buy-back program. Would you want to have a massive collection of gold-klad badges that are a not all that rare and have no extra funds to purchase the really special badges or books that turn up on ebay? Or to have a huge fund to purchase back these common badges (mine is a 10K chased O badge so it also falls into the common badge category) rather than programming for collegians and alumnae?

Also, from my time down in the archives, there are letters requesting a badge be repurchased because the sister needed the money (in the 1920s and 30s) and this request was turned down for various reasons (just to let you know, other offers of assistance were given but declined by the sister). Basically it has NEVER been the police of AOII to purchase badges back from sisters no matter what the reason.

Sarah

Sarah, do you know how it works when badges are returned to HQ after a member passes away? I ask because at our last AC meeting, the president brought up the subject of a deceases member's badge. She was very much beloved and was not only a notable AOII but a prominent member of our community. The badge is gorgeous also. Anyway, the president said that if we returned it to HQ it would be put back into the "pool" and given to a new initiate. Is that true? Can a new initiate get a "used" badge? I would think anything purchased by a new initiate would be brand new.

I know that our older ladies were appalled to think that someone would get this badge without knowing anything of its history or the contributions of the person who wore it. I thought it didn't sound right. Maybe it would end up on the resale list Katherine was talking about. Also, in a case like that, would it be acceptable to NOT turn the badge in, but to keep it in our chapter as a specialty badge - for example to be worn by the AC president or something?

I know this is what our ladies want to do, but they would never violate any AOII policy. Thanks!

I know that one of Silver's badges has quite the interesting history. I own a 1929 badge 'rescued' from Ebay, however I couldn't tell you anything of the history related to it. I'm just eternally thankful that I have such a gorgeous piece of our history in my possession.

It will NOT be put into a pool that a new initiate gets - because new initiates do NOT get used badges. Every initiate purchases a new badge. What happens to badges that have been 'returned to IHQ' when a member passes away is that it is put into the historical collection. If it is of a design, if you will, that the archives does not have it will go into the archives. Otherwise they will go into the historical badge collection that are 'resold' through the Emporium.

It IS perfectly acceptable for the chapter to keep the badge to be used as an honor badge.

Sarah

It also depends on the date of the badge, not just the style.

Why not write about the badge and have it framed with the story and a picture of the member in the chapter room?

Silver

There are some cute AOII iced tea glasses on ebay. It is a set of six frosted glasses with a rose and the words Alpha Omicron Pi. They look very 1950s.

new bandge.
 

There's a new badge on ebay, and it's really pretty.

it's number is 7760425694

anyone know how to tell headquarters?

Re: new bandge.
 

Phone (615) 370-0920 or aoiihq@alphaomicronpi.org

You also realize that people actual watch e-bay (just like they come onto Greek Chat). Currently, however, there are noo real policies in place about AOII purchasing badges or other items on e-bay.

I think it is an old badge, it says 1949 on it....I am waiting to see how high it gets and in the last hour I might bet on it :)

Anyone know what it went for?

US $283.56
rothman225 highest bidder (not sure if that is an AOII or not)

Deleted by forum moderator

Oh my goodness, I want this badge!

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-GOLD-ALP...ayphotohosting

It's beautiful!

So pretty!

An expensive one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALPHA-OMICRON-PI...QQcmdZViewItem

Yeah...that ones been there a LONG time! It is way overpriced and no one (not even collectors) will touch it! Isn't Fraternal Treasures Tom Earp's ebay store?

Another:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Alpha-Omicron-Pi...QQcmdZViewItem

This is what I don't get. . . . .
http://cgi.ebay.com/Spring-2008-Alph...em260218647461

You'd think by now nothing could surprise me, but you've got to be kidding me.

haha wow...
what is even weirder is that, yes its .99 cents, but you would pay 5.00 for shipping!

and hopefully it would be at least sent priority (which is over $4).

I'm sure there are some sisters that haven't gotten theirs yet. . . . Anything to make a buck, I guess (no pun intended!)

Thanks! This badge went to a sister from Univ of MD who had lost her badge.