mysterious Alpha Phi pin on eBay
 

Hey sisters,

Saw this on eBay, and I'm a bit perplexed. Anyone know if this badge has any relation to our fraternity or, if not (and I'm thinking not, because I've never seen a badge like that before), what it is?

hmm...

I wonder how old that pin is. Weren't sisters allowed to design their own badges until the uniform one was adopted?

However it came about, it's so interesting!

^^My understanding is that most sisters created variations of the Lazy Phi until the badge was standardized. I have one of the old history books, and there is a page that shows some of their badges. Gorgeous! I'd love to go to the EO someday and see them in person.

It was suggested to me that it might be a Kappa Alpha Theta pin from their Alpha Phi chapter? It does look like a kite. There was also a men's local way back in the day that was Alpha Phi. I don't think it looks like one of ours. I think when we were allowed to make our own, they were a little more uniform than that.

Looks like a Theta pin to me.

AOE

As a Theta I will agree that it is shaped much like ours, but the face of the badge is very different from our design. As far as I know the design of our badge (letters, twin stars, etc) has been uniform since Day 1. I have seen a few badges that may have had variances in the points of the kite shape, but nothing this different. In addition, there is only one star, whereas our badges would have twin stars. Also, the cresent moon is not one of our symbols.

In other words, I do not believe this to be a Theta badge. Perhaps there was a local once upon a time that had the name Alpha Phi without realizing there was a national organization with the same name?

I would try and ask that seller if they have any information of the history of it. If Its a true fraternity pin, then they would know about it and where it came from.

AOE
Desiree

Not necessarily. Maybe the seller found it in grandmother/father-in-laws' stuff. Maybe (likely in this case), it was part of a batch of jewelry bought at an estate sale or a garage sale. Happens all the time.

In this case, the seller was Fraternal Treasures. Per the seller's description of Fraternal Treasures: "I collect and research Greek letter college fraternity & sorority items as well as items from other fraternal groups such as the Masons, Shriners, Knights Templar, Lions, Boy/Girl Scouts, FOE, IOOF, VFW, etc." I think if the seller had actually had any information about it, he or she wouldn't have described it as a "unique, vintage fraternity/sorority pin." He would have provided that information -- or at least known whether it was a sorority badge or a fraternity badge.