Excellent point on it being just a piece of metal, with maybe a few jewels. Yes it is our symbol, and something that you have to live your life through to really appreciate. So in reality, only a handful of people are really going to take the time to buy them.
1) A brother, with whom it has meaning to (And if he's not selling for a profit, whats the crime, and also for the record, most of us on ebay dont bid against known brothers, and we do make a realistic attempt to keep it in the fraternity)
2) A genuine collector who is going to appreciate it for its value and beauty, not wear it to try and pretend to be a brother.
3) A seller who is obviously trying to make a 'quick buck'
http://www.fratpin.com/lambdachialpha.htm
asking price for an all sapphire white gold badge = $450
price I paid from LXAZ1 for an 8 sapphire 3 diamond white gold badge = $189.00 (Cheaper than what Herff Jones charges for a similar badge with emeralds instead of sapphires and yellow gold)
and in fact there arent too many of number 3's out there. So realistically what is the harm?
Kevin it seems to me that it was I who was being referred to on the $600 plus point you were making.
I am almost 20 years old, and greatly appreciate our history. Our merger with Theta Kappa Nu, was, and still is the largest in fraternal history. Not to mention the fact that they were only around for approximately 15 years. So with me being so young, and paired with the fact that TKN badges are becoming more and more scare, to pay that much money for a Chapters Founding Father's Badge is but a pittance in my opinion (everyone has their own), and lord willing there will be plenty of time when I get a little older to make better charitable donations to the organization itself.
Also I would NEVER sell my original badge