[Maharet]

Hello Kappa sisters,

I too have been dismayed at the outrageous actions of sellers and buyers on ebay selling pins for grossly high costs and have had my fair share of e-mails talks with sellers and buyers. Some buyers (one in particular) on e-bay have amassed numerous pins from GLOS - a dozen or so pins from Chi-O, Pi Phi, KKG A-Phi etc.

I have tried to talk with a bidder (sellers have been a bit nicer...) who had contacted me. I explained the frustrations with the money they spend and how MANY who legitimately want to replace their pins simply cannot afford or out bid, I was sent rude, threatening and nasty replies. This has been done to a few Kappas I know as well with no help from ebay.

The reporter from the NY Times(for more than an hour) also interviewed me and I tried to explain the sentimentality, meaning and sheer devotion many have to their pins, but the information I passed along was not used in the article. There have been many thoughts and ideas regarding the $ spent by Kappas to bring the keys back and I would love to have you post your reply in other GLO forums - Chi Omega, Pi Beta Phi, Alpha Xi Delta and Alpha Phi - as the subject of ebay pins has come up on their forums. Not sure of their interest, but just for their knowledge it might be nice to share. Others need to know how you feel and what has been said about pins on ebay. I personally have spoken with Chi-O, AZD, AChiO and a very special Kappa who has become a good friend about just this topic (we‘ve actually become sort of pen-pals and correspond regularly).

I have rescued a few pins and will be putting them back into the hands of Alpha Phis. 2 pearl jeweled pins will go to deserving collegians upon graduation...And the others; I’ll find the right time to give them away. I am not sure about other Greeks, but within Alpha Phi our original pins did not look the same as they do now. We had what is called ‘lazy phi’ pins which aren’t worth much ‘jewelry wise’ but are quite sentimental as our pin was standardized in 1906. These pins are very rare and unique as the women from 1872-1906 were allowed to design their own according to the ‘lazy phi’ shape.

Thanks so much for letting me post in your forum. Regardless of the GLO we belong to, we are all sisters at heart. And in the end, collectors will NOT see what we see when we wear or look at our pins - a littel mushy, but true nonetheless.

Sincerely, Maharet - Alpha Phi