Is this GPhi badge for real??

[AlumInitiateLiz]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11145&item=3938531 707&rd=1

It looks incredibly different than the badges of recent times. Is it an older design? The seller says the date engraved on the back is '91; since Gamma Phi Beta was founded in 1874, that would make the pin VERY antique.

That, or else it's a really good fake. . . ideas, anyone?

Liz

[AlumInitiateLiz]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11145&item=3938531 707&rd

dangit, try that again.. .

Liz

[AlumInitiateLiz]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=3938531707&rd

Third time's a charm. . .

[AlumInitiateLiz]

Looks like "(something) Pi" as the chapter?

[kk_bama]

I saw it too, and it does look a lot different than other antique badges. It's possible it could be a real badge though! GeekyPenguin or SmartBlonde could do better than me on telling you, though, since they're both Crescent Catchers.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Yes, it's a real badge. It is 1991, and not 1891 so no it's not an antique. One of our members actually knows the original owner (the badge was stolen) so we are trying to return it to her.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by AlumInitiateLiz
Looks like "(something) Pi" as the chapter?

Beta Pi

[AlumInitiateLiz]

Then I beg a stupid question: why does it look so different? The badge must've undergone a design change since 1991, then?

Liz

[tinydancer]

It looks different to me, too.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Please see this thread.........

http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showth...threadid=59005

DO NOT bid on this badge!

[kk_bama]

Originally posted by AlumInitiateLiz
Then I beg a stupid question: why does it look so different? The badge must've undergone a design change since 1991, then?

Liz

I believe this badge is just unique. The badge has looked the same for many years now.

[navane]

This badge looks so odd - it's a 1991 model? I mean, it doesn't look antique per se, but it doesn't look like a modern badge either.





So, the other day I was browsing ebay when I saw a Gamma Phi Beta antique steel engraving for sale. I've cropped the picture and posted it here. I notice the striking similarities between the engraving and the badge for sale. The engraving is from 1908. Maybe this 1991 owner had an antique badge re-engraved with her info? Or maybe it was some kind of special anniversary edition? Hrm...yet, the monogram doesn't seem to match the crescent underneath - are they two different piece put together? "...the badge is just unique" doesn't satisfy my curiosity.


SmartBlondeGPhB, since you seem to know the owner, maybe you or sacvatire could find out for us? Also, the auction winner appears to be a sister - was the badge returned to her owner?

.....Kelly

[AlumInitiateLiz]

See, that's exactly what I thought. Yes, the general design between this badge and current style is similar, but this badge just looked "older". The letters, especially the Phi, just look very different.

That's why I thought the date might be 1891 rather than 1991. Since our Sorority was founded in 1874, that would make it a very old, very valuable badge.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Yes, the badge was returned to the original owner. The woman who won it (sacvatire) went to school with the woman and she joined Gamma Phi in the 1990's. Also, the Beta Pi chapter was installed sometime in the 1930-1955 time frame so the badge can't be from the 1800's.

The older badges are actually quite a bit different from the new ones we see nowadays.

When you wear a relative's badge, it isn't common for it to be re-engraved with your info (after all it really isn't yours).

[GeekyPenguin]

This badge actually looks very consistent with the "newer" badges except for the Phi. My guess is that the Phi may have fallen off somehow and the sister had it replaced by a jeweler, which explains the different look. If you remove the Phi, it looks just like the badge I have.