Hunt on for Little Frat Pins by collectors

[hoosier]

December 2, 2005

Hunt on for Little Frat Pins
War waging against collectors who shop for Greek badges on eBay.

By CATHERINE SHARICK
Columbia News Service

Sigma Alpha Epsilon has a licensing firm. Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnae organized Keepers of the Key. Delta Psi formed a memorabilia committee. Psi Upsilon members are simply on the lookout -- for collectors who are buying and selling their initiation pins on the Internet.

College fraternities and sororities are waging a war against "pin heads" -- collectors who shop for Greek membership badges on eBay.

Fraternity brothers and sisters believe that these pins are their property, and that they have a legal right to them. They are doing everything they can to keep these insignias within the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood and out of the hands of outsiders. While collecting isn't new, eBay has made it easier to acquire pins and harder for fraternities to control who is buying them.

"I've had fellows threaten to come to my house to repossess a badge from a long dead member," said Randall D. Craig, a fraternity pin collector from Georgetown, Texas. "I guess they think that I might pin one of these on and pose as a fraternity brother on a local campus."

Craig, 55, is one of the collectors who worry fraternity houses. A 1971 Tau Kappa Epsilon alumnus of Stephen F. Austen University in Nacogdoches, Texas, Craig became interested in collecting while trying to replace his long lost TKE pin. "The last time I saw the badge I was initiated with, I think it was on some girl's panties," he said, referring to the old-school tradition of pinning one's girlfriend.

Since 2000, Craig has collected 400 pins from antique stores, flea markets, estate sales and most recently, on eBay under the screen name dogboy1950. Craig, a high school teacher, estimates that 95 percent of his collection was purchased online.

"Since eBay, there has been an extreme explosion of collectors out there," said Christopher Walters, 32, a collector from Cincinnati, "mainly because without eBay, the pins were very hard to find." Without the Internet, collecting was done by a few "buffs" through a network of antique dealers and jewelers who knew about the pins and would contact the collectors when they came across something of interest. But many older, unique pins were melted down for the gold.

"Because of eBay, fraternities and sororities have been able to acquire pins they have never seen before," said Walters, who is working on a directory of all Greek letter organizations.

The exclusive Fraternity Pin Collector Society has an active, but secretive bulletin board presence on Yahoo groups. "They are the secret society of fraternity pin collecting," Walters said. "They are our Skull and Bones."

In order to get into this group, he said, you have to tell whom you know, what you collect and why. And if you offend anyone, the group can ban you and keep you out of Pinfest, the annual swap meeting.

"You will more than likely see the best of the best at Pinfest," Walters said. "They are the kings and queens of the frat pin collecting world. But they are also the most hated." Security at the swap is a concern because of the high value of collections -- $15,000 or more -- and the threat of disruption by fraternity members. As a result, Pinfest organizers post false dates and locations on their Web pages.

The small gold or gold-clad pins, often inscribed with the brother's or sister's name and pledge year, are slightly different for each organization. The insignia changes, and some are bejeweled. The most expensive are from older, well known groups. A Sigma Chi pin from the 1800s sold on eBay for almost $8,000.

Last year, someone tried to sell a Skull and Bones badge from 1852 for $14,000. Even though the seller had a picture of Michael Moore wearing the pin, the opening price was too high and the auction did not close, Walters said.

"The secret symbols that distinguish the badge-swords, skulls, shields and crosses are just nice design elements to me," Craig said, "but to the members, these designs have special significance."

To ardent fraternity brothers (and sisters), protecting these pins means protecting the sacred bonds of their organization. "We want to keep the brotherhood alive, even through death," said Richard Williams of Delta Psi.

When members die, SAE and other fraternities and sororities would like to have the badge returned to the foundation. Some fraternities and sororities, including Kappa Kappa Gamma and Delta Delta Delta, include in their bylaws a provision that initiation badges and pins are only "leased" to members while they are alive.

"We ask that when a member dies for him to be buried with his pin," said Nicholas Ziegler, coordinator of publications at SAE. But pins usually wind up lost, in someone's attic or most likely sold through estate sales on eBay.

Fraternities are hard at work bidding for the pins and tracking down collectors.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon, one of the largest fraternities with 280,000 members, hired a licensing firm, Affinity Marketing Consultants, to ensure that its trademark is used properly on mugs and T-shirts and to search eBay for its pins.

The firm helps SAE send e-mail messages to collectors on eBay asking them to stop the sale and turn the badge over to the fraternity.

Craig is not worried about the fraternities' crusade to put an end to his hobby.

"I treat the badges with respect," he said.

[kddani]

Haven't heard this brought up in awhile.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

I didn't know that Affinity was doing the searching. I'd love to talk to an SAE about this.............

[Kevin]

A complete waste of resources really. If these folks instead channelled their energy in alumni activities, newsletters and such, they could be productive. The bottom line -- they're not going to stop badge collectors. Badge collectors will get their collections regardless of what we do.

Personally, I don't mind. I'd rather my badge end up in a collection on someone's wall than as some random piece of jewelry stuffed at the bottom of a sock drawer, or perhaps pawned.

[ejbiff]

I personally do NOT want anyone to have my badge, besides myself. What's the point of having it- you don't know the meaning behind it? I understand that people like to collect badges and I respect that, but at the same time, these people need to respect the wished of the fraternities and sororities. I know in Tri Sigma, the badge is to be buried with a Sister when she passes away or it is to be returned to National Headquarters.
I wish Ebay would ban the sale of Greek badges- it would make everything a little bit easier.

[PM_Mama00]

Why can't Nationals send cease and desist notices to these ebay collectors and demand the badge be returned? (I'm not familiar with cease and desist but I assumed it might work?)

[ISUKappa]

Originally posted by ktsnake
A complete waste of resources really. If these folks instead channelled their energy in alumni activities, newsletters and such, they could be productive. The bottom line -- they're not going to stop badge collectors. Badge collectors will get their collections regardless of what we do.

Speaking only for myself, I know many of the women and men who are active in badge rescue groups are also extremely active and giving in their organizations in other ways.

I bring up the importance of proper care and disposal of the badge at least once a year at our alumnae meetings (of which I am President) and at chapter meetings (of which I am an adviser). But there are so many badges already "out there," it's going to take a long time to educate everyone.

Why can't Nationals send cease and desist notices to these ebay collectors and demand the badge be returned? (I'm not familiar with cease and desist but I assumed it might work?)

Legally, it's just not possible. No lawyer or judge or court is going to uphold some GLO's claim that the member only has a lease on their badge unless much documentation and signed forms can be produced for every single badge that comes up for sale. It's simply not going to happen. This has been discussed many many times in the other threads.

[Betarulz!]

Someone like this TKE alum doesn't bother me. He's greek, he understands the significance and probably does treat the badges with respect.

The people who bother me are the ones that clearly know nothing about what the badges mean to members, put up ebay listings that are erroneous (I can't believe how few people correctly list the actual greek letters of an organization), or try to create some link to hazing.

All that said, I agree with ejbiff. I don't understand why anyone would want to collect the badges in the first place. They hold no meaning for anyone outside an organization. It's not like people who collect shot glasses from places they've been or something, there is no emotional meaning to these badges. I think that's something that bothers these pin collecters b/c they don't understand why we get so upset. They just see this as a hobby, something harmless, while we've got national organizations spending hundreds of thousands of dollars seeking pins out.

[AchtungBaby80]

I used to get really angry at pin collectors because no, I don't think they should be selling and trading our badges like friggin' baseball cards or something, but here lately I've just sort of resigned myself to the fact that people are always going to be out there collecting them and there's really nothing we can do to stop it. On one hand, I'd rather see some collector taking care of a pin instead of it getting melted down for something else, but on the other hand, what really irritates me about a lot (not all, mind) of these people trading pins on eBay and places like that is that they don't really respect the fact that these badges are special to fraternity and sorority members. They're "historical collectibles." To a lot of these people, badges are either a hot commodity they know they can sell, or they're just like, "Awwwww...that little teapot on the triangle-Z pin is sooooo cute."

[Tom Earp]

I am a Collector!

I Collect LXA Badges along with TKN Badges.

I have tried to contact Chapters when I have gotten Badges. No one is interested.

I have purchase Badges for one reason or another. That is My Business.

I have a Badge that is DZ and If I could find some one to buy it I would. If I can figure out how to get it on ebay, I will!

1924 and in excellent condition any takers?

Suppose not!

I do not like someone buying a LXA Badge who is a Collector, but I cannot buy them all!

Quit moaning about it and if You want to protect it then buy it!

Dont get Pissy with Me, I have saved or collected @ $10,000 worth of LXA Badges! Would I love to get them back to The Home Chapters and get My Money Back? Damn Right!

[SigmaKappaRoyal]

2 cents from an occasional poster, frequent lurker..

i don't like people making money selling our sacred objects, and i never will. but, i can totally understand that some unaffiliated people are genuinely interested in the historical value of a collection of badges. i'm not excusing the sellers, but personally i think the concept of badges and the history of fraternities and sororities is fascinating, and i could see thinking that even if i weren't affiliated.

i can also definitely see the pragmatic collectors' points of view where, if the badge is SO important to someone, why would the collector have been able to buy it in the first place? they have every right to buy and sell something that they came across legally. like someone said above, unless there is paperwork for each particular badge proving it is "stolen", sadly there's not much we can do aside from buying them back. what we CAN do is educate our members to take care of your badge, make plans for it in your will, tell your family members how important it is that you are buried with it or it is returned to headquarters. i don't think anything will ever eliminate the problem of people out for a quick buck, but i do have a hard time believing that every single badge now for sale was properly cherished by its member.

hope i didn't offend anyone.

[honeychile]

FWIW, I am NOT a pin collector (as in other GLO's pins). They do not have meaning to me, and have a special meaning to those who were initiated into that GLO - I would feel very fake if I got another pin.

However, I've learned a lot about pin collectors in the past couple of years. I see the hobby breaking down into the following catagories:

1) Pin Collectors of your own GLO. While some GLOs have a consistant pin, others (such as ADPi) allow the initiate to personalize the pin in several ways, so long as the "important stuff" remains the same. I have more than one ADPi pin, but it's more of a "saving from a collector" or a pin with a special meaning than needing different types. One sister has several pins - she tries to get one of each possible sort. If I see her bidding, I step down. Heck, she even has an Adelphean badge!!! On the other hand, another sister will bid on any and all ADPi pins, not caring if it may be your mother's pin or such. That attitude is what gives pin collectors a bad name!

2) Pin Collectors of every GLO. I may not be wild about this person owning an Alpha Delta Pin pin, but I understand his/her quest. Owning one of each would be pretty cool - IF they stuck to one of each! Again, that shouldn't mean owning one AEPhi pin (all alike) and 120 ADPi pins (all different) - that's another sore spot. You have your ADPi pin, fine - just keep out of the rest of the auctions.

3) Pin Collectors who have to have it all. I almost pity these people, as the small to medium fortune that they'll spend on these pins probably won't translate into the money they spent on them.

4) Pin Collectors who return to the appropriate Headquarters. There's a special place in Greek Heaven for y'all! I often wish my mother hadn't returned my grandmother's Key back to HQ, but she was right - it wasn't ours to have. I'd like to see ADPi's fledgling group work out, just as I wish the best of luck to the Crescent Catchers, the Keepers of the Key, and any other such organization.

BTW, I do take issue with a pin collector who doesn't help his or her fellow Greeks. In the past few months, one of my chapter's Founders' pins was on ebay, as was her sister's. I begged and pleaded with people to allow me to get the pin and why - to no avail. Pin collectors need to think more about karma!

[Tom Earp]

To be honest and not to offend anyone, but I do respect all GreeK Badges.

I set out to collect Badges (1) from each of the Fraternitys and Sororitys that were on campus When B X was started for a place in the New House for Historical value.

I finally have all of the Badges, but am missing some of the Associate pins.

Many Badges are found in estate of passed members. They mean nothing to the sellers except money.

There was a LXA who was selling His Badge and I contacted Him about it. He pulled it off as between Me and some of His close Brothers, He felt He should keep it. His Chapter is closed so He did not get to wear it much and thought it was a waste. I am so glad He changed His Mind!

For interest, Badges from PSU: Circa 1965.

ADPi, SSS, ASA, AGD, TKE, STG, PKA, SX, PhiSigEpsilon (Now PHiSigK).

I am proud to have them and think it will make a nice display for Historical Fact that unfortunitly is to soon forgotten!

[RubyEye]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Associate pins.

Many Badges are found in estate of passed members.

Actually, I would say that 99% of all badges that end up on Ebay or in an antique store first make their way there from estate sales. Thank god for Ebay as I would imagine that before the internet, most old badges were just melted down for the gold content.

A few badges might trade among collectors, but no many. Every collector I know respects the heritage & significance of each badge.

Also, most collectors are not interested in more recent badges--and by recent I mean from the last 20 or 30 years. I would imagine that new badges are bought up by members who may have lost their original badge--newer one often sell on Ebay for less than you can get them from your Headquarters or official jeweler.

So my word of advice--make sure your family knows/your will states what you would like to have done with your badge.

As story--my sibling brother and I are in the same fraternity. His badge was stolen when his home was robbed. I bought an older badge for him on Ebay--but first I was able, via our HQ to locate the family of the original owner. I spoke to the deceased brothers wife, she had actually never seen the badge as the deceased brother had been "pinned" to another girl in college (he met his wife after college.) I asked her if she would like the badge, telling her I would be happy to send it to her if she could cover my cost & postage. The brothers widow asked me to call her back in a few day. When I did she said that she had discussed the matter with her children and they decided that my brother should have the badge; that way some part of her husbands fraternity legacy could live on thru my brother enjoying the badge. So you see--badges on Ebay can be a good thing.

Interfraternally,

The Ruby Eye

[PhoenixAzul]

I troll ebay every few days just to check to see of a Tau Delta or Tomo Dachi or one of our alum organization badges has made it out there. There are so few of them and theyre so scattered that it may very well be the only place to find them. I keep hoping some day I'll come across one and if I do I won't hesitate to bid whatever it takes to get it.