for crying out loud...

[PhiUSMmu]

Um, my thought was that "we" (perhaps only I) was upset at the fact that the pin/badges ARE BEING SOLD. Not the price. I understand economics. It doesn't bother me that they're expensive. It doesn't really bother me the fact of who's driving up the price. It matters that they're BEING SOLD.
Thank You.

[Tom Earp]

Well, if you are on ebay checking, did you ever e-m the bidders to find out if they were members of you Org? I do when one of my Badges come up and I dropped out as the high bidder was the roomate who I met from another time! The Badge was also from his chapter! He won as I would not bid against him! He got it and is was a Brother from Rose-Hulman who had it stolen! He was tickled to death to get it back!

Check Out who is bidding and if they do not get back with you, go for it!!!!!

Hell I paid 438.00 for a Badge on ebay and It will not be sold, it is going to my Chapter!

Remember the stove is hot in the kitchen! DAH if it is on!

If you see any LXA Badges on a site,as they some times put in the wrong place, LET ME KNOW!

Thank You and Good Night Gracie!

[wptw]

OK, good we've reached some middle ground. You know, I really wasn't trying to deflect the moral question with economics. In my mind, they're totally separate arguments, and I thought we had put aside the moral argument temporarily while we were arguing over the economics. Now I see that not everyone was able to unlink the two issues. That's why we weren't making any progress. Hence the epiphany.

I like debating with you, dzrose. You put solid logical arguments out there and while you let the "issue emotions" filter into your arguments, you don't let the structure of your argument get all cluttered up with "interpersonal emotions". I respect and admire that.

Maybe because YOU the collectors are only trying to get one or two badges of each GLO, whereas WE the members are trying to save as many as humanly possible. Oftentimes, we have to let a few go that we would love to save simply because we've already bought 6 others in the same month -- and had to pay MUCH MORE than we would have if a COLLECTOR hadn't been bidding AGAINST us.

ONLY 1 or 2 from each group? ONLY? NIC, NPC, BGLO, professional, local, defunct groups, secret societies. Do you know how many badges that is? It's more than the total number of DZ badges that have come up on ebay EVER. Plus we know there are a lot more DZs out there than collectors. So that doesn't really answer the question. I mean, I could say the same thing - I could certainly afford to buy more pins if the members weren't bidding againt me. So I still don't understand why with the same (or maybe less) resources, collectors still win more auctions. Anyone else have a thought?

Here's another thought. No offense intended. In my experience, it seems to me that women tend to get much more upset/angry about this issue than men. Do you think that's true? And if so, why?

wptw

[valkyrie]

I have one question, and skimming through this thread I haven't seen the answer. Why do you, as a collector, want to own badges of groups to which you don't belong? I'd really like to know, because I don't understand, nor do I understand why a collector recently paid $1600 for a badge I was watching (but I didn't bid on it).

[ZZ-kai-]

Please post the website address for the badge that recently went for $1600.00. I must have missed that one.

[PhiUSMmu]

I think that women are more emotional on every subject due to our hormonal makeup. But, that might just be an opinion. (I don't think so, but I can't sight where I've heard it). And also, we feel more strongly towards things because throughout history we've been the ones who have had to hold things together, emotionally bond with our children more outwardly...things like that. It's the whole: boys don't cry thing. But, I'll look it up and get back to ya!

[Three_Love]

I have no problem with someone trying to make money by selling items on Ebay. But when a person buys a pin on Ebay and then uses that pin in an attempt to "infiltrate" (for lack of a better word) an organization, that's a problem. There are lots of "perpetrators" out there, unfortunately.

To the "badge/pin" collectors out there - so, you collect sorority/fraterity badges and pins like others collect coins or baseball cards or shot glasses? Mmm...you learn something new every day.

Me, myself, personally, I just don't think that anyone who isn't a member of my sorority should have one of our pins. But hey, that's just me.

The bottom line - make sure that you have made provisions for what should be done with your sorority/fraternity pin in the event of your death so it doesn't end up at an estate sale or on Ebay.

[hocnsoc81]

Originally posted by wptw


Here's another thought. No offense intended. In my experience, it seems to me that women tend to get much more upset/angry about this issue than men. Do you think that's true? And if so, why?

wptw

No, not true with me. While I disagree with the practice, it is nothing I would croak over about.

You've caught on to something. I've also mentioned that women tend to get much more upset/angry WITH ANY ISSUE. I admit, I take a few things very personally, but not almost everything.

If so, why? I think it has to do more with nurture than nature. We were brought up that way. Most comply to that, a few don't.

Some food for thought.

[33girl]

Originally posted by wptw
“Why are WE the collectors willing to pay a higher price than YOU the members?”

wptw

Maybe because you have extra $$ since you just sold an ostrich Beanie Baby to some nut job who was willing to pay $5,000 for it. This is an attempt at humor...

[wptw]

Good morning all,

Valkyrie: I collect these because I think they're beatiful, I admire what they represent, and I love the history that's packed into them. Have you ever been to a place or looked at an object and you can really FEEL the history around it (like a heavy blanket is the best way I can describe it). Well, for me that's the attraction to old greek badges. I research the owners to find out about their families, their school, their town, their career, their death, etc. Sometimes you can find a picture of them wearing the badge, which is very cool. And I have to admit, I also like the hunt.

btw, ZZ-kai-, the $1600 pin she's referring to was a very old Alpha Phi "lazy phi" pin with opals. Gorgeous! And incidentally, it went to the family of an Alpha Phi.

wptw

[valkyrie]

Thanks for the explanation, wptw. I have to say, I can understand what you're saying (I'm the same way about buildings), and I appreciate how thoughtful you are about your collecting.

I'm glad that the lazy phi pin went to an Alpha Phi's family. It was the most gorgeous badge I have ever seen.

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by Three_Love
I have no problem with someone trying to make money by selling items on Ebay. But when a person buys a pin on Ebay and then uses that pin in an attempt to "infiltrate" (for lack of a better word) an organization, that's a problem. There are lots of "perpetrators" out there, unfortunately.

To the "badge/pin" collectors out there - so, you collect sorority/fraterity badges and pins like others collect coins or baseball cards or shot glasses? Mmm...you learn something new every day.

Me, myself, personally, I just don't think that anyone who isn't a member of my sorority should have one of our pins. But hey, that's just me.

The bottom line - make sure that you have made provisions for what should be done with your sorority/fraternity pin in the event of your death so it doesn't end up at an estate sale or on Ebay.

Three_Love makes an excellent point about the pin issue on eBay from the NPHC perspective. Having pins available to any bidder could lead to misguided individuals trying to perpetrate our organizations.

Steeltrap
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
8-EXO-00

[AGDLynn]

I would be glad to know that my badge belonged to another Alpha Gamma Delta. After all, isn't that the reason we all joined our respective organizations..sisterhood and brotherhood?

WPTW, I'm curious as to why you became a registered GreekChat member in Sept. 2001, if you are not a member of a Greek organization. Is it so that you can learn more about the badges and other Greek items that become available so that you can sell them?

[wptw]

WPTW, I'm curious as to why you became a registered GreekChat member in Sept. 2001, if you are not a member of a Greek organization. Is it so that you can learn more about the badges and other Greek items that become available so that you can sell them?

Uhh... what? I don't even know where to begin.

Where did I say I'm not a GLO member? I am in fact a very active and proud member of an old and prestigious NIC fraternity. I just have never mentioned which one.

I'm a collector, not a dealer. So I buy badges and trade badges, but I rarely ever sell badges.

And no, believe me I wouldn't come to Greekchat to learn about GLO badges and their value. I was doing this long before Greekchat started, and no offense, but I'd bet I know more about a given group's badge than 95% of the organization's members.

wptw

EDIT: I have a question for Three_love and Steeltrap. The "perp" issue seems almost exclusively to be a concern of NPHC groups. Why do you suppose that is?

[AGDLynn]

Thanks for the reply, wptw...I apologize for thinking you weren't a member of a fraternity/sorority. I do agree that you probably know more about an organization than some of its members, epecially the longer one's been out of school...that's a shame.