Posting Badges from Ebay

[wptw]

OK, well argued, dzrose.

So in response, I’ll not make any generalizations or assumptions and I’ll just shoot straight from the hip.

On the “it was going to be melted down unless I bought it” excuse…
On a macro level, I do honestly believe this. OK, if tomorrow I pass on a DZ badge, obviously a sister will be there to bid on it. Obviously it won’t get melted down. I think the point we try to make is, without us, very little of the ebay demand would have ever been there in the first place. Without collectors, most of you would still be unaware of the problem of loose badges. And I believe 100% that right now, today, badges stand a better chance of going “home” with collectors in the world.

It is quite clear that collectors are no longer AS necessary to the “badge saving” equation as we used to be. And you’re right - most people didn’t start collecting out of some grand desire to perform a public service to the greek world. But regardless of what our intentions were in collecting badges “way back when”, a lot of badges WERE saved because of us, which is why we also take it personally when we read some of the nasty things you ladies sometimes say in anger.

Question: Why can’t you go as high in the bidding as a collector? We’re just people with normal jobs in our 20s, 30s and 40s. We really don’t have unlimited income. This is important to us, so it’s what we choose to spend our money on. It’s a spending priority for us, so perhaps that’s why we APPEAR to have so much money.

The fact that some national GLO officers (past and present) are badge collectors would seem to contradict your claim that this practice is somehow disrespectful to greeks.

Having bought and sold quite a few badges on ebay, I can tell you that these “friendly” emails from sisters are hardly ever friendly. Not that that justifies a smartass response, of course. Just pointing out that this is not a one-sided issue.

My research into GLOs goes quite a bit beyond the material contained in pledge manuals and websites. If you’d like me to prove that you in the specific case of Delta Zeta, I will. Privately, of course.

You know, you ask some tough questions there. I’ll just answer for myself. Ultimately it comes down to how I choose to “celebrate” being greek. How I choose to strengthen my own bond. The joy I get from searching for these important bits of history outweighs the objections. I’ve made great friends, I’ve learned a lot about my own organization and others, and I’ve passed on some of that learning to others who became inspired to learn more about their org. Don’t know if other collectors would answer the same way. And maybe that answer doesn’t make me the nicest person in the world in your opinion. If that’s selfish, then so be it. It’s the truth.

wptw

[Tom Earp]

wptw, knowing your back ground, let me somewhat rest the fears of some of the members of GC!
He and I had a nice chat and I can understand where he is coming from! I know I have bought LXA Badges off ebay and I do not like it that they are on there, and I want them in my hands or a Brothers Hands!

The ones I have bought will not go back to International but to my Brothers Who cannot afford them !!!!!!!

Not for their personal use but to be passed down say from the honor Assoc. and the High Alpha,)President( as each new one takes office or is inducted into the Brotherhood of LXA!

I unfortunatally bought Badges from a Brother who is putting on ebay! He is in money trouble, but I wish he would contact me first before he does go to ebay. it is a fact of life and while I do not like it, that is the way it is!

I have Brothers who have given them to thier sons who have lost them so do not have any. They have lost them and do not have any! I offer to sell them for the price I have in them so they too can have a Badge! Even though we may not wear them very often!

i have of a kind and will never give it up except on my death and that goes to my Chapter! it is in the Will! and one of my Brothers is doing the will and 2 of them are executors of it!

You feel strongly? No more so than I! I know what I did to get mine! I started the whole thing at my Chapter and am damn proud of the fact!

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by wptw

Cream:
“Hey, I don't wear knickers...they wouldn't go with my lovely DPhiE badge!”

But I think I’ve seen DPhiE knickers on ebay. Quite nice. Surely these would complement the badge, yes?

And trying to distract me by telling me you don’t wear knickers will not work!!

Umm…Crap, lost my train of thought. What the heck were we talking about?



wptw

I want those knickers for Christmas! HAHA!!

[SSS1365]

Originally posted by wptw
SSS1365:
“I earned my badge by learning what it means, and it can never mean anything to someone who has never learned it.”

You’re saying that all it takes to earn the Tri-Sig badge is learning what the symbols mean?
Funny - My GLO teaches me that earning the badge is a lifelong process, not something you do once. Maybe that’s the whole source of our difference of opinion about badges on ebay.

First of all, you completely misunderstood what I meant. Yes, it IS a lifelong process, but if YOU believe that too then WHY are you one of the collectors? And could you maybe try to stop talking down to us when you respond to our posts?

I agree that freaking out about pins on ebay is pointless. There's no law against it, so the pins will always be there and there is nothing anyone can do about it. I was simply stating my opinion on the matter... but I do know that nothing can be done.

[ZetaLuvBunny]

Okay please no one yell at me about this saying it's "stiring up something" but I just wanted to say that many of the badges on e-bay that could be rescued or whatever can't be found by searching simply for the name of the organization. The badge sellers on there are ignorant to start with, but the worst ones don't even know any of the Greek alphabet so they simply put headings such as "fraternity/sorority pin or badge?!?" so make sure (if you have the money for it and you are wanting to "rescue" them) that you type in "sorority" or "fraternity" in the search engine there and then narrow it down to the "jewelry" category or "collectables" category. Some of these are really really cheap too because the seller does not know ANYTHING about the badge.

One example of the sheer ignorance of a seller is he/she said "Sorority Pendant" and it was a Sigma Chi FRATERNITY pendant!! Grrr dumb people! You'd think if they are dumb enough to sell this stuff they should at least be knowledgeable about what it is they're selling.