Those darn pin collectors on e bay again!!!

[AGDLynn]

I know I've posted this before...Alpha Gamma Delta has a Badge Disposition form so that the member can let her family members know what to do with her Badge..bury her with it or return to IHQ.

I have a plain one and an all-pearl one. I want to be buried with the plain one and have the pearl one returned to IHQ for my future sisters!

[Optimist Prime]

When I die, I want my Badge to returned to the Chaplain of my chapter. I will get a Chaplain's Dangle for it, so that way it will be a special Badge for the Chaplain to wear.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Question:

Say you have multiple badges. Most likely a plain one that was your firts badge upon initiation, and maybe another (or more) that are jewelled. If you were to return the more elaborate badge (and be buried with the plain badge). What does headquarters do with the returned badges? Do they resell them to sisters or brothers??

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

For us, those that are returned to IH from deceased members are archived. They are not resold.

[wptw]

Originally posted by GPhiBLtColonel
Prove that statement wptw....in MANY cases that I have personally experienced, the badge mean a lot to the collectors mainly because they have it and a member does not -- the thrill of the chase and winning means more than the beauty and significance of the badge to the collectors I have come across...

Well, that's difficult to prove. You and I are bound to have different experiences with collectors because I know them as colleagues and friends and share a common interest with them, and you know them as perhaps more of an adversary (as your feelings about collecting are quite clear). So it's not surprising you and I would have differing impressions of them. Which of us do you suppose knows their intentions and feelings about collecting better? You, who have communicated with them via email? Or someone like me who has talked for hours with them about collecting, hunted for badges together, eaten meals with them and drunk a beer or two? Hint: Probably me.

Also, I know which ebay usernames are pin collectors and which are dealers. You do not. So it's likely that at least some of your unpleasant experiences were with dealers and not collectors. I certainly don't dispute that many collectors have made rude responses. That's a conditioned response to a long pattern of harassment, and while I don't endorse it, I also don't think it's indicative of an “ I have it and you don’t ” acquisitionist attitude.

You would have us believe that collectors are spending all this money just to spite you and make sure you don’t get your badge back? That’s absurd.

In fact, I happen to know a badge collector just recently committed to helping YOUR rescue organization find loose badges. The collector in question is not a spiteful person, but is currently considering rescinding that offer.

Hint: It’s me.

-- but do not say collectors know what the badges mean -- because they really do NOT! If they truly knew what the badges meant, they would not be collecting them..

Actually, I said the badges mean a lot to us. I didn’t say collectors know what the badges mean.

But since you brought it up, I have to point out that your statement is actually wrong because a few collectors do indeed know what the badges mean. Hint: Me again. And I still collect. Knowing the meaning of the badge actually enhances my appreciation of them.

The rest I have "met" act like self righteous thugs who if they were a country, would be Switzerland which took and kept holocaust victims money for themselves after WW2....

You’re comparing badge collectors to the people who exploited holocaust victims? Wow congrats, that's smashingly inappropriate. I really hope you just stink at picking metaphors, because otherwise, that’s just offensive to everyone.

If this is how you generally communicate with collectors, then hmm… I wouldn’t expect the tone of their responses to improve very much.

wptw

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by wptw
In fact, I happen to know a badge collector just recently committed to helping YOUR rescue organization find loose badges. The collector in question is not a spiteful person, but is currently considering rescinding that offer.

Hint: It’s me.

And as the chair of that organization, I am personally very grateful for you were willing to help us, as is at least one other member of our task force.

Thank You.

[LPIDelta]

Folks, if we want to stop the selling of badges on ebay we basically need to stop buying them from there. I would assume that every org has a way to purchase an upgraded badge or replace a lost badge--and I guarantee it is MUCH less than what they go for on ebay. In fact, I know sisters in my own organization who have paid over $100 for a non-historically significant badge on ebay when they could have gotten a new one for $30 or $40 from the HQ. Not to mention then that the HQ would receive a royalty from the sale of that badge.

I know that this does not stop the collectors--but it will stop the prices from running up and this will not be such a lucrative business.

Additionally--every chapter should know and understand what their organization would prefer in terms of receiving badges from members who have passed or no longer want their badges.

The Naval Academy has a great program that "rescues" their class rings. Once a ring if found on an auction site, there is a coordinator who locates the ring owner or a relative. Many of the rings are returned-- if stolen, usually without additional cost-- if lost, sometimes with cost. They also loan rings received into their ring bank for others classmates to wear who may have lost their ring. West Point now has a great program where rings from members that have passed are melted down and the gold is used to help form the rings of the new classes. This might be something greek orgs could do with returned badges.

[Optimist Prime]

Greek chat isn't the army. If we were, there'd be a coup. Drastic results may varry. That's why there called drastic. This is my worst post ever. I can't go rescue your badge if its lost, just because its on ebay. I don't have the resourse of the Naval Academy or West Point. I hope people find their badges, though, it sucks not finding stuff.

Edidted to make sense.

[Optimist Prime]

Originally posted by Heather17
Folks, if we want to stop the selling of badges on ebay we basically need to stop buying them from there. I would assume that every org has a way to purchase an upgraded badge or replace a lost badge--and I guarantee it is MUCH less than what they go for on ebay. In fact, I know sisters in my own organization who have paid over $100 for a non-historically significant badge on ebay when they could have gotten a new one for $30 or $40 from the HQ. Not to mention then that the HQ would receive a royalty from the sale of that badge.

I know that this does not stop the collectors--but it will stop the prices from running up and this will not be such a lucrative business.

Additionally--every chapter should know and understand what their organization would prefer in terms of receiving badges from members who have passed or no longer want their badges.

The Naval Academy has a great program that "rescues" their class rings. Once a ring if found on an auction site, there is a coordinator who locates the ring owner or a relative. Many of the rings are returned-- if stolen, usually without additional cost-- if lost, sometimes with cost. West Point now has a great program where rings from members that have passed are melted down and the gold is used to help form the rings of the new classes. This might be something greek orgs could do with returned badges.

Badges! We don't need no stinking badges! WE got pizza bagels and hot pockets. I wish I spoke Mexican. Free Tommy Chong.

[LPIDelta]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
Greek chat isn't the army. If we were, there'd be a coup. Drastic results may varry. That's why there called drastic. This is my worst post ever. I can't go rescue your badge if its lost, just because its on ebay. I don't have the resourse of the Naval Academy or West Point. I hope people find their badges, though, it sucks not finding stuff.

Edidted to make sense.

I was simply throwing an idea out there for ORGANIZATIONS (not individuals) to consider. Some groups are already tracking badges and finding owners for badges on aution sites--and it really takes little time or money.

Your post makes no sense--and to flame someone for throwing out ideas, no matter where they come from, is just not cool.

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally posted by Heather17
Your post makes no sense--and to flame someone for throwing out ideas, no matter where they come from, is just not cool.

Oh, that's just him...he didn't mean anything by it.

By the way, Optimist, I love "Troop Beverly Hills"!

[Kevin]

I don't see what the big deal is with collecting badges. It's going to happen, we can't stop it, it's not really that big a deal.

I think folks confuse the badge with what they mean.

Without knowing what the badge means, people have a shiney metal thing with a cool design. Why should we care?

The badge isn't sacred, the meaning is. There are FAR better things to spend your money on. I'd much rather give to my chapter's scholarship fund than buy some old badge off of the internet.