GreekChat.com Forums  

Go Back   GreekChat.com Forums > Greek History

Greek History Fraternity and Sorority historical discussions. Chat about all topics related to Greek history here.


Register Now for FREE!
Join GreekChat.com, The Fraternity & Sorority Greek Chat Network. To sign up for your FREE account INSTANTLY fill out the form below!

Username: Password: Confirm Password: E-Mail: Confirm E-Mail:
 
Image Verification
Please enter the six letters or digits that appear in the image opposite.

  I agree to forum rules 

» GC Stats
Members: 325,126
Threads: 115,503
Posts: 2,196,056
Welcome to our newest member, babobygooglet93
» Online Users: 1,489
1 members and 1,488 guests
bjenzdarka5720
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-08-2016, 08:39 PM
kkg_lau kkg_lau is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2
Vintage Pin Identification Help Needed

Hello! My mother recently uncovered this pin belonging to her grandfather. I have done what I could to try to uncover any information about it but I keep hitting dead ends. She does not know much about him except he was born in the 1880s and died in the 1960s and lived in upstate NY. We are unable to ask her parents as they are deceased as well. I have unsuccessfully tried to translate the inscription and I have come here to see if anyone knows anything about this pin or even be able translate the inscription? It is smaller than a penny and 14k gold with a pearl adorning the Phi in the center. Thank you!


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...49d5517bb4.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...327d620543.jpg

Last edited by kkg_lau; 05-08-2016 at 09:33 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-08-2016, 08:56 PM
sissyintexas sissyintexas is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 89
I tried doing a match in google images with no luck.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-08-2016, 10:41 PM
honeychile's Avatar
honeychile honeychile is offline
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Counting my blessings!
Posts: 30,468
Are you sure that it's fraternal? Are you either Scots or Irish? I ask because it's somewhat similar to my clan pin.
__________________
~ *~"ADPi"~*~
Proud to be a Macon Magnolia
"He who is not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-08-2016, 10:50 PM
kkg_lau kkg_lau is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by sissyintexas View Post
I tried doing a match in google images with no luck.
Thank you for trying!

Quote:
Originally Posted by honeychile View Post
Are you sure that it's fraternal? Are you either Scots or Irish? I ask because it's somewhat similar to my clan pin.
I am not sure at all of its origin. I know we have Irish and Scottish ancestry so that is possible, I had no clue though that clan pins existed but I will look into that. Thank you so much for that possibility!!

edit; looked into that side of the family, looks like he was a Scot but that is not what the clan pin looks like for the family, but I see where the style looks like one. Going to continue to explore that possibility, thank you!

Last edited by kkg_lau; 05-08-2016 at 11:33 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-09-2016, 09:56 PM
navane navane is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 2,873
What a beautiful pin! I'm not sure what it may be; but, I immediately recognized the badge to be in the same shape as the Oxford University logo.


__________________
GFB Z
Gamma Phi Beta

True and Constant
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-09-2016, 11:00 PM
navane navane is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 2,873
Ok...so I was up for a challenge. I have no knowledge of Greek; but, hey, why not?

I read the inscription as: Μετ αγωνα Τα αθγα.

My Google-fu skills came up with variations of the following: "Round the struggle ______"


"Μετ" = Round or " Μετ’ " (with the accent mark) = Return

"αγωνα" = I found through trial and error that the word "αγωνα" can mean: struggle, fight, race, match, challenge, bout, etc.

"Τα" = the

"αθγα" = athga (I don't know what this is)


HOWEVER.....

University of Trinity College in Toronto has the motto "Μετ’ Ἀγῶνα Στέφανος" or "Met' agona stephanos", which means "After Struggle, There is a Crown". That's the same way the inscription on the pin is spelling the first two words. Also, if I take the inscription on the badge and move that first "a" letter over to spell "Μετα γωνα..." that also translates as "After struggle...."


SO.....my uneducated guess is that the inscription reads "After struggle, the ______". I don't know what that last word is.


Edited to add: The second to last letter could also be an "N" and not a "G". If so, it's one letter off from spelling the word "Athens". In that case, "After the race to Athens" might also be a workable motto.
__________________
GFB Z
Gamma Phi Beta

True and Constant

Last edited by navane; 05-09-2016 at 11:25 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-09-2016, 11:52 PM
PKT4LIFE PKT4LIFE is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 741
Could it be an athletic badge? Such as track team? I am guessing this if the motto "After the race to Athens" is correct and the fact I see wings incorporated at the bottom. Wings in greek myths represented Hermes and speed. Just a guess.
__________________
Phi Kappa Tau, Est 1906
"Developing Men of Character into Men of Distinction"
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-11-2016, 11:31 PM
History1776 History1776 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3
This pin is from a literary society. I do not know for sure what the actual name is, but I'm guessing its either Philomathean, or Philantrophic or something to that effect. There is a pin like this in the University of North Carolina archives, but the name of the group is unknown at this time. Its possibly that this pin may be from a society located in New York and somehow one ended up at UNC by a member who attended that school.

Do you have any information about a possible college your relative attended, if any? There were also literary societies in the prep schools of that age as well.

is there a name on the back of the pin? If you have the name you can cross reference it with schools as many schools now have their old yearbooks and catalogues digitalized.

Hope this helps.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Pin identification help, please! flyinkites Kappa Alpha Theta 3 10-10-2014 11:53 AM
Vintage alum 90sgreek Introductions 1 08-22-2013 08:55 AM
Vintage DPhiE pas Delta Phi Epsilon 0 06-05-2013 08:34 AM
Vintage KD xomanadaxo Kappa Delta 4 01-18-2010 03:29 PM
After rush ribbons? NM Identification AnonAlumna Recruitment 84 08-08-2005 09:14 AM



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.