Bought badge off of eBay from a sister!

GTAlphaPhi · #1 11-23-2009, 02:54 PM

I just bought a beautiful 1960's badge. It has pearls all along the "A" and a diamond in the center. It's gorgeous and I love it. The only part of the sale that saddens/angers me is that the badge originally belonged to the seller! I could try to accept someone having to sell their badge because of a true financial emergency (especially in times like these), but during our price negotiations, she said (quote):

"I really don't have to sell it but was willing to, for the right price."

Through our outside-of-eBay emails, I can say with 99.99% confidence that the seller is indeed the original owner. WTF?!? Although I didn't express my disappointment to her (for fear that she wouldn't sell it to me), I was just shocked and even more determined to buy it. Why would anyone sell her own pin, especially a vintage, bejeweled one? I just can't believe I had to rescue a badge from a fellow Phi.

Sorry for venting; I just needed tell y'all what happened so that I know that hopefully I'm not the only one who feels this way.

KD4Me · #2 11-23-2009, 03:08 PM

Sorry for the swerve, but that's terrible! I would be really upset, too, if I found a KD so willing to part with her badge. Glad that you won it, though, and not a non-A-Phi collector.

Smile_Awhile · #3 11-23-2009, 03:39 PM

*Pardon the crash*
I saw this a few weeks ago on Ebay with an AXO- a seller said that she was selling her circa-1990 badge because she didn't want it anymore. She clearly stated that she was the original owner. Obviously, it isn't a vintage badge or anything, but it just made me so sad.

baci · #4 11-23-2009, 03:52 PM

I would much rather you own it, love it, and cherish it!

AOII Angel · #5 11-23-2009, 04:50 PM

Could be worse! I recently bought a badge on ebay that was advertised as 10K gold. Not only was it sold to me by a sister, it was Gold-fill! When I confronted her, she lied and refused to give me a refund! After I contested the sale to ebay, she finally offered a partial refund. In the end, we all have members who don't exactly live up to our organizations standards. I'm glad I have the badge (even though it's fake gold, it's still pretty

)

ISUKappa · #6 11-23-2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTW

You can't control what a sister does. Unfortunately not everyone shares the same love you have for your organization.

No need to get angry over something you can't control.

This.

Yes, it can be angering or heartbreaking, but you only have control over your actions, not those of anyone else. At least now it's in the hands of a sister who will appreciate it and wear it with pride rather than sit, forgotten, in a jewelry box.

GTAlphaPhi · #7 11-23-2009, 05:20 PM

Thanks for all of your responses. I've calmed down now and will stop thinking about her and will instead focus on admiring (and wearing) my pretty new badge! I look forward to when I can pass it along to my own Little Dipper.