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Identfied! Pi Beta Phi Crest Sterling Silver Medallion

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First Page  Showing last 15 replies.
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Rest in Peace
10197 Posts
 Posted 01/16/2018  6:25 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Crazyb0 to your friends list
without any writing it would appear to be an not awarded or presented medal, therefore in the token category. Since it is stamped as STERLING on the back, it is .925 silver, which is more a jewelry form. The design looks "military" but may just be rendition or it could indicate unit colors/emblem. I lean more toward rendition, the designs, eagle, sun, arrow (one?) and letter anagram aren't typical US Military symbols, foreign perhaps? You didn't state side.
Valued Member
United States
175 Posts
 Posted 01/16/2018  7:15 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jafo50 to your friends list
@Crazyb0 ... He was in the US Army and I'm not sure it has anything to do with the military either. The 'eagle' looked like it might have been German due to the position of its wings but that's just a wild guess. We'll wait and see if anyone recognizes it.

Joe
Rest in Peace
10197 Posts
 Posted 01/16/2018  7:29 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Crazyb0 to your friends list
That eagle impress me the same way. I have seen German campaign medals with just the eyelet size hanger, but generally they have a horizontal bar off two posts on the edge for a ribbon to loop thru. Try searching Campaign ribbons, maybe that letter C is a key to town, area, country? But if it was German, why STERLING on back?
Edited by Crazyb0
01/16/2018 7:30 pm
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2490 Posts
 Posted 01/16/2018  9:24 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add alganbagerap to your friends list
Wings in this position can be associated with the phoenix rising from the flames. It would really help if we could identify the meaning of the symbols grasped in the bird's claws.
Valued Member
United States
175 Posts
 Posted 01/16/2018  10:07 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jafo50 to your friends list
I've been searching military medals for the past few hours and came up empty handed. One odd thing is why would there be such a small 'eagle' in the center of the medal. The proportions seem off.


Joe
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United Kingdom
709 Posts
 Posted 01/17/2018  04:09 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Anaximander to your friends list
The eagle in lozenge is the crest of an American fraternity group PI BETA PHI. In the centre of the eagle's chest is a sun which would have the word "LUX" on it. In the right claw is an arrow with a chain which had 12 links, one for each founder. In the left claw is the monogram IC.

This badge was adopted by the fraternity in 1912.

Details found by googling "eagle arrow bow lozenge" and searching through the images.

Apparently the lozenge shows that the fraternity was a female organization. Perhaps this was given to your grandfather as a keepsake by a female friend?
Edited by Anaximander
01/17/2018 04:22 am
Valued Member
United States
175 Posts
 Posted 01/17/2018  09:32 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jafo50 to your friends list
@Anaximander, WOW I am thoroughly impressed... great find. I would have never found this. Thank you very much for locating the info.

Joe
Valued Member
United States
175 Posts
 Posted 01/17/2018  10:42 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jafo50 to your friends list
FWIW I emailed the Pi Beta Phi organization to see if they would like to have this pendant as part of their organization's history. I'm willing to donate it if there is interest.

Updates to follow.

Joe
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United States
189673 Posts
Valued Member
United States
175 Posts
 Posted 01/17/2018  2:34 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jafo50 to your friends list
I want to thank everyone for helping discover the origin of this pendant. It's on its way to a new home at Pi Beta Phi headquarters in Missouri.

Thanks
Joe
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United States
189673 Posts
Pillar of the Community
United States
4409 Posts
 Posted 01/17/2018  7:57 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add MeadowviewCollector to your friends list
Perhaps a mod can update the title of the thread to reflect that this has been identified.

Something such as "Pi Beta Phi crest sterling silver medallion" or whichever words would make it easier to search for later.

-MV
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5029 Posts
 Posted 01/18/2018  08:39 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add scopru to your friends list
Great research Anaximander!

And very generous offer to give this to the organization jafo50

And
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189673 Posts
 Posted 01/18/2018  11:29 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jbuck to your friends list

Quote:
Perhaps a mod can update the title of the thread to reflect that this has been identified.
Done.
Bedrock of the Community
Canada
24885 Posts
 Posted 01/18/2018  3:05 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Dorado to your friends list
Edited by Dorado
01/18/2018 3:08 pm
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