Bicentennial Badge
For the first time since the late 1800’s, a new edition of the Chi Phi Badge is being released. The design of this special edition item was inspired by the historic badges from the first three orders, and is adorned with pearls, scarlet and blue jewels, and will be set in a black box. Included will also be a “200” badge guard as well as a unique number inscribed on the back in which to commemorate this momentous milestone. The Bicentennial Badge will be approved to be worn throughout the next year in replacement of our general badge. You certainly don’t want to miss the opportunity to own a historic piece of Chi Phi jewelry.
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History of the Badge
The membership pin, known as the Badge of the Fraternity, has changed throughout the history of the three Orders of our triple origin. The Badge is a token of membership in Chi Phi and is bestowed at the conclusion of the Initiation Ceremony.
The original Badge of the Princeton Order was a plain Monogram, Chi over Phi, and engraved with daggers, a skull & crossbones, and with a grapevine that was enameled green. Upon the Badge of the Southern Order was a jeweled Monogram—the Chi with rubies on the wide bar and pearls on the narrow bar, and the Phi was engraved with crossed swords, clasped hands, and two stars. The Hobart Order Badge introduced our colors scarlet and blue, first using enamel and later red jewels of rubies or garnet on one bar of the Chi and blue jewels of sapphire or turquoise on the other bar.
When the Hobart Order combined with the Princeton Order to form the Northern Order, the Hobart Badge was adopted; however, with no set standard, each member worked with a jeweler to create their own jeweled design. Upon the union of the Northern and Southern Orders in 1874, discussion over Badge designs followed. An early Badge design retained the Monogram style of the Princeton Order, the jeweled colors of Hobart, and the engraved swords, clasped hands, and stars of the Southern Order. The crossed swords and clasped hands were both removed by Congress in 1884. The 1895 Congress recommended the Badge be standardized, and a new design was created by John D. Adams, Xi 1882.
The Adams design united elements of its predecessors and focused on simplicity. Using the simpler Monogram of the Princeton Order, the Badge was un-jeweled and highlighted the grapevine. Like the Hobart Badge, it emphasized our scarlet and blue colors. This design was patented on May 19, 1896: Design #25,499 and Serial #579,799, and it has remained our official Badge. Since the issuance, the only jeweled Badges permitted to be worn are those made before that date. Every Badge issued since 1895 contains a unique number engraved on the back representing a Brother’s order of membership into Chi Phi.
In 2024, a special jeweled Bicentennial Badge and Badge Guard that says “200” was created by Matt Scheller, Psi’ 07, Rho ’24, to be worn as the official Badge during the yearlong celebration. The design was inspired by elements of the original three order’s badges, the three symbols of the Fraternity, and the Crest. It is manufactured with a finish to look like a badge from the 1800’s.