Knights of Pythias Collectibles

Knights of Pythias Collectibles

The fraternal organization known as the Knights of Pythias was founded in 1864. A secret society at the time of its founding, this order of fraternal knights grew to over 2,000 lodges in the United States and around the world by the turn of the millennium. The long history of the organization and the list of members in the order make for collectible items in the categories of American history, fraternal organizations, and the Knights of Pythias.

The Knights of Pythias, as with many fraternal brotherhoods, kept and still keeps several ceremonies as a part of their tradition. Within these ceremonies, items that are commonly used that make for collectible pieces include:

• Fraternal ceremonial swords and scabbards.
• Original Knights of Pythias membership lodge cards with dates and names.
• Knights of Pythias Supreme Lodge medals and lapel pins.
• Regalia helmet with spike that dates back to the Civil War period.
• Knights of Pythias convention and carnival badges from national meetings over the decades.

Beyond the plentiful collectible items associated with fraternal organizations, such as membership cards, lodge pins, and ceremonial items, there are also a number of rarer collectors items available for purchase. Several of the rare Knights of Pythias collectibles include:

• A set of Knights of Pythias uniform rank buttons, likely manufactured in the late 1800s.
• Souvenir mugs and glassware with etched or embossed scenes and raised gold crests.
• China plates that come from the period of the early 1900s, with the crest and logo painted in the center.

Identifying a Knights of Pythian lodge pin will vary depending on the year of origin. Some lodge pins will bear crossed skeleton keys, and others have crossed axes. There should also be an image of a knight in armor, sometimes on horseback. Look for the letters FCB, which stand for the motto of the order. There may also be a short sword resting on an open book.

The letters FCB that are found on swords, lapel pins, and the crest of the Knights of Pythias, stand for the Pythian motto, "Friendship, charity, and benevolence." The motto of the fraternal organization is derived from the legend from which the order also derives its name.