CoinsAndPins
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Posts posted by CoinsAndPins
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I did get instructions in email on how to return my coins, but since you're closed from 12/23 through 1/4, if they're fixed by then, I'll probably just keep them. Losing the shipping costs and 15% restocking charges hardly seems fair. I'd probably do better trading them. Hopefully they're fixed by early January.
Actually AG, if you would read the last section of our returns policy then you would see that is says:
If we make a batch error on a set of coins, then we will reimburse for shipping charges under these conditions:
1. The retuned items must be returned in the same condition or better as how we sent them
2. The returned items must be packaged safely and securely.
3. We will reimburse for the cost of ground shipping. The customer may ship at a higher priority at their expense if they choose to.
4. We will not reimburse for insurance, delivery confirmation, packaging supplies, labels, or any other extra shipping/mailing options or time expended in packaging or waiting at the shipping center.
5. We will not accept packages that require a signature of receipt.
6. The refund will be issued after we receive the items and all conditions are met.
Also, just because we are closed during the holidays does not mean we will not be working this coin issue; we will be working it over the holidays. If you would have emailed us and asked the questions there, then you could prevent spreading incorrect information among the community.
Edit to add: Please Atlantagal, return the coins you have; I am eagerly awaiting to receive your coins along with some other people on our waiting list who are awaiting for yours to be returned.
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Ok, so I'm really not trying to be stupid. But I'm super coinfused now. Five times the word "fix" was mentioned in the update post, but not once was the fix ever defined. What exactly is the fix? Is it top secret? Cuz I ended up with one of these little things, and I'm curious. You obviously know what the fix is, otherwise the fix would be in, and the jig would be up.
TMA
I am sorry for not defining it earlier; but yes, we are trying to have the activation codes and tracking numbers swapped in the system. This is not top secret, but regardless of the details of how the coins are fixed, the important thing is that it gets fixed. The process of swapping the numbers is not easy and very time consuming since it must be manually done, and since there are many variables that must be overcome in the Groundspeak system since it does not allow certain kinds of tracking numbers. As we promised previously, we will get it fixed one way or another as we always have in the past with any problem coins whether they are problems in a batch or just one coin.
Thank you.
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I would hate to see CoinsAndPins eat the cost of this coin; it sounds like a mistake made by the overseas mint anyway...
Me too. But why send the mint activation codes in the first place? The mint probably isn't to fault. The only way I can see this being resolved is if we all give back the coins and they get reminted. Maybe there are other options, I just can't see them.
Avroair, we are working this to the best benefit we can for the customer whether you think you know how we operate our business or not. Your posting of poor information only causes people to think off track with non-factual information. You are more than welcome to return the coins for a full refund. We already have a list of people waiting for us to sell them fixed coins that have been returned from people who do not want to wait for the fix.
Thank you.
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OK, now I am confused. Do we ALL need to send an email to you? I just want to get my coins fixed, if not, then of course I would like a refund.
So are we still in a holding pattern with the "fix" option?
What is the time line we are looking at?
Thanks for any info!
I am sorry for the confusion, but my “return” statement only referred to AtlantaGal’s question about if someone wanted to return the coins for a refund. There is no need to return the coins if you are waiting on the tracking numbers to be fix. Once the fix is complete, we will send an email notifying everyone when they are fixed and of any pertinent details that may have come up during the fixing process.
I am unsure of a firm timeline yet of when the fix will be completed. I have frequent contact with Groundspeak about it and they are working it diligently and have made significant progress. We are hoping it will be done by Friday, but there could be some unexpected delays, especially due to the holiday schedules.
Thank you.
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Can we send these back for a refund?
Of course you can. Once we get your returned coins back and get them fixed, we will then resell them to other people who missed the pre-sale and have been asking about getting some of these. But it is better for you to send us an email requesting the refund since we do not handle business transactions through the forums.
Thank you.
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Yes, there is an update:
This process is very extensive and actively being worked. It will still be a few more days before we have final results on the fix. Please expect it to be by the end of next week just to be on the safe side and ensure a thorough job can be done.
Thank you.
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Update:
A few more days are needed to see if a solution to the problem will work with as little impact as possible for anyone who bought these coins. It will probably be around the first part of next week when we know for sure.
Thank you.
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Hello,
We have just become aware of the issue with the incorrect numbers etched on the coins and are currently working on a fix for this. Since it is Thanksgiving weekend we will not be able to have a resolve until sometime next week since the offices we need to talk to are currently closed for the holidays. We will post in here again once we have a plan implemented. I am sorry for the inconvenience this has caused, but we will have a fix for it and notify every one of the details.
Thank you
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Here is a repeat of what I wrote back in 2006 about this subject (with a few updates):
I love to find coins in caches, and I love putting them in caches. However, some coins will come up missing when put in caches. This should not discourage you from releasing them. At this time I have put about 340 coins into caches. When a coin turns up missing I know the first feelings that come about are you have been robbed or taken advantage of. I think some cachers get very protective of their coins to the point they feel that if one comes up missing then it is definitely stolen instead of thinking about other circumstances that come up in peoples lives. So, let’s look into the possible reasons why they are gone and what can be done to counteract it.
A good expectation is a 10% missing rate in the first year or two if you have several coins traveling. Then over time it will increase if you do not keep putting new coins in caches. Some will experience more and some will experience less. I had experienced about an 8% missing rate in my first 1.5 years and now up to about 15%. Several coins that went missing a while back were due to a new cacher. On her first she day went out with cacher friends that were showing her the ropes and she found the coins. She emailed me later and asked how to log them. I explained the process to her and never heard back. She ended up quitting caching after the first week; so the coins are probably sitting in her house somewhere or went in the trash. This kind of thing is expected to happen since some people get really excited about caching on their first day, and then later realize the game is not for them or they just don’t have the time to play.
I also had coins come up missing due to kids taking them from caches and keeping them not knowing they are trackable. It is one of those situations where the parents are busy signing the log and handling their caching administration and not paying attention to what items the kids are trading with (normal practice and not really an issue). Luckily a few parents have caught it in time and kept the coins moving. I also had some military people pick up coins with the intention of moving them, but they were sent on a deployment before they could place them; so those will be in limbo for a few months to over a year, and by then they may be lost forever (again, not an issue). This also happens with civilian jobs that move people on short notice.
Some people find the coins, want to do something with them, but then life’s circumstances take over that prevent them from getting around to it. It’s not that they want to keep the coin, but sometimes more important things should take priority over moving coins.
Other times there are people who loose coins. They may have pulled it from a cache, put it somewhere, and then when trying to log it they can’t find it. They may be too embarrassed to tell the owner.
Other coins come up missing due to cache container problems such as:
1. Missing cache. Let’s face it, we have all encountered many caches that are not taken care of by the cache owner. A problem comes up with a cache after your visit and the owner doesn’t even know about the problem for months (depending on how often it is visited by other cachers).
2. Water in the cache. A cache that gets soaked and another cacher or the owner just throws away everything inside without going through the contents. I can’t blame them with how trashed the insides of some caches get when wet.
3. Cache tips over. Sometimes we all get a little clumsy and accidentally tip the container. The contents go everywhere including under leaves, branches, in holes, etc. If it is while opening the cache, then the person probably didn’t know the coin was in it and some of those items may get lost and never seen again, even with a thorough search.
4. And many more scenarios.
All those kinds of situations I can understand and have no problem with them. I think only one of my coins has been stolen that I can speculate for sure, but the others are problems due to some kind of caching mistake, unexpected circumstance, or muggle. That is why I don't deface them; While there are a couple of thieves, I feel most cachers will do the right thing and move coins if they know what it is for and have the time. There are over 2 million cachers in the world, so a large percentage of them (especially new ones) will have no idea what geocoins are. You take a risk when putting coins in caches. You have to accept the fact that they will eventually go missing no matter what the reason is. If you laid your wallet or purse in the middle of a sidewalk, I am sure by the 5thor 10th passerby that it will get picked up. At that point what the person does with it is all up to them no matter what note (or mission) you wrote on it.
In the last 6 months, a few cachers have found about 7 of my missing coins. Some of them just appeared and one was found in the dirt a few feet from a cache. All hope is not lost when a coin appears to be missing; even if it has been a few years.
How to compensate:
Put more coins in caches!!! With so many people playing the game, and with so many caches around the entire world, things are bound to happen. Don’t fret over a missing or stolen coin, just put more out. I consider it a numbers game: the more you have traveling, the more that will get around to their goals and not end up missing. Placing 5 coins into the wild could easily all come up missing; place 50 coins out there and the remaining 45 coins could end up traveling to hundreds of caches (90%). Even if you have a 20% loss, you will still have coins traveling. After all, traveling is what trackable geocoins are for.
Here is a radical mission for coins that finders will love:
“The finder of this coin may keep this coin.” I just did this a few weeks ago for two of my coins. All I wanted was the icon, and it looks like the finders really appreciated this mission. A win-win situation with no worry about it getting stolen.
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I think the important thing to remember is that most people are not in the loop about the efforts of how most coin designs were created. This means that most people do not know the angles the coin creator has covered such as modifying the art beyond a copyrighted image laws. Nor do they know if permissions were granted or license agreements issued for copied art. They might also think that just because an image is on the web that the image was taken from there instead of taking into consideration about the paper and media research done off line through archives and libraries of items that are not copyrighted.
We as a community could go on all day about what we think is right and wrong on specific coins, but unless we know the working details of how the coin came to be created, we have no merits to speak of what coins are legal and what coins are not, or where the images were taken from, or if the makers have permissions.
In other words, you have to have the facts before taking a negative view in public about others people's coin designs.
I agree that this thread is merited and can be a good discussion without making assumptions about specific coins that the assumer has no knowledge of its legal details.
I agree with FSM, go out this weekend and get some coins in caches. I have had 300 coins traveling in the wild for a year now. Some of you need to catch up.
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Hello,
We are aware of the sites being down at intermittent times and am working the issue. I do not have an estimated fix date just yet. I am sorry for the inconvenience it is causing.
Thank you.
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There is actually a significant difference in the finishes; however, it is mostly noticeable to those who handle all the different finishes on a frequent basis. Some people refer to nickel as silver, but it is not. A real silver finish is real silver and it will tarnish easily. It looks very bright and can obscure the details that are on a coin. Nickel is a darker finish and does not corrode as easily. Chrome is even darker and can actually look like a "dirty" nickel. Rhodium, while thought of as a great metal, is actually one of the weakest finishes along with black nickel, but it looks like an in-between of nickel and chrome.
Antique silver is real silver that has had a corrosion agent applied to it. Antique gold is a real gold that has also had a corrosion agent applied to it. And the same applies to antique bronze. The visual difference between antique bronze and antique gold is very slight, and even some coin makers can't tell the difference. However, some designs can bring out a significant visual difference in the two finishes since bronze is a little more reddish than the gold.
Polished and antique gold plating from many makers is 18K to 24K gold, and polished and antique silver varies in a range of .912 to .999 real. In some cases, there are still a few makers out there that call their fake finishes gold and silver. In the case of eBay, it is mostly trying to fit the name in the title, a lack of knowledge, or an attempt at marketing.
The plating on logo coins is so thin that the cost of gold and silver plating is very slight. Most of the cost difference in the finishes is due to the labor involved to get the finish buffed/brushed to specs. Usually antique finishes cost more because they involve extra steps in production above what polished requires.
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That's odd, you quoted him and even addressed your comment to him (or am I missing something??).
No you are not missing anything. It is exactly what I stated about that specific statement was to state what I felt the meaning of the word “vendor” encompasses. What are you driving at? If you are driving at that I am backtracking, then you are incorrect. That statement was made for those in here that know who they are that do business in here and act as a business in the legal sense of the term, but don’t report the income like they should as business. I know they are reading this thread. In other words, those people have exceeded the definition of “hobby”, but they still act like they are still in a hobby status. I am very well aware that Hogwild does not hide behind an individual status and I am sure he is paying his taxes. But some other people need to go review the legalities of what constitutes acting in a business capacity.
Just because I quoted his post does not mean that every detail of what I write is specifically directed towards that person.
Edit for more clarification. The term I used above for "in here" does not specifically mean in this thread. Or does it? You make your own determination, but I meant it to mean in the forums in general.
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I honestly debated replying to this attack. But I do need to say that I am way more than a vendor:
- I actively buy and trade and collect coins. I am a part of the community not just a vendor / seller.
- You imply that I am hiding behind my individual status. Be serious! Look at my signature lines and my avatar. "Hide behind individual status"? Is there anyone who looks at any of my posts and doesn't know I am a vendor and what my company is?
I do agree that each of us runs our businesses that way we think benefits us and our businesses and that is good. It is also good that we don't do it the same way because it does meet different needs.
My statement about hiding behind an individual status was a general statement directed at a select few other people and not at you since some of us know who some of these people are. I know you do not hide behind an individual status as it is clear in your sig line. I am sorry I did not clarify that in the previous post.
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Well, I will say that at the price given, that coin should have an icon.
I, too, know all to well how a resell program works. I have my own issues with some of the finer points of the resell, but that is for another thread.
However...
I will warn that the promise of an icon does not mean there will be. I did resell with C&P...was promised an icon...heck, it even shows up on CoinCodes...but I still do not have one that works on GC.com. Is it their fault? GC.com's?
Also...how much money are you really recouping? You charge $3.25 shipping for *one* coin in a plain envelope for the most part when others charge up to a dollar or so less and use a padded mailer.
There's nothing wrong with making a bit of money, but at least be up front about it.
Our details of the re-selling program have changed dramatically since you had your coin made with us. So no, you are not familiar with them any more.
Also, I was unfamiliar you were having a problem with your icon. Sure would have been nice for you to let us know since we worked that a long time ago.
My business expenses are my business and not yours. Shipping products is not free since my employees do not work for free and shipping supplies are not free. It is called commerce and economy.
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Well, a genrous order was placed last night, so now this coin qualifies for an icon and will have one.
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I think the comments like "it better have an icon for that price" are kind of funny. The price difference for an icon is .60 over 250 coins. Wow, would it really make that big of difference?
Actually most coins sold by most vendors are in fact priced lower than this coin with an absolute promise of an icon. I think it is a legitimate statement.
And here is a quote from a previous post I typed to you before:
"You have your way of running your business and I have mine. Such is how the world works. If all of us ran our business the same, then we would have no variety."
The cost is very fair based on the details of our reselling program and the benefits our custom coin clients receive from this program.
Your post, and many other posts you have made, exemplifies why I believe coin vendors should be heavily moderated when they post their opinions in the forums. This is a place for the community and not for vendors (including those who qualify for vendor status, but hide behind individual status) to insert how they would run each other's businesses.
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I don't want this to become an attack on the vendor by any means, they are providing a great service and are in a business and have worked with us very greatly and we truly appreciate it. They make great quality coins and do great work as I am sure everyone will be happy with the finished product:)
Thank you Nichipra. You have also been great to work with and I appreciate your support.
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I would hope that any vendor would work with you when you are so close to getting an icon.
The numbers only can be bought for about $30, the extra coins can be sold in the store, you can sell some or trade some. Have them made in an extra XLE finish, they will sell.
For $9.49 a coin, I would think it would already have an icon....
:)We have looked at the total sales of the coins and the rate of sales over the last week to determine a projected rate of sales until the holidays start. We are making extra coins to cover that time period. However, with our calculations, that leaves us with 19 coins short of an icon unless those extra coins are purchased within the next day by all of you fellow customers. Our calculated buffer of in-stock inventory will still leave plenty of time for people to get these coins, but we do not want to have them in stock for an excessive period of time and that is the reason for having 19 coins that we will not produce unless sales indicate otherwise, or the client purchases them. It is a wise business decision since I am in the business of running a real business. I also don't think you understand how our resale program works and that the client is getting a quantity of free coins based on the quantity of coins we sell. If the client decides to decline receiving the free coins, then that leaves us even further short of 250 coins than just the 19 coins. $9.49 a coin is a reasonable price to help support this re-sale program and provide the generous benefit to the clients who participate in it.
With the presale situation, I can't purchase as many of a coin as I might normally. I prepayed for 3 already. It better have an icon for that kind of money!
It states in the product description:
• If enough are ordered then it will have its own icon; otherwise it will have its own line item when you log a find or discovery
The facts were made clear before you purchased.
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However the flip side to that it should be the first lenticular lens coin
!For clarification: is it the first lenticular coin, or first lenticular geocoin?
Geocoin, I hope
.It will probably be the first geocoin with a lenticular lens, but we have already made several regular coins with lenticualr lenses. We have a design in the works for a geocoin with a lens, but we are slow at this one since there are many other burning projects first in line.
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However the flip side to that it should be the first lenticular lens coin
!For clarification: is it the first lenticular coin, or first lenticular geocoin?
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We are very sorry some of the eyes are being squished in shipment. We already have a plan in place to try to prevent this issue on the next batch.
Thank you.
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That heavy of a demand for the FSM coin was never anticipated based on how other coin sales have been going over the last 6 months.
This is the only part of this that I still have issues with.
Based on the forum responses to this coin prior to it release you should have realized that this coin would be more in demand than others. By the fourth page there were already 200 posts and early on reminting of this coin was mentioned. Had you even inquired as to how many of coins were wanted you would have seen that even minting 500 may not have been enough.
Team Sand Dollar
...Because people have indicated high demand for other coins and then did not buy. There are also coins that show very little demand and then sell well. It's a tough market to gauge and the forum has historically not been the place which gives accuracy. We stopped doing email inquiries because they started to be ineffective. So no matter what some of you will be unhappy and non-understanding regardless of how it works. Not only that, if the client wants 250 coins, then that is how it is. It is their option to do more or not. We only provide the medium to sell.
It took a while to post this response since the geocaching forums was returning an error for "too many connections". I guess even the big boys have this problem also, so it's not just my site.
Edit spelling
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I just wish that C&P had their shopping cart set up so that once an item was in a cart it would stay there. That placing an item in your basket took it out of inventory unless you took it out again yourself. It is just wrong that you can have something taken out of your shopping basket just because you don't pay fast enough! I know that this is possible. I don't understand why it is not so. Would someone from C&P like to explain why, please?
CF30
I would love to explain, but I am sure this post will cause some of the usual angst-posters to post something derogatory, or re-commence on telling people how the world should work again, or all about how they run their own businesses. Personality trends I guess; but I am not going to hold back just because of them.
The situation is that this problem occurred several months ago when the new site first came on line. Our tech guys looked into it and made some adjustments. Then the problem did not resurface; so obviously we thought the problem was fixed. But then last night is resurfaced again. Of course I was not able to go get our web guys out of bed to work diligently all night to satisfy this one sale. However, now knowing the fix that was made several months ago did not do the trick, I have contacted them today to work on it again. I am sorry to several of you that lost you items out of your basket, but only if I were a psychic would I have known that it would be a problem again.
This problem may not get fixed depending on what the tech guys can troubleshoot. There are problems with this new site that were not problems with our old site; and there are problems with the old site that are not problems with the new site. We have been working on fixing a few issues with the site, but it all takes time and some things just can't be fixed no matter how hard they try. I am not a computer guy, I leave that up to the people who went to school for it. So now I wait and see what they can find. It's not like I want upset customers, but sometimes the logitics of some things don't work out when you really need them to. The world is not perfect, but we try as well as we can. That heavy of a demand for the FSM coin was never anticipated based on how other coin sales have been going over the last 6 months.
By the way, last night someone in here posted they emptied thier shopping cart and sent an email asking to be removed form the mailing list because they were upset. We never received an email asking this, so please resend your email so we can get that taken care of right away. There are too many posts to look through to find who it was.
Thank you.
:)
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IDENTIFY MIC00403
in Trackables
Posted
Hello,
The coin you have is trackable on TravelerTags.com, but can link through Geocaching.com in a manner of sorts. There are instructions on how to do this on the TravelerTags.com site. You can also retrieve the activation code form there if it is not an activated coin.
We are the makers of this coin, so please email me if you have any other questions about it.
Thank you.