rowanf

Arggh! All my caches have I mastered... but ciphers be another matter. Pigs I find and corn and herrings. But proper phrases do me elude. *sigh* My brain hurts. edit - but I got it! Wow.

Wow! All bronze gone in under an hour. That is amazing. Is the second auction for the other metal going up soon? Or am I not understanding the set-up.

My understanding and my practice was that personal coins can only be sold for cost. The price of $5 reflects my costs. For a run of 250 of my particular coin (# of colors, etc) was $440.00 for 250 coins $ 70.00 for 1 2-D die $112.50 for laser etching 1-6 characters $ 80.00 for shipping -------- $702.50 total for 250 coins ($2.81 per coin) $375.00 for trackable numbers ------- $1077.50 total for 250 trackable coins ($4.31 per coin) plus .20 for labeling with the number and activation code and the paypal transaction fee (1.9% to 2.9% plus .30) about .52 on a single coin purchase and less on larger purchases because the .30 add-on is what really hurts. That gave me $5.03 per coin in costs for single coin sales. hen I'm figuring .30 per padded envelope (size 000 bought off ebay) or about .50 bought at office depot locally. The coin itself weights 1oz so with packaging it will be a little heavier. There have been discussions about whether to use usps tracking. I'm not sure if I am, I'll base it on whether it is covered by the $2.50 I asked for just because that was what I had seen other people ask and figured it must cover the costs. People have mentioned $1.30 for shipping and .50 for tracking for single coin shipments. I haven't gotten that far myself. I have given coin clubs buying 15-20 a break on shipping, just looking up what it will cost via USPS and UPS and taking the cheaper of the two. So, if there are any left for me to trade or if I up the run by 50 more coins, I will be paying for them out-of-pocket at $4.51 ea (since I don't have paypal fees). This really hasn't been about making money. It was about having a large enough order to make it possible to have a personal coin. The response to my artwork has been appreciated! But goodness, I never expected the run-away sell-out I got.

Hmm. I wasn't really prepared for all this. I asked several times in the forums questions, like... what is a normal run on a personal coin? does anyone have any advice? and I got 100 people reading the question for 1 actual response. I have never set up a paypal shopping cart before. I don't know if there is some way I could have restricted the amount sold. I actually said, I'm thinking of making 200-250 since I had no idea what was a normal run. I was as honest as I knew how to be. I have been posting in this forum for several weeks trying to prepare for this who personal coin thing without a whole lot of feedback. I definitely have no plans to sell anymore. I just want some for *me*. For trades, for leaving in caches, for giving to my mentors in geocaching, for giving to my famly as a vanity silliness. I don' t know. I just never imagined the speed with which the buying got away from me. I don't really have a problem giving refunds to people whose timestamp is after the time I said the run was closed. But even if I do that I only have a handful of coins left for myself. It never occured to me to continue making coins from the die beyond a original mint run... it just never occured to me that they would sell out leaving me holding nothing either. Perhaps it is time for a nice pinned thread of advice for those embarking on a personal coin.

Recently in a thread called " Coin Makers - Full Disclosure, Up Front" started by Renegade Knight there has been an interesting discussion on whether people's stated intentions about creating a coin should bind the number of coins made because collectors have used those initial statements to figure value. I am in a dilemma myself. I wanted a personal coin to trade. So I made one. As seems to be the custom, I figured I'd sell some to help pay for the ~$1k costs involved which is a bit more ready cash than I have lying around. I said I'd mint 250 coins. In under 12 hours almost all of them sold. I dont' have any left for trades or leaving in caches which is what I wanted them for! Nothing anyone had mentioned in the forums prepared me for the feeding frenzy that ensued when I published my pre-order info. Also, it looks like 8-10 people places orders after I said they were sold out. Is it better to do refunds or have coins to give them? If I bump the run to 300 so I can have some for my own use have I sinned against the community? I really don't know what the aftermarket is in coins, or whether people really expect some kind of appreciation in value. I wasn't trying to create a collectible, I was trying to create a signature item. Is it a total solecism to mint enough so I have my own coin to enjoy?

Okay, I've been reading this thread since the beginning and even commented above. I am in a dilemma myself. I wanted a personal coin to trade. So I made one. As seems to be the custom, I figured I'd sell some to help pay for the ~$1k costs involved which is a bit more ready cash than I have lying around. I said I'd mint 250 coins. In under 12 hours almost all of them sold. I dont' have any left for trades or leaving in caches which is what I wanted them for! Nothing anyone had mentioned in the forums prepared me for the feeding frenzy that ensued when I published my pre-order info. If I bump the run to 300 so I can have some for my own use have I sinned against the community? Like I said before in this thread, I collect coins because I like to track them, share them at events and leave them in caches. One of my Compass Rose coins is having a great bi-coastal run and I love it. I really don't know what the aftermarket is in coins, or whether people really expect some kind of appreciation in value. I wasn't trying to create a collectible, I was trying to create a signature item. Is it a total solecism to mint enough so I have my own coin to enjoy? Rowan (cross-posting a version of this to the thread on my coin)

Brilliant idea. I shall do so. Thanks. :-)

Indeed. I am dumbstruck. I had a dozen folks coming for dinner tonight and I checked in as soon as I had dinner on the table and over 200 of the 250 I mean to mint have been bespoken. I will keep track of trade requests. I wanted a coin so I'd *have* something for trades; I never expected so many to be sold. My impression from reading the forums here and from my local coin club (which doesn't bulk buy personals) was that a personal coin didn't have that many legs. *shakes head in amazement*

This coin is SOLD OUT - Thanks to all who ordered

Those sound like wonderful bugs! I hope you create them. The only observation I would make is that small TBs are able to fit in more caches than giant ones. I think this means they move more often at least in an area like mine where there are lots of smalls and micros. My first bug needed a regular size cache and my subsequent ones have gotten smaller. :-)

I can see the point for collectors if there is some anticipation of increasing value over time of some coins versus others. I guess I'm in it because of a different motive. I enjoy collecting .sig items! I take out the little plastic, fimo, laminated, metal stamped, smashed pennies, etc. that speak of the fellow human beings enjoying this hobby. It makes me feel connected. I collect and am creating a coin to extend that web of connection beyond the local folks whose sigs I find in caches. Rowan

No, personal coins other than Moun10bike are not, as far as I know, eligible for special icons. This will be just the usual coin icon.

Thanks. I think I've fixed the cart so subsequent folks will be able to tell me. Not that I'm entirely sure why I need to know. :-)

Ack, darn. When I set up the paypal cart I *did* ask for a note space. *grumble* Sorry, this is a new thing for me.

I have gotten my artwork back from Coins & Pins and I'm planning a run of 200-250 depending on demand for purchases and trades. The coin will be trackable. I've set up a ]web page to accept pre-orders by paypal. As per the rules these are offered at cost plus shipping fees ($7.50 each). If you are interested in ordering a large quantity, please contact me about a break on shipping. If you need international shipping, please contact me and I will explore the costs. I am interested in trades, but trackable trades will be given priority. Rowan SOLD OUT - Thanks folks!

My artwork should be done this week (fingers crossed) and I am all at sea as to what the next steps are. Once the order is in, should I post the artwork here to let people see it? Or should I post it first (before ordering) to get an idea for demand? What *is* a normal run for the personal coin by an unknown cacher? I have a sinking suspicion that I am signing up for more work than I have *any* idea! Any encouraging words or horror stories to share?

Got mine! Thanks, they're beautiful. Great packing job too. I'm taking notes!

No ideas but I'm glad you asked! My artwork should be done this week (fingers crossed) and I am all at sea as to what the next steps are. Once the order is in, should I post the artwork here to let people see it? Or should I post it first (before ordering) to get an idea for demand? What *is* a normal run for the personal coin by an unknown cacher? I have a sinking suspicion that I am signing up for more work than I have *any* idea! Any encouraging words or horror stories to share?

paid for 2

Oh, very fun bug! I love its mission and it sounds like bringing it back to CA is just the thing. :-) No shortage of historic markers here.

Thanks, I've been looking at their site quite a bit. I like being able to get the geocaching symbol on the back with the tracking number. I just wasn't clear on getting it approved. I'll write coins & pins again I guess. Rowan

I'm working on a personal coin (isn't everyone) and I would like to have it trackable. Is there a FAQ somewhere that I'm missing? The only info on geocoins I found in the knowledgebase link says that the only trackable coins are USA geocoins and somebody elses. Where are the numbers people talk about buying coming from? People have also talked about having their designs approved. I couldn't find anything about how to submit things for approval either. Help? The coin I'm working on...

Happy Summer's End to you all.

sent paypal for 2

3 please!