2005 Ohio Coins

July 5, 2005

http://www.geocacheohio.com/Coin/2005/index.htm

July 5, 2005

doesnt $5.15 seem kinda steep for shipping when I'll be ordering maybee 1 or 2.??

2k · July 5, 2005

Just made my order....

July 5, 2005

Just made my order....

Ditto.

July 5, 2005

doesnt $5.15 seem kinda steep for shipping when I'll be ordering maybee 1 or 2.??

It's the cost of insured shipping. Complain to Congress.

July 5, 2005

Thanks for this wonderful Coin, i have paypaled already, hope i get soon.

July 5, 2005

Payment sent.

Utahbill

July 5, 2005

Payment sent for 5 coins by nikiforgues for the Dzrtgrls. Thanks!

July 5, 2005

Payment sent for two coins. Thanks.

4.2k · July 6, 2005

doesnt $5.15 seem kinda steep for shipping when I'll be ordering maybee 1 or 2.??

It's the cost of insured shipping. Complain to Congress.

And is there no cost for uninsured shipping?

I'm covered through a group purchase but $12+ for one coin is pretty steep.....

This is the first I've seen of a mandatory insurance.

July 6, 2005

Will these coins be trackable on the geocaching website??

3.8k · July 6, 2005

Will these coins be trackable on the geocaching website??

based on the pic (the side with the bird), they will be.

July 6, 2005

Will these coins be trackable on the geocaching website??

based on the pic (the side with the bird), they will be.

I thought the same thing at first but it also states the following:

# Groundspeak Tracking Number (Similar to Travel Bug Numbers)

(OK I get this!) I guess they are trackable.

But then....

# GeocoinClub.com Activation Code System

Does this mean they are only trackable through this club?

Just wondering!

3.8k · July 6, 2005

actually looking closer, it appears they aren't trackable on gc.com

they're using travelertags.

July 6, 2005

You know how TBs and most Geocoins have stickers that have the TB number and the activation code? Trippy wrote a cool little app that will email you your code so that when handing coins out at a large event such as the GeoBash or the All-Ohio Geovent, people can just get the coin and activate it when they get home without volunteers having to put hours into printing stickers and matching them to coins.

The Ohio and Midwest GeoBash coins use this activation system. The Geocoin Club coins will as well.

As far as the shipping cost with or without insurance goes, this is something being done for the state of Ohio. Ideally most people buying coins will be from Ohio and will come to the All-Ohio Geovent and get their coins there with no cost for shipping. For those who want the coins and either can't come to the event or have some other reason to have them shipped, the shipping option is available. As it is, shipping would cost $3.85 uninsured. Adding just $1.30 is reasonable to make sure that delivery happens and provides a path of recourse. If someone doesn't like it, they can a) not order any or find someone near them to split the shipping cost.

Seems reasonable to me.

Just keep in mind that this is not an easy process as volunteer efforts go. You did notice the volunteer aspect here, right?

July 6, 2005

actually looking closer, it appears they aren't trackable on gc.com
they're using travelertags.

Wrong image

This is the correct one.

The one on the GCC site is one of the early renderings.

3.8k · July 6, 2005

ok, even better. the one on gcc was bigger than the other so easier for my eyes to read.

thanks for clarifying.

July 6, 2005

paypal order sent

July 6, 2005

Paypal order sent for 3. Thank you.

4.2k · July 6, 2005

As far as the shipping cost with or without insurance goes, this is something being done for the state of Ohio. Ideally most people buying coins will be from Ohio and will come to the All-Ohio Geovent and get their coins there with no cost for shipping. For those who want the coins and either can't come to the event or have some other reason to have them shipped, the shipping option is available. As it is, shipping would cost $3.85 uninsured. Adding just $1.30 is reasonable to make sure that delivery happens and provides a path of recourse. If someone doesn't like it, they can a) not order any or find someone near them to split the shipping cost.

Seems reasonable to me.

Just keep in mind that this is not an easy process as volunteer efforts go. You did notice the volunteer aspect here, right?

Understood. I just went through the process with the Santa Cruz County coin myself.

Not trying to stir up trouble - just asking the obvious questions.

Nice looking coin BTW.

July 6, 2005

Nice looking coin BTW.

Rusty Rocks. That's really all there is to it. If you've seen the GCC coin designs they're a combination of Trippy and my imagination with Rusty's ability to get it down in metal for the mint.

July 6, 2005

Paypal payment for 4 coins made. Thanks

July 6, 2005

I can understand wanting to insure them for the stated reasons but to the best of my knowledge that much money for insurance would cover the cost of quite a few coins let alone costing that much for just one, insurance is based on the total value of the item(s) sent, my experience with insured items is the dozen or so I've ordered off the internet and the few that I've had to insure and ship back to the maker for whatever reason. Your right if I don't like it I don't have to order and I'm not $12 a coin is just way to much to pay.

1.9k · July 6, 2005

and to add, the $3.85 to ship it uninsured seems way high. I know i mail coins in trades and have a coin with a wooden nickel and the total is like 60 cents. I can't remember seeing another coin with shipping costs anywhere near this much for one coin.

1.5k · July 6, 2005

Looks like Bjorn74 is using the USPS Flat Rate Envelop ($3.85) for all quantities up to 30 coins. The insurance break point is $1.30 for up to $50, $2.20 for $50.01-$100, etc.

Tough call on how to handle coin postage. For the Alaska geocoins, we calculated postage on an individual basis because of the different weight of the brass (1 oz) and silver coins (4 ounces including display box). That required having to post each person's order individually with calculated postage which increased our time involvement on each order. Also, I believe PayPal only allows five options for postage, though Bjorn looks like he "beat" their system by creating individual product lines for each level of postage rather than using PayPal's postage tables.

Next time around, we may go to flat rates as well because it did significantly increase the amount of work to calculate postage and insurance for over 250 orders even though a spreadsheet with a lookup table was employed.

Using the method employed for the Alaska geocoin, one coin would have cost 0.60 cents for postage plus and optional $1.30 for insurance (which most people waived for small orders).

Once the Alaska coins go out (starting this weekend), I'll open a coin coordinator's angst/anti-angst threat so all who have done one of these projects can provide their thoughts on what works and doesn't work. There's no sense in each one of us starting from scratch on the basics like postage and insurance. The tough part should be the design.

All that said...PayPal order placed!!! The junior ladybugs really like the cardinal.

July 6, 2005

Is it possible to order from the Netherlands?

Paying by paypal is no problem for me, only the shipping costs might be higher.

July 6, 2005

Paypal sent for 2 coins.

Thanks

July 6, 2005

Is it possible to order from the Netherlands?

Paying by paypal is no problem for me, only the shipping costs might be higher.

I'll look into International shipping in some free time in the next couple days. I just had a whole new network arrive on my desk today. I'm supposed to be the CIO of my company, but since I don't want any employees, I have to put things like this together in 14 and 18 hour days.

July 7, 2005

It doesn't look like shipping to Western Europe and Canada will be a problem. It may take some extra time is all. Email me and we'll work the shipping out. We'll need to break up orders of more than 20 coins, I think.

2.3k · July 7, 2005

edited

Edited July 7, 2005 by joefrog

3.8k · July 7, 2005

doesnt $5.15 seem kinda steep for shipping when I'll be ordering maybee 1 or 2.??

It's the cost of insured shipping. Complain to Congress.

Lemme see...postage for 1 coin is 60 cents. Postal insurance is $1.30. Mailers are 32 cents (the ones I'm using, anyway). Figure $7 for the coin, per the website.

I come up with $9.22.

So, where does the extra come into play?

[edit--corrected my math]

Edited July 7, 2005 by Shop99er

July 7, 2005

Paypal sent!

Edited July 7, 2005 by KirklandExplorers

July 7, 2005

Keep in mind that shipping is a convenience. These were intended to be produced for people who are attending an event. You can always take Greyhound to Delaware, Ohio in August and get them with no shipping charge. Discussion about that is fruitless. Shipping is designed for volume orders. If you think it's worth paying the price for one coin, then it's worth it. Otherwise it's not. The PayPal shopping cart doesn't let you not charge shipping for some items and then do it for others. So we have to work around it. One option was to go the Midwest GeoBash Route and not offer shipping at all. Seems like a good plan in retrospect...

Stop complaining about the cost of shipping. For 30 coins and fewer it's really what it costs. Really.

Randy, I sent you an email.

4.2k · July 7, 2005

Stop complaining about the cost of shipping. For 30 coins and fewer it's really what it costs. Really.

Is this really the stance you want to take? Add that to the comment about taking the Greyhound to Ohio and it comes across very glib.

Surely you had to know that with all the people that have produced and traded coins that shipping costs this high would raise questions.

Also, from what I understand you are part of hte Coin Collectors Club that is trying to get off the ground.

Is this really the type of 'customer service' you want to put out there?

July 7, 2005

This is something that was not intended to be a big operation for shipping. This is organized to make it the easiest for a group of volunteers to get right without too much hassle. It's not a problem that questions are raised about the cost, but my position is firm that it's not going to change. If someone wants to make arrangements to have someone pick them up and mail them out, it's no skin off my nose but it takes the responsibility off of those people who would need to track these if something happens in transit.

The equation works like this:

$3.85 Priority Mail

$1.30 Insurance.

_____

$5.15 Total.

The GCC subscriptions will not work like this. The ordering system is being tinkered to customize the shipping cost to the order and will be on the site soon. That just wasn't an option with this.

It seems to me that the shipping questions have all been asked and answered. It may not be great for everyone, but the intended market is served the best by getting them in person. The next best is probably for people buying in bulk, just because it works out that way. If it were easier to calculate individual postage using the tools available right now and still allow for people to not pay it at all, it would have been done that way. Maybe after all of this is over I'll find the perfect shopping cart for free. If I do, I'll share it. Until then it's really expensive to order one or two coins if you can't come to Ohio in August.

2.5k · July 7, 2005

Or the intent is to alienate people who may only want one or two because they can't afford the extra cost.

As somebody who started caching in Ohio before moving to Nashville, I really want one of these coins, but I'm not going to pay almost as much for shipping as I am for the coin, and I don't particularly like your attitude about taking a Greyhound to Delaware, Ohio. Interestingly enough, I managed 20 years of my life in Ohio without ever going to Delaware, so why start now?

1.9k · July 7, 2005

Stop complaining about the cost of shipping. For 30 coins and fewer it's really what it costs. Really.

Nice attitude. People ask you a reasonable question and you get superdefensive. Maybe the next question should be where is all the money over and above the standard shipping going to? If i can ship a coin for 60 cents and charge $5.15 then i would also stand to make $4.55 for single coin sales. Selling only 100 singles means thats a nice $455. I have never seen another coin being produced in any other thread having shipping amounts the amount you are charging. So naturally you are going to be asked about it. How is it that everyone else can produce a coin and set it up for shipping for one or two coins without charging over $5 for it? Yet you think it is everyone else who has the problem? I know I know, if I don't like it then I should just got to Greyhound and get a bus ticket there to save the $5. Now theres a nice customer service rep for ya. I sure hope you give better service to the GCC than you are here when someone asks you an honest question that they have every right to ask. Or should we just keep our mouths shut and let you do it your way and we can just deal with it?

July 7, 2005

Finally got paypal to work correctly.

Ordered six coins. Thanks.

July 7, 2005

You'd think all the complainers sound like people at a yard sell trying to get something for next to nothing. When you go to Bon-Macy's you don't quibble over the price you pay it if you want it. The choice is yours buy or don't buy. If you want the coin get it. If you want to save money do group orders in your area. If you don't like the price then don't get it. The solution is simple. Sometimes you all sound like a bunch of little kids quibbling. :rolleyes: What is the purpose of making someone feel bad for working hard and producing something you want.

Be thankful he got a coin made for you to buy if you want it. Pay the price if you want it. If you think it is to high don't buy.

July 7, 2005

Hey, and what is the purpose of coming into the thread just to piss and moan about the people pissing and moaning? Geocachers work hard for their money, why should they have to blow extra just because somebody is too lazy to mail coins the economical way?

1.4k · July 7, 2005

I ordered 7. When it comes, my priority mail envelop will have a sticker on it that clearly states the total postage paid to get it to me. I know it'll be for $5.15.

Insinuating that Bjorn is skimming off the top is just not right. He's doing this as a member of his local group for its benefit alone. Doing something to CYA as a volunteer when shipping so many potential orders is perfectly acceptable in my opinion.

July 7, 2005

Hey, and what is the purpose of coming into the thread just to piss and moan about the people pissing and moaning? Geocachers work hard for their money, why should they have to blow extra just because somebody is too lazy to mail coins the economical way?

I have read several threads about people's coins getting lost in the mail. So someone decides to mail the coins priority and include insurance to try and aviod this hassle. If you were the one with the lost coins you would probably be blaming him for that also. I think the cost of insurance and priority mail is much less the cost of replacing coins that got lost or stolen. Or better than not getting anything because of the same.

He is making life easier for himself for only having to deal with one way of shipping and having tracking numbers plus insurance. There is nothing wrong with that. I agree with him if you don't want to pay go pick them up in person at the event or go without!

1.9k · July 8, 2005

Sometimes you all sound like a bunch of little kids quibbling. What is the purpose of making someone feel bad for working hard and producing something you want.

Be thankful he got a coin made for you to buy if you want it. Pay the price if you want it. If you think it is to high don't buy.

My appoligies. I thought this was a thread about the entire ohio Coin and was not aware that this was intended to be onesided. I am sorry for actually having a legitimate question that you regard as quibbling. This is the first time i have seen a coin shipped in this manner so i asked. Who else am i going to ask but the person shipping this way. He gives a flip remark about getting a bus ticket to get it, and i am the one who is quibbling. Gimmie a break. I had and still have a legitimate question. No other coin i have seen has been handled in this manner and there have been alot of coins being minted lately. It is nice of you to come to the defensive of someone, just am not sure attacking people who are asking a question is the way to do it. I am not trying to make someone feel bad, but i want to know where my money is going. I think i have that right to know what the break down of my hard earned cash is. Don't you?

July 8, 2005

Hey, and what is the purpose of coming into the thread just to piss and moan about the people pissing and moaning? Geocachers work hard for their money, why should they have to blow extra just because somebody is too lazy to mail coins the economical way?

I thought thats what forums were for, discussions that were open and sometimes controversial. You don't like how a thread is going, don't read it. You don't like how much a coin costs to buy, don't order one. Simple. 'Nuff said on that.

I would hardly catagorize someone who has put in enormous amount of VOLUNTEER effort into the coining process as lazy. As a volunteer for MANY organizations and having a seat on many of the boards of said organizations, we have a saying, "90% of the work is done by 10% of the people". It takes special people to volunteer, most times the only thanks you get are from those who are on your team. And after you've busted your butt on a project only to get grief, it's no wonder one would get testy and defensive.

Bjorn, it hasn't been said...but thank you. You efforts are appreciated.

(now can I have free shipping... :lol: :anibad: :rolleyes: )

2.5k · July 8, 2005

I'll categorize him however I darn well please.

And if he wants anything other than grief, perhaps he should have been even just a tad (read that as any at all) more pleasant when asked a question about the coin - regardless of what that question was.

And don't tell me some bs crap about 10% of the people... Being that I'm usually that top 10 I know how hard people work to volunteer for things. I also know that the commitment to do that means that you put yourself out there for when somebody has a question. Volunteering your time and effort also means that when someone needs to know something that your answer is valid and productive instead of saying something that comes across as screw off, which is exactly what the greyhound answer was. "I chose to use priority mail because..." would have gone a hundred times further than "if you don't like it, get a ticket".

As for the comment about bjorn's efforts being appreciated. No, they haven't been. I don't particularly appreciate being treated like crap because I have a genuine issue. And if I treated people at my job like that, I'd be written up in a heartbeat.

July 8, 2005

Payment sent for two...

July 8, 2005

I just order one coin on paypal. There know place in there for shipping. So let me know and i pal pal you the rest

2.5k · July 8, 2005

It doesn't look like shipping to Western Europe and Canada will be a problem. It may take some extra time is all. Email me and we'll work the shipping out. We'll need to break up orders of more than 20 coins, I think.

FYI since you're into priority shipping... The USPS has two flat rate international priority options. The small envelope is $5 and could easily hold a dozen coins. The large envelope is $9 and is the size of the us priority flat rate envelope. This does not include insurance, and I'm not sure that it's available internationally.

Another FYI - if you charge anybody more than $7.70 for shipping (not including insurance) you're overcharging them because the USPS has a flat rate box for that amount that will more than hold anybody's coin order.

July 8, 2005

My goodness, that was a lot of heat.

I'll categorize him however I darn well please.

1) As is your perogative.

And if he wants anything other than grief, perhaps he should have been even just a tad (read that as any at all) more pleasant when asked a question about the coin - regardless of what that question was.

2) Yes, I agree with you here. Wording could have bit more diplomatic. But as has been demonstrated, the replies are just as testy. Yes they are in response to a overtly cranky answer, but 2 wrongs don't make a right. I'm not one to step down from a confrontation, but I would not give the satisfaction of letting someone rile me into escalation. I would feel the need to take the high road, to show some control and character. This is good common sense when dealing with the public/customers.

And don't tell me some bs crap about 10% of the people...

3) What I stated was not "bs crap". It is an actual saying we have. I missed you at the last meeting, so you must have missed when we said it. Meaning, you weren't there, how would you know it's "bs crap"?

Being that I'm usually that top 10 I know how hard people work to volunteer for things. I also know that the commitment to do that means that you put yourself out there for when somebody has a question.

4) I agree wholeheartedly.

Volunteering your time and effort also means that when someone needs to know something that your answer is valid and productive instead of saying something that comes across as screw off, which is exactly what the greyhound answer was. "I chose to use priority mail because..." would have gone a hundred times further than "if you don't like it, get a ticket".

5) Again, I point to #2. It would seem he shoots himself in the foot with his answer, but that has not changed the fact that many are still ordering the coin and paying the price for it. With this, we could segue into a discussion of the many monopolies of the world. We don't like it, but he's got something we want so it's worth the price...

As for the comment about bjorn's efforts being appreciated. No, they haven't been.

5) Since I want the coin, I didn't have to make the coin and I can afford the coin, his efforts are appreciated by me. I should have made that clear. I try not speak for anyone other than myself. Please do me the courtesy and try to refrain from speaking for me.

I don't particularly appreciate being treated like crap because I have a genuine issue.

6) Again, agree wholeheartedly. But I think that goes without saying since I don't know of many people who do like to be treated badly.

And if I treated people at my job like that, I'd be written up in a heartbeat.

7) As would I, which is why I usually couch my responses and try to be more accomodating. I've been told for years that "you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar" (no pun intended). I have always enjoyed watching and admired those who can take a heated conversation, turn it around and come to a mutual agreement. It's a skill I hope to someday possess.

Fly46, I appreciate the discussion and we are not so different on our views. Please do not harbor any ill will towards me, as I have none for those participating in this discussion.

1.5k · July 11, 2005

FYI since you're into priority shipping... The USPS has two flat rate international priority options. The small envelope is $5 and could easily hold a dozen coins. The large envelope is $9 and is the size of the us priority flat rate envelope. This does not include insurance, and I'm not sure that it's available internationally.

Another FYI - if you charge anybody more than $7.70 for shipping (not including insurance) you're overcharging them because the USPS has a flat rate box for that amount that will more than hold anybody's coin order.

In shipping the Alaska geocoins, I learned that insurance is available for internation shipments only if one goes with express mail which starts at about $15 for packages under four pounds and goes up from there.

The flat rate Priority Mail Envelop ($3.85) and Priority Mail Box ($7.70) do not include insurance. The insurance table breaks down as follows:

$0.00-$50.00 $1.30

$50.01-$100.00 $2.20

$100.01-$200.00 $3.20

Etc.

I'll rerun this when I start the coin coordinators' angst/anit-angst threat unless another coordinator wants to beat me to it. I've learned a lot, but not nearly enough to make the Alaska geocoin project entirely painless, but it's been a fun one.

2005 Ohio Coins

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