Ftf Rewards

[+Slammer180]

I'm a newbie and will put out some caches in the near future. I know that unregistered TB tags are a good idea but am looking for that something out of the ordinary. What have you seen or heard of that was a good FTF reward?

[+Jeep_Dog]

On a new regular-sized cache, I put in multiple good swag items that could constitute a "FTF prize." In that case, several early finders are pleased they came when they did.

 

Now, on the 15 or so FTFs I've logged...let me think...

 

Yup, as I recall, the only "prize" I have received for being FTF is a virgin log. If one of them had an "FTF prize," then I missed it, since the virginally clean log was "prize" enough for me...

[+Renegade Knight]

I've done custome made keychain's that have caught on in idaho (you can hang them from your backpack and claim bragging rights for having a lot of them). I've also got some Replica coins from the colonia Era if the USA. They were considered crap back then and appropriate for the cache...if I ever get it placed.

 

For some reason I don't do FTF prizes so much as "First Few Finders" prizes. The first 5 or 10 get a little something.

 

To be fair sometimes I just hide a box with a logbook in it and call it a day.

Edited August 22, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+briansnat]

I rarely put FTF prizes in my caches, but the few times I did, I used Geocaching.com hats, a Petzel Micro headlamp and a pair of binoculars.

 

Oddly enough I don't think the FTF took the items in any instance where I left a FTF prize. I think one of Geocaching.com hats lasted through 4 finds and it was brand new, in its wrapper and those hats are pretty nice.

Edited August 22, 2005 by briansnat

[+Miragee]

On my first FTF I had that blank logbook as my prize, and lots of other great swag to choose from. I picked out a cool set of colorful beads and they now reside on my hat band as a reminder of the accomplishment.

 

RK -- I think I would like one of those keychains . . . just don't know when I'm going to get back up to Idaho . . .

[+PhotoDuck]

I put a gift certificate to a local ice cream & snack shop in my first (and only) cache. I figure, it's 85-90 degrees out, it's something they can use. Also an archery target pin that I love.

I'll be doing this for most of my hides, since its something I think would be cool to get, and its a few miles up the road near another cache.

[+copper_toad]

There was nothing for my only FTF. But, it was memorable to hike all the way in, when the roads were closed to vehicles, frosty temps with Dh and my two youngest coming with.

 

I have left a Sacajawea dollar coin for each of the two easier caches and a 2 dollar bill for the harder cache that I have.

[Radman Forever]

I have found a $5 bill, a big toy spider worth 15 bucks, a geocaching shirt, famous travel bugs, the first of a new sig item.

 

If for something out of the ordinary, I think a Today's Cacher magazine would be kind of cool.

[+OldTimeRadioAddict]

I put a gift certificate to a local ice cream & snack shop in my first (and only) cache. I figure, it's 85-90 degrees out, it's something they can use. Also an archery target pin that I love.

I'll be doing this for most of my hides, since its something I think would be cool to get, and its a few miles up the road near another cache.

I just found this cache, and removed the Ice Cream Gift Certificate. I left the archery pin, as I thought it would be a nice item for someoene else (didnt want to hog all the items). Let me tell ya, I'm more happy about this ice cream gift certificate than any other item I've got yet.

 

Its a fantastic idea, Photoduck, and TFTC!

 

TB schmeebee...give me ice cream anyday.

 

Just my .02

 

OTRA

[+BeachBuddies]

Although gift certificates are great, I prefer the "interesting" items. I've been FTF on some caches that had nice items, but I didn't need them, so I left them for the next cacher. One that I took was a new TB tag -- a fairly inexpensive, but fun to get item I think.

 

I usually try to put some kind of FTF prize in my caches. Generally not an expensive item though -- usually something related to the cache. For example, I have a puzzle cache that uses historical markers, and I created laminated photos of a fake marker with the cache name and FTF, 2TF, or 3TF on it.

 

In one cache I left an Iraqi first aid kit I got during Desert Storm. Not worth much, but kind of a cool souvenier.

 

I'm working on a Civil War cache that will have some type of civil war money (bills or coins, I'm not sure yet) as the FTF prize.

[+NotThePainter]

my Cube Root of 39.304 cache had an 1865 coin in it for FTF prize.

 

(1865 was when MIT first started admitting students and the cache itself tours around the MIT campus.)

 

Paul

[+Cats Can't Cache]

We haven't managed a FTF, but we were pleased to claim a 10th to Find TB and official geocaching sticker. The cache owner placed 10 prizes in marked envelopes. The prizes ranged in value and each included a TB. It was cool because we are new to this and have not been able to beat the local competition for the FTF honor. We thought that it was a neat idea, even if the prizes aren't TBs. Just the fun of knowing the envelope was waiting for us made it worth the time.

Edited August 23, 2005 by Cats Can't Cache

[+dingermcduff]

In my area the locals have made the FTF dollar customary. Personally, for my most difficult cache, I left a scratch off lotto ticket as a FTF prize. To my knowledge the finder won nothing.

 

Can't say I didn't try.

[+slumbersix]

In a recent one that was placed around here that I didn't get to, though I wish I would've, the FTF prize was a 512 MB flash drive...

[+tabulator32]

I like to find hand-crafted things.

 

I intend to put out some caches with some hand-turned writing pens I make as a hobby.

 

My geo-buddy is a manager of a Starbucks and places a free drink coupon in his caches.

 

(Nobody seems to mind THAT kind of commercialism in caches.)

 

[danook]

I've only placed one cache, but the FTF reward was a new set of TB tags still in the plastic bag. Interestingly, the first few people to visit the cache did not take them.

[+dino_hunters]

I got $60 in cash from this cache

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...b8-98374d0d12bf

[+dino_hunters]

Oh yeah, we also got a new Magellan Explorist and more prizes on the way from our FTF on the Magellan Be There cache in Utah!!

[+Old Cavendish]

I'm thinking of placing hockey tickets in mine. I would post on it cache's site with the dates. And if someone didn't find them by game day...WOO-HOO for me!

[+Coach Steve]

My best FTF? A brand new Orvis rod!

[+Slammer180]

I'm thinking of placing hockey tickets in mine. I would post on it cache's site with the dates. And if someone didn't find them by game day...WOO-HOO for me!

My luck they would go on strike again the day before the game.

[+Medic005]

I'm thinking of placing hockey tickets in mine.  I would post on it cache's site with the dates.  And if someone didn't find them by game day...WOO-HOO for me!

I'm keeping my season Penguins tickets, thye won't be going into any of my caches. Can't wait for hockey to start! Go Pens!!!

 

I have left 2 motorola frs radios and a $25 gift certificate in my two caches for FTF prizes.

[+EleriandBlade]

I put a FTF certificate or ribbon

[+KoosKoos]

The best I ever received were 2 Mikasa crystal vases (2 different FTFs) and a packet of russian cosmonaut memorabilia of one of the first people in space (signed photo, newspaper of the day this cosmonaut entered orbit, etc).

 

I've only left certificates and some nicer than usual swag...and on one themed puzzle cache, I left a souvenir coin.

[+CapnJackSparrow]

I am still waiting for confirmation from New York Approver to let me know if my puzzle cache idea (my first cache hide) is acceptable under the rules of the game. If it is, my FTF prize is a $100.00 gift card for Dick's Sporting Goods. The gift card has already been purchased and is reday to go. After seeing the news this morning, I am happier than ever to offer this award. Reason being, Dick's Sporting Goods just donated 10's of thousands of dollars worth of soccer equipment to Iraqi children to start there own youth soccer league.

[+justsnoopingalong]

On my FTF that me and my daughter had found. We had searched for 45 min or more before we found it, we took a nice mini flashlight with all kinds of attachments for pinpointing the light, including a 90 degree hole light attachment. It was a thrill to be the first to find it as it had a white Jeep in it also. And we left more than we took...just to make sure that cache stayed well stocked.

Edited August 26, 2005 by justsnoopingalong

[+pdxmarathonman]

I was FTF on a Magellan sponsored cache last year and got a check for $400 and $2600 worth of gift certificates from a travel agent