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Geocoin Etiquette


lillaurel

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Hi! So last night at an event I got a geocoin. I was excited, i hadn't even seen one before. I understand these are cool and people like 'em. I wanted to make sure i didn't mess things up when i moved it along.

 

So are there any different rules or guidelines for coins? Or are they really the same as bugs? Any other tips?

 

Thanks!

 

edit: spelling!

Edited by lillaurel
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Hi! So last night at an event I got a geocoin. I was excited, i hadn't even seen one before. I understand these are cool and people like 'em. I wanted to make sure i didn't mess things up when i moved it along.

 

So are there any different rules or guidelines for coins? Or are they really the same as bugs? Any other tips?

 

Thanks!

 

edit: spelling!

It depends. Some coins are trackable on geocaching.com and are essentially identical to TBs. And you get a new icon in your User Stats. Other coins are trackable at their various off-site locations. Sometimes the coins are allowed to be collected rather than moved - hopefully that information is included with the coin or on the www site for the coin.

 

Enjoy!

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...So are there any different rules or guidelines for coins?  Or are they really the same as bugs?  Any other tips?

 

Thanks!

There's another option...

 

I've started to collect the Geocaching site Trackable Geocoins (Maryland, Colorado, New Jersey, and others). Instead of sending them into the wild, I keep them, but I take them to events where others can "grab" them momentarily, then go home and log them for themselves. They can get a new icon, or another icon in their list, they get to "meet" a new coin, and I get to keep it for my own collection.

 

This is something that a lot of people are doing now, especially now that the geocoin collecting craze is such a big thing.

 

I think that the only trackable coins that will still be placed into caches will be the "ordinary" (but by no means less superior) Geocaching Geocoins. They're plain brass, and nobody -really- needs to horde one if found in a cache.

 

Here are some of the coins that I bring along to events for others to log (I used their "public" reference number, never their "private" logging number):

 

TBMH6T

TBMH9N

TBMC72

 

--Marc

October 5, 2005 @ 11:46 AM

N40° 46.565' W073° 58.756'

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I too have a question on coins. I found one today at a cache that I can't seem to figure out how to log and move along. It's not like the Texas coin I found a couple weeks ago that has its own web page for logging (www.texasgeocaching.com). It has the standard Groundspeak logo on the reverse and has a design on the obverse "celebrating 5 years of geocaching" and a tracking number on the obverse. However, when I enter the five digit number in the TB section at www.geocaching.com it does not find it. If I am supposed to track this coin and move it along, where / how do I do that?

 

Yes, I am still new to the game, so please excuse my ignorance. I'm trying to learn how this all works! :rolleyes:

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I too have a question on coins. I found one today at a cache that I can't seem to figure out how to log and move along. It's not like the Texas coin I found a couple weeks ago that has its own web page for logging (www.texasgeocaching.com). It has the standard Groundspeak logo on the reverse and has a design on the obverse "celebrating 5 years of geocaching" and a tracking number on the obverse. However, when I enter the five digit number in the TB section at www.geocaching.com it does not find it. If I am supposed to track this coin and move it along, where / how do I do that?

 

Yes, I am still new to the game, so please excuse my ignorance. I'm trying to learn how this all works! :rolleyes:

Sounds like a USA coin which is trackable here

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I too have a question on coins.  I found one today at a cache that I can't seem to figure out how to log and move along.  It's not like the Texas coin I found a couple weeks ago that has its own web page for logging (www.texasgeocaching.com).  It has the standard Groundspeak logo on the reverse and has a design on the obverse "celebrating 5 years of geocaching" and a tracking number on the obverse.  However, when I enter the five digit number in the TB section at www.geocaching.com it does not find it.  If I am supposed to track this coin and move it along, where / how do I do that? 

 

Yes, I am still new to the game, so please excuse my ignorance.  I'm trying to learn how this all works!  :rolleyes:

It is possible that it wasn't activated. But I would have thought that would be a different message.

 

It is the trackable USA Geocoin that is trackable here.

Edited by pdxmarathonman
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I too have a question on coins.  I found one today at a cache that I can't seem to figure out how to log and move along.  It's not like the Texas coin I found a couple weeks ago that has its own web page for logging (www.texasgeocaching.com).  It has the standard Groundspeak logo on the reverse and has a design on the obverse "celebrating 5 years of geocaching" and a tracking number on the obverse.  However, when I enter the five digit number in the TB section at www.geocaching.com it does not find it.  If I am supposed to track this coin and move it along, where / how do I do that? 

 

Yes, I am still new to the game, so please excuse my ignorance.  I'm trying to learn how this all works!  :mad:

If I'm understanding you matie!! those coins are only trackable at the www.texasgeocaching.com) you mentioned, I myself- when I get coins that aren't Geocaching.com trackable (that I buy) I buy a TB tag too. and associate the tb# to the coin so it becomes a GC TB- go look at my profile and you'll see what I mean ( I have 2 coins like that and a few more soon!!)-- I'm in the process of get a little treasure chest with all my coins and other tid-bits to share for Icon Ho's!! :mad:..when I get it completed I will try to get a photo up to show it off...

Edited by Capt Biggins
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I too have a question on coins.  I found one today at a cache that I can't seem to figure out how to log and move along.  It's not like the Texas coin I found a couple weeks ago that has its own web page for logging (www.texasgeocaching.com).  It has the standard Groundspeak logo on the reverse and has a design on the obverse "celebrating 5 years of geocaching" and a tracking number on the obverse.  However, when I enter the five digit number in the TB section at www.geocaching.com it does not find it.  If I am supposed to track this coin and move it along, where / how do I do that? 

 

Yes, I am still new to the game, so please excuse my ignorance.  I'm trying to learn how this all works!  :mad:

If I'm understanding you matie!! those coins are only trackable at the www.texasgeocaching.com) you mentioned, I myself- when I get coins that aren't Geocaching.com trackable (that I buy) I buy a TB tag too. and associate the tb# to the coin so it becomes a GC TB- go look at my profile and you'll see what I mean ( I have 2 coins like that and a few more soon!!)-- I'm in the process of get a little treasure chest with all my coins and other tid-bits to share for Icon Ho's!! :P..when I get it completed I will try to get a photo up to show it off...

You're not understanding correctly :mad:

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<SNIP>...I've started to collect the Geocaching site Trackable Geocoins (Maryland, Colorado, New Jersey, and others). Instead of sending them into the wild, I keep them, but I take them to events where others can "grab" them momentarily, then go home and log them for themselves. They can get a new icon, or another icon in their list, they get to "meet" a new coin, and I get to keep it for my own collection.

 

This is something that a lot of people are doing now, especially now that the geocoin collecting craze is such a big thing.

 

I think that the only trackable coins that will still be placed into caches will be the "ordinary" (but by no means less superior) Geocaching Geocoins. They're plain brass, and nobody -really- needs to horde one if found in a cache.</SNIP>

Since I just found my first coin, a MI geocoin, a couple of weeks ago, I also have to ask...you find a coin that somebody paid money for and to have it trackable on GC and you KEEP it as yours? :(

 

Sorry if I'm new to coins, but how is this different than finding someone's TB and keeping it only to allow folks to log a "virtual" find when you meet them and show it off??? Don't mean to offend, and I've seen lots and lots and lots of folks who are keeping these things. I've just always wondered what the difference is in keeping a coin versus keeping a bug? I'd love to start a coin collection also if they're all as good looking as that MI coin was, but wouldn't want to do something that would be frowned upon.

 

The MI coin I found had a specific mission of visiting all 50 states and then being returned to the owner in MI. I found it in FL, moved it to with me to TN and dropped it in IN the following week thus helping it along it's mission. I can understand if the coin comes with a note saying to either move it or keep it, but if there is no such note, how can I justify keeping it for my collection?

 

Thanks for helping me understand yet another facet of this wonderful addic....ooops...I mean hobby. :(

Edited by Jester2112
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SilverMarc was referring to coins he himself owns, not about finding those belonging to someone else and keeping them.

Yep, re-read the post with that in mind and you're right. However, I've seen plenty of folks either post that they are collecting them from the caches they find and also owners mentioning that their coins have been picked up for collection. Just wanted to clarify, as a newb, that this shouldn't be done unless there's a note with the coin stating it's OK to do. :lol:

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Here is the deal.

 

Some coins are placed in caches as swag. Some as travel bugs. You will need to read the log, or the coins history to know for sure. If you find one in a cache and don't know I'd just take the thing and not trade. Then when you get back and look it up if it's swag, you owe something nice to a cache. If it's travel bug, you are good to go. This method keeps you from trading for a coin that's meant to travel.

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It's already bad enough when regular TBs go missing because someone is collecting them :lol: , coins should never be kept for your own collection unless you get specific permission either by a note accompanying the coin or if the owner replies to you by e-mail stating it is OK.

 

Look at it this way. It was fun and something special for you when you found it in a cache? ;) Why not share that same feeling with the following finders.

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SilverMarc was referring to coins he himself owns, not about finding those belonging to someone else and keeping them.

Yep, re-read the post with that in mind and you're right. However, I've seen plenty of folks either post that they are collecting them from the caches they find and also owners mentioning that their coins have been picked up for collection. Just wanted to clarify, as a newb, that this shouldn't be done unless there's a note with the coin stating it's OK to do. :lol:

Sorry if my meaning was unclear. I -absolutely- purchase from or trade with people for Trackable coins that I keep. Nobody should ever keep any trackable item that they find in a cache. I used the term "horde" to refer to those people who go against the rules of geocaching (and ettiquette) by stealing TBs and TB Geocoins.

 

If someone placed a non-trackable coin (without specific instructions) into a cache that I found, the rules (and general ettiquette) say I can keep it, as long as I trade-in something of equal value, and I always try to "Trade Up" and leave something as cool or as valuable or both. I have moved Trackable Geocoin TBs from one to another cache on plenty of occasions, and also plenty of GeoTokens too.

 

--Marc

October 21, 2005 @ 1:48 PM

N40° 46.565' W073° 58.756'

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You could just make it easier to travel by drilling a hole into the coin like I have seen some people do. Or slightly defacing it then It would most likely get moved around because someone who tries to keep it and trade it would get nothing thrilling if anything at all out of it. Just make sure you own the coin if you plan on doing that though.But Silvermarc's method is actually better with holding onto it logging it at events.

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