Making Coins -- Lessons Learnt

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Hello all,

As I noted way back when I began my red-handed project, I would post my lessons learnt for future coin makers. Take it for what it's worth, but here it is.

 

Things to avoid:

1) NEVER give a time estimate until you have the coins in-hand.

 

2) Make sure you let Groundspeak know to watch for the payment for tracking numbers.

These coins were some of the earliest PC trackable ones out there (really). I had paid for the codes and didn't hear back for a couple weeks. I had placed a note on the PayPal payment that it was for coins, but they do not check. So you need to PayPal them AND send them a confirmation e-mail.

 

3) Charge more for postage. I had thought that the postage would "balance" out at an average of three coins per order. In the end, I ate about $150ish in postage and supplies.

 

4) Don't do pre-orders. This is a tough one, but the second someone pays they begin waiting. Even if everything flows perfectly, you need a few weeks to go from sketch to numbers to coins to packaging to shipping.

 

5) Don't go it alone. No matter what anyone says, no matter how good you are moving data to lables, etc -- packaging and shipping takes time. In my case, I work when the Post Office is open -- so this was a coffee-break/lunch hour project. It took many hours of free time.

 

6) Do not try a dumb idea like the sheriff cards

 

7) Don't mail them in waves. The second that the first person gets theirs everyone wonders when they will see theirs. Better to wait and send them all at once.

 

There are some "Do's"!

 

1) Use Coins and Pins

 

2) Use Coins and Pins -- it bears repeating.

 

3) Get help distributing the activation codes. This was far more of a concern then I anticipated and www.oakcoins.com came to my rescue! (they have started making coins too! -- so they may be a place to check out for your manufacture)

 

4) Stay in one metal. This is personal choice I guess, but it made packing far easier (just count). Also, it avoids any "special" work in making sure folks aren't annoyed.

 

5) Let folks order as many as they want. An order of 30 is easier to handle than 30 orders of 1. Also, these are travellers -- the more out there, the less they are sought as collectibles, the more likely they will travel. Also, it reduces the cost per coin.

 

6) Use PayPal. You can download the payment info. Make sure when you download that you check the box to have each address element as a separate value (I downloaded as a .csv). When you set-up your payment page make sure you assign a code to the coin (I used CoinA) - then, if you have other payments come in or out during the order period you can filter easier.

 

7) Set a start and finish date (makes PayPal easier to manage/download). Also, everyone can order as many as they want during that time. However, be aware that the person that orders on day one is now waiting to see their coins.

 

8) When you print the labels, include the quantity after the name eg. Mr Smith (2) -- this makes stuffing the envelopes WAY easier.

 

9) Get self-sealing envelopes and self-adhesive stamps.

 

10) Take an envelope with 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 coins to the Post Office. Have them wiegh them and buy postage so you can mail them at all hours through a mailbox.

 

11) Keep the coin simple. I like the antiqued, duller finish. Also, I like the easy to read tracking number. It reduces cost and makes for a cleaner design.

 

The total number pre-ordered was 452. The total number sold in the end was just under 500. The total I have remaining is about 100 (50 to trade at some point and 50 exclusively for caches). After I add-up what I recieved and what I paid out, my cost was about $750ish personally (so about $7.50 for each of my own coins) The upside is that they are trackable and you need 500 for that to happen - so I am very happy in the end.

 

Also, the manufacturers have started handling tracking numbers. This means you can avoid having to buy from Groundspeak, e-mail to manufacturerer,etc.

 

Also, I think the coins are very, very nice.

 

Will I do something like this again? No. I have a 4 year-old, a 7 month old, and had to travel extensively in November. It was just too time-consuming to handle for one guy.

 

The next coin I do may be another batch of red-handed coins or the geobone 2 -- these I'll just buy outright and trade.

 

I hope folks enjoy the coins and I really hope they find themselves in caches. I look forward to the success stories I hear.

 

Also, let me know if I can answer any questions based upon my experience.

Edited December 22, 2005 by Lemon Fresh Dog

[+Ladycacher]

I too learned some things with the KS coin. I *may* do another large order, but I will ship the two different tyoes (if there is) seperate. The coins I have lined up for next year are all (IMO) very cool, but I am only doing runs of 250.

[+Eric K]

Lemon Fresh and others:

 

We at USA Geocoins are willing to help you guys with the distribution and shipping and order taking for you if needed to help you get your geocaching trackable coins distributed.

 

We have been doing this for several years so are pretty well setup with supplies, postage, experience in shipping, taking paypal payments, etc.

 

If anyone feels they need help feel free to contact us at sales at usageocoins dot com.

 

By the way. I agree with you especially on the pre-order deal. It's better to wait until you have the coins before taking pre-orders.

 

I also agree with you on the saying when they will ship before you have the coins. You never know what kind of delays may pop up. If they do you WILL get flooded with "Where are my coins?" e-mails.

Edited December 22, 2005 by Eric K

[+welch]

6) Do not try a dumb idea like the sheriff cards

 

Could you explain what was meant by this?

(are people just keeping them anyways without written permission ?)

[+pdxmarathonman]

6) Do not try a dumb idea like the sheriff cards

 

Could you explain what was meant by this?

(are people just keeping them anyways without written permission ?)

I am betting it just addes to his workload

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

6) Do not try a dumb idea like the sheriff cards

 

Could you explain what was meant by this?

(are people just keeping them anyways without written permission ?)

I am betting it just addes to his workload

Correct! I had to print them, and cut them and stuff them into the envelopes. In the end, I wonder how many people will "play the game" and keep the Sheriff card with the coin during its "collected" life.

[+Nomad and the Librarians]

6) Do not try a dumb idea like the sheriff cards

My bet is that Welch wanted to know what "sheriff cards" are. I want to know also, so I will ask directly: What are sheriff cards?

 

Thanks,

Nomad

of Nomad and the Librarians

 

 

It's all about the caches!

[+GrandpaKim]

My bet is that Welch wanted to know what "sheriff cards" are. I want to know also, so I will ask directly: What are sheriff cards?

 

Thanks,

Nomad

of Nomad and the Librarians

 

 

It's all about the caches!

They're cards that allow you to keep the Red Handed coin in your collection. The coin says on it that if it doesn't have its sheriff card, then it has been stolen.

[Hugh Jazz]

Much of the do's and don'ts list goes away if you use a place like TheCachingPlace.com which handles the pre-ordering, manufacturing, and fulfillment for you.

[+welch]

My bet is that Welch wanted to know what "sheriff cards" are. I want to know also, so I will ask directly: What are sheriff cards?

 

No I knew what they were I just wondered why he didn't like them.

Considering the back of the coins says 'if this isn't in a cache you've stolen it' I thought the idea was amusing .

I was thinking maybe the people that released theirs just threw the card away, and the people keeping them were doing but ignoring the card. So basically noone was using them as intended and it was a big waste of time . Which more or less has been confirmed.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Much of the do's and don'ts list goes away if you use a place like TheCachingPlace.com which handles the pre-ordering, manufacturing, and fulfillment for you.

Except for the part about using Coins and Pins

 

My geocoin collection is pretty vast and I must say -- the quality of Coins and Pins is something I am very, very pleased with. TheCachingPlace coins are very nice as well -- and I haven't seen them all.

[+HerrK & Friends]

Hi LemonFreshDog,

 

first i will say thanks for the post of all your personal geocoin experiences!

Many tips for me and my upcoming personal coin.

 

But there is one point i don't agree with:

5) Let folks order as many as they want. An order of 30 is easier to handle than 30 orders of 1. Also, these are travellers -- the more out there, the less they are sought as collectibles, the more likely they will travel. Also, it reduces the cost per coin.

 

Unlimited orders are not fair for all the collectors!

Most people must work, an there is the world wide time difference problem,

so the most people have no chance to get a coin for example of an edition of 200 coins.

And the worst thing...after that you can find the same coin for the double & triple costs in eBay!!!

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Hi LemonFreshDog,

 

first i will say thanks for the post of all your personal geocoin experiences!

Many tips for me and my upcoming personal coin.

 

But there is one point i don't agree with:

5) Let folks order as many as they want. An order of 30 is easier to handle than 30 orders of 1. Also, these are travellers -- the more out there, the less they are sought as collectibles, the more likely they will travel. Also, it reduces the cost per coin.

 

Unlimited orders are not fair for all the collectors!

Most people must work, an there is the world wide time difference problem,

so the most people have no chance to get a coin for example of an edition of 200 coins.

And the worst thing...after that you can find the same coin for the double & triple costs in eBay!!!

I agree with you too! If there are a limited number of coins being made, they sell out very fast and folks should only get one.

 

I think that limiting a coin does one thing -- it makes it a collectable.

 

If I say that orders are accepted for the next five days, order as many as you like and then make enough to fill all the orders -- then you can mint as many coins as are ordered. This means:

 

-- more coins go to caches

-- the entire world can order

 

One thing I am very happy with my red-handed coins is that I do not feel anyone missed the chance to get one. I shipped many packages to Europe and I am very, very excited to hear stories about their travels.

 

Of course, then I also say don't take pre-orders. I think a run of 700 coins would take awhile to sell out if they were personal coins.