The Trouble With Icons

[+nscaler]

The problem with icons is that they advertise the fact a geocoin is there.

I was looking at a possible cache to find, I immediately noticed the icon next to the cache description.

This was not the specific log. This was on the list brought up from the geocaching maps section.

I brought up the log and the last entry said the geocoin was not there.

And I thought "why is the coin missing?".

The icon!

Some unscrupulous person saw that the coin was there because of the icon.

They came by and took the coin. A log entry? And advertise who could of taken it?

Now what they do with the coin?

Just like the art collector who has stolen art they can show to no one, they have a collection that may only be shown to muggles. The muggle would not understand the point of the coin and think nothing wrong.

They could be sold.

Or they could be shown to no one at all.

 

I collect coins. I have one wooden geocoin, a sig item. I have one plastic geocoin, another sig item.

Both found in caches.

All the others I have bought or traded for.

When I wanted more coins, I had my own made. Trade fodder.

When the thought came up of a GC trackable coin, I decided against it for cost reasons.

Found a free tracking site which fit my needs and kept my cost down.

 

Now I feel better about not going with the icon thing.

 

Not to say the other site is any better.

Just click on a "dropped" coin and there is the cache the coin was dropped in.

 

Not a perfect world.

Never said it was...

[Not So Lost Puppies]

Yes, I think the coin icon on the cache page does make it easy for the coin theives. maybe make them put in abit more effort... just list that there is a traveller in the cache? same icon on the listing page for TB or coin? You could still list the inventory on the cache page, but it would make it abit more work for the coin thief to find any particular coin. Maybe even not show the icon on the inventory page of the cache either, just the name of the traveller?

 

True, if they are just after any traveller they will still get them, but it would harder if they were searching for a specific coin.

 

I don't hunt caches for a particular coin, but I do often put a higher priority on caches with travellers if I can help them on their mission. Which means I don't need to know in the listing that it is a WI geocoin or a USA geocoin, etc.

[+graylling]

I agree, I know people who look for icons and try to grab the coins first but we don't have too many problems with coins disappearing. It's bound to happen now and then but for the most part they tend to travel in this area and a lot of people get to collect the icons.

 

At last count I had over 70 trackable coins in my collection and yet i think i only have 2 or 3 icons. Wonder what my profile would look like if I activated them all???

[+The Blind Acorn]

At last count I had over 70 trackable coins in my collection and yet i think i only have 2 or 3 icons. Wonder what my profile would look like if I activated them all???

 

Like mine.... a list a mile long. LOL... Openly, honestly, I'm collecting coins and icons. However, I did use a 2005 USA Geocoin and 2006 USA Geocoin out for FTF and 2TF (only the FTF has been grabbed). I have another coin that will be put out as FTF or left as swag soon, but I'm waiting and hopefully will find just the right cache to leave it in.

[Not So Lost Puppies]

I agree, I know people who look for icons and try to grab the coins first but we don't have too many problems with coins disappearing. It's bound to happen now and then but for the most part they tend to travel in this area and a lot of people get to collect the icons.

 

At last count I had over 70 trackable coins in my collection and yet i think i only have 2 or 3 icons. Wonder what my profile would look like if I activated them all???

 

I don't believe there is much of a coin disappearance problem in this area either (wisconsin) as I have helped afew coins move around. But from what I read here, there are areas where they do seem to disappear with alarming frequency. I don't think the generic 'traveller here' would cut down on the travelling or icon collecting, but COULD make it more of a PIA for a coin thief. I usually check out the Traveller's page to see if I could help it on its mission, there are still too many travellers of all sorts without a mission tag. (I usually contact the owner and offer to attach a laminated mission tag on those)

[+BadAndy]

I've released dozens of my coins into caches. So far not a single one with a travel goal has gone missing.

 

A few of them had a goal to travel OR be placed into a personal collection. Those have become part of the collection of first cacher to find them in every case.

Edited February 16, 2006 by BadAndy