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California Geocoin 2006 Project


The Dillon Gang

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Completing work on the 2006 California Geocoin...not to be confused with the California 2006 MICRO geocoin.

 

Here is where we are at:

  • Coin will have a limited edition run in silver (and hopefully gold) coin
  • Last run there were 2005 coin minted...thinking along the same lines (2006)
  • /coins will be in 3-d with no color (like the Nevada State coin)

 

Front image

5cf104c7-c533-4728-ab2e-1a0bfc4e98bc.jpg

 

Back image hasn't been uploaded yet.

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Hey Dillion! About time you surfaced.

 

I have to agree with Mauizon. I really liked the Prospector side of last year's coin because it was simple, but thought the front of that coin was busy as well. It seems like a collage instead of a singularly focused element.

 

I'd like to see fewer elements on the coin as well.

 

I know you have thick skin when it comes to designs and actually appreciate feedback and input, so there's mine. :rolleyes:

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Hey Dillion! About time you surfaced.

 

I have to agree with Mauizon. I really liked the Prospector side of last year's coin because it was simple, but thought the front of that coin was busy as well. It seems like a collage instead of a singularly focused element.

 

I'd like to see fewer elements on the coin as well.

 

I know you have thick skin when it comes to designs and actually appreciate feedback and input, so there's mine. :rolleyes:

 

No problem with my skin!! Keep the feedback coming. Don't be bashful send your ideas. Perhaps someone has a single image like the miner on the first ca geocoin?

 

What we were attempting for the Concept of the coin is this:

 

california has the highest point in the continental united statesa and the lowest. These are Mt. Whitney and Death Valley. So we were planning one side for highest point and the other side for lowest.

 

Front images:

California Grizzly, Mt. Whitney, State of california (like the delaware coin has done) quail, poppy.

 

Back images:

Scotty's castle, tortoise, coyote, cactus, cow skull, man crawling to geocache with vultures lurking over him, sign saying Death Valley and -242ft for the elevation

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I agree with Kealia and Muaison; I'd like to see a simpler design. The high/low has been an idea I was hoping would come up one of these years, because it certainly is one outstanding feature of CA.

 

My vote would be for Whitney on the front in 3D high relief like the miner was done last year (which I agree was very cool). The picture you have on the first post is the one I'd go with (i.e. taken from Lone Pine or Alabama Hills area) Technically, Whitney is the highest point in the "contiguous" United States, not continental. Alaska, vis-a'-vis, Denali (20,320 ft) is also on the North American continent.

 

On the back, I'd probably go with something like a 20 mule team to represent Death Valley(borax mining being pretty big in the Valley way back when). A cacher crawling across the desert for a cache would be cool, but a bit misleading since no physical caches are allowed inside the National Park. I'm not sure there's much to distinguish the low point near Badwater other than a bizarre looking weather station and a benchmark on the far side of the salt flats (but Marky's got that one covered :) ).

 

My 0.02. Thanks for getting the ball rolling Dillon Gang.

Edited by Touchstone
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I had an idea to make a geocoin with a Whitney benchmark on one side and a Death Valley benchmark on the other (eventually just made geopins of the two benchmarks instead) so I love the high/low idea. Looking forward to how this design progresses.

 

I like Touchstone's idea about the 20 mule team. Focusing on one element per side makes for a nice coin. You might even want to lose the state outline altogether and just focus on Mt Whitney on the front side. A nice 3D die of that photo angle as the only element on the front (besides text, of course) would look good.

 

--Marky

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I absolutely agree with what the others have been saying. I liked the prospector side of last year's coin but the collage side didn't come together in a harmonious way and I heard nothing but negative comments about it from many people.

 

Personally, the Nevada coin has been by far the best example of a state geocoin I've seen in a very long time now. It conveyed some of the history and the spirit of the state, melded in geocaching and a touch of humor, the artwork and texture was good and it all came together wonderfully.

 

I really appreciate the Dillon Gang's hard work on the CA coins! I trust that there will ba an exceptional coin this year. Thanks so much for doing this again.

 

Also the reasonable pricing in the past two years means I always buy a LOT of them and most of them end up in caches.

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I love the highpoint/lowpoint theme.

 

I personally like geocoins that look like coins. Coins have no color so no color is good for me.

 

I'd love to see Mt. Whitney be the focal point of one side of the coin. Remove the quails, the poppies, the state outline, the tree and the bear.

 

For the backside find a cool image from badwater... not sure how to convey the lowpoint but you could incorporate the signpost somehow. I'll see if I can dig up a good pic.

 

When they're ready let me know and I'll put together a large order from the GBA as well.

 

Thanks for putting this one together and taking everyone's inputs!

Edited by bullit
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It'd be pretty cool to have a relief image of Mt Whitney on one side (raised above) and an incluse image of Death Valley (sunken below) on the other. Is that even possible?

 

You know, that's exactly the thought I had as I read my way down this thread. Could it be done? That'd be so awesome...

 

Anyway, another vote here for simpler; simpler is better. Clean, classy, uncluttered, but meaningful; that's the mark of the coolest (to me) geocoins (which are the only kind I collect :P ).

Edited by motogrrl
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It'd be pretty cool to have a relief image of Mt Whitney on one side (raised above) and an incluse image of Death Valley (sunken below) on the other. Is that even possible?

 

You know, that's exactly the thought I had as I read my way down this thread. Could it be done? That'd be so awesome...

 

Anyway, another vote here for simpler; simpler is better. Clean, classy, uncluttered, but meaningful; that's the mark of the coolest (to me) geocoins (which are the only kind I collect :P ).

 

currently taking that great pic of badwater flats and attempting to get the mule train into it. like the 3d whitney and sunken death valley idea. running it by the others.

 

great feedback...keep it coming!!

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I completely agree with the others that have said keep it simple. Graphic artists go by the KISS rule-Keep It Simple Stupid (not not referring to anyone as stupid, it's just how the saying goes)

I think the high and low points are a great idea, stay focused on that and a beautiful coin will emerge. Thanks for doing this again!

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If the 20 mule team idea doesn’t pan out, another neat piece of Death Valley History is the story of the “Lost Pioneers”, or “Lost 49er’s”. Apparently a group of would be gold seekers traveled through Death Valley, became separated, and a small group was stranded in the Valley in the searing heat, while two young members rode out through the Panamints looking for a route through the rugged mountains. One individual died trying to escape the heat on his own (presumably the onl y pioneer fatality on record), while the others eventually made it out after almost a month long ordeal. Here’s a long winded description on the NPS page:

 

Lost 49er's

 

I also like the quote, "Good bye, Death Valley" that was coined by one of the members of the party. Kind of reminds me of my favorite pioneer quote, "Good bye God, I'm going to Bodie" :( .

 

Another idea would be to put an ammo can on the Badwater side, but make it a mirage. Marky showed me the Locationless Cache Coin the other night that has the affect I’m talking about. It’s either glow in the dark paint or UV paint, I’m not sure which, but the result was eerie.

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I like the one with the mule team pulling the ammo boxes better. The other one is too busy, IMO.

'From highest peaks to lowest valleys' is nice. However, I think it should be 'From highest peaks...' on the Mt Whitney side, and '...to lowest valleys' on the Death Valley side.

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I like the one with the mule team pulling the ammo boxes better. The other one is too busy, IMO.

'From highest peaks to lowest valleys' is nice. However, I think it should be 'From highest peaks...' on the Mt Whitney side, and '...to lowest valleys' on the Death Valley side.

 

100% agreement from here, on all points.

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Oh, Bodie is another great idea if you can't make Death Valley work.

 

One of the oldest and best preserved ghost towns and a cool piece of CA history.

Bodie is very cool! Plus it sets the table to highlight different aspects of CA history in future years. I also agree with the comments about making the coin less busy.

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The "texture" inside the state on the Whitney side seems a little funny. I think it should either be smooth or show the actual geography of the state like one of those 3-D maps. Again, on the Death Valley side, my personal preference would be to leave the cartoon elements out. If you do decide to leave them in, perhaps it would be a good idea to change to something that is a different theme than the NV coin. Finally, a minor point...you've got the Death Valley coordinates on both sides of the coin.

Edited by mjp303
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I like the mule team idea, but there are too many mules and too many wagons - having one or two staggering mules pulling a decrepit wagon seems more like DEATH. :laughing:

 

Instead of the outline of California off to the side, I'd like to see it centered and take up as much space as possible on the coin as a faint background, with Mount Whitney prominently in the middle.

 

Since this is the first time I've spoken out on the Official California Geocoin in GC.com forums, I'd like to thank The Dillon Gang for all the work for the previous two releases. :anibad:

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From this Californian , I love your updated version of this coin better than your 1st attempt. It's amazing what your brain can come up with when you keep changing. Please stay away from adding Eureka to your coin. Yes, California is known for the mountains and the deserts, but for your 2007 coin maybe you can have earthquakes, mudlides, drought and congested highways obscuring where all the caches are. LOL No, really the coin looks great! ;)

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The "texture" inside the state on the Whitney side seems a little funny.

 

kinda looks like a chocolate bar. Nestle Crunch perhaps. We hope to perhaps change to rugged geological features in the state or just gold like the Deleware coin. And since i was at work, i didn't have the map program to get the coordinates for Whitney. Still have to add the tracking number also.

 

the limited edition i hope to have in silver and the state in gold.

Edited by The Dillon Gang
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I'm in the KISS camp:

 

I think Mt. Whitney can stand alone... I'd remove the CA state outline completely and go with a high relief Mt. Whitney. Maybe spell out California across the bottom of the Whitney side in the empty space

 

On the obverse side: badwater sign with a minimal amount of extras -- none or less mules, no vultures. I like the ammo can hidden at the base of the sign though.

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The "texture" inside the state on the Whitney side seems a little funny.

 

kinda looks like a chocolate bar. Nestle Crunch perhaps. We hope to perhaps change to rugged geological features in the state or just gold like the Deleware coin. And since i was at work, i didn't have the map program to get the coordinates for Whitney. Still have to add the tracking number also.

 

the limited edition i hope to have in silver and the state in gold.

 

When the RCGDS in Sacramento makes our new coin it will have the same a before but the state will also be in gold. I think a two tone coin look great.

 

Richard

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How do I pre-order one of these? It seems that every time a new coin is minted, I get an e-mail to buy one. However, when I follow the link I discover they are already sold out - but not really. Someone has bought them up and is selling them on e-Bay!

 

Toponym

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I actually don't like two tone on 3D designs because the two tone isn't antiqued and it generally makes the 3D design look worse, not better.

 

I can't decide if I want the state outline there or not. Without it, it will look cleaner and better, but then we lose some of the California identity that the coin kind of needs to be easily recognizable as a state geocoin.

 

--Marky

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Instead of the outline of California off to the side, I'd like to see it centered and take up as much space as possible on the coin as a faint background, with Mount Whitney prominently in the middle.

 

 

I'm not sure how it would look, but sounds like a good idea. That way you have the outline of the state that would give it a "State" coin feel. I don't know if you could do the Northern part of the state on one side and the Southern half of the state on the other side and have the images inside the outlines. Kind of free thinking here, so ignore it if you like :tired:

 

**edit**

 

Just a few more random thoughts bouncing around here...I've heard off-hand that N36 is the line that divides the state for the Cache Reviewers. You could divide the state along that line...not sure if that's an even split or just an arbitrary line..

 

And if you wanted to get into some major "sucking up", you could put the Northern Cache Reviewers usernames (Hemlock and Krypton) on one side, and the Southern Cache Reviewers (SoCal Admin and West Coast Admin) on the other side. I bet no state coin out there has done major brown nosing like that :tired:

Edited by Touchstone
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I don't know if you could do the Northern part of the state on one side and the Southern half of the state on the other side and have the images inside the outlines.

 

Just a few more random thoughts bouncing around here...I've heard off-hand that N36 is the line that divides the state for the Cache Reviewers. You could divide the state along that line...not sure if that's an even split or just an arbitrary line..

 

 

i think we attempted north versus south last year and we couldn't decide on what to put on it. Technically speaking the geographical center of california is in North Fork up in what us southern folk call northern cal.

 

it would be interesting to work in some type of symbol or name of the reviewers......

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