Does Anyone Else Think This Is A Good Idea?

March 27, 2006

In a cache I did in Cozumel while on vacation last week, I found something that seems to me to be a great idea. It is Amagrud's 2006 GA Geocoin. But, yet, it isn't. He took a picture of both sides of the coin, including the tracking number. He put the pictures on the card with this information: "This is not an ordinary trading item. This is a copy of Amagrud's 2006 GA geocoin. The original coin is in Amagrud's personal collection, but this copy is intended to be moved from cache to cache and provide the GA peach icon to all cachers who log it in at www.geocaching.com" On the back, it says "This coins tracking number (*&^%$#) can be logged at www.geocaching.com and you will receive a GA peach icon on your stat bar. Please log your find and then place this travel coin in another cache so that other cachers can enjoy it and receive the icon."

It seems to me that this is a great idea. I am pefectly happy to log the number to get the icon. I don't care about having the actual coin in my possession, since I would have moved it along anyway, and this way, no one else is going to just put the coin in their pocket or personal collection.

Unless the majority of you think this is a terrible idea, I intend to start doing this same thing myself.

Thanks for your opinion on this matter.

LooAndRoo

March 27, 2006

Sort of like a "preemptive replacement" .... I wonder ....

March 27, 2006

I hope it doesn't come to that. I have lost one coin already.

March 27, 2006

I kinda like the idea... except I'd put the images on a wooden nickel and put that into a Air Tite container. The outcome should be close to the same item, just a little lighter. They get to see and move a "coin", but you don't have to worry about coin thieves.

Just my $0.02

March 27, 2006

I printed a picture of a coin on a 2" sticker, then placed it on a 11.5 gram poker chip. Not missing yet....

1.3k · March 27, 2006

Fine, AS LONG AS YOU NAME THE COIN AS A COPY to let people know up front that what is placed in the cache is NOT THE REAL COIN.

I have a couple of Geo-clone Coins myself.

One is in circulation, the other is sitting in a cache to be placed later. :unsure: (Still looking for that "perfect" spot.)

D-man

24.7k · March 27, 2006

It's a great idea. Besides when certain coins become rare this is a great way to collect proxies. :unsure:

22k · March 27, 2006

Guess I'm in the minority.

:unsure:

1.5k · March 27, 2006

Hmmm, maybe for our next coin I should just buy the tracking numbers and then put them on "sticker" coins. Think of all the money we could save on having to buy actual coins!

Sorry, I don't get it. I want to see and touch the real coin, not a copy of it.

March 27, 2006

It's either this, or drill holes in perfectly good coins just to slow down the thefts.

4.2k · March 27, 2006

It's totally up to you of course, but I'm with the few that have said "I don't get it".

You've seen a picture or a replica of the coin, but not the coin. Of course, I don't believe in logginf coins that I've only seen either (which happens at events), but I'm in the minority there.

It started off with folks logging Moun10Bike coins that they saw at an event (a few years ago), and I didn't get it then either. In my eyes you "saw" the coin but didn't "find" the coin.

Back to your question - it feels the same to me. You saw something with the coin's number on it, but not the coin.

I've seen pictures of the Mona Lisa but don't claim to have see IT, either.

March 27, 2006

At least this way you are physically finding a "coin" or at least a coin-shaped item that contains the trackable number that you can pick up and take to another cache and log it.

1.4k · March 27, 2006

It's a workable idea, but not necessarily "good" or "great" IMHO.

I'll state the obvious. Only the owner of the coin is allowed to do this. I've seen people "help themselves" do this to other people and obviously, I was not pleased and neither was the owner.

We might as well call this something new - Travelling Geo-Icons. Just copy & paste the icon design to a sticker or a laminated sheet of paper and circulate it. Maybe the idea will take off on its own instead of feeding off something real like a Geocoin, but then it sort of loses its meaning. (do you get it now?)

March 27, 2006

I think this is an awful idea.

If you just want to collect icons why not log “virtual gecoins” – an equally awful idea. :tired:

If I see the icon for a geocoin next to a cache I’m going for I expect to see the REAL THING.

Just my opinion. :huh:

Now where did I put my flak jacket?

March 27, 2006

Guess I'm in the minority.

I agree! I found one the other day and felt like I kissed my sister.

2.6k · March 27, 2006

I think this is an awful idea.

If you just want to collect icons why not log “virtual gecoins” – an equally awful idea.

If I see the icon for a geocoin next to a cache I’m going for I expect to see the REAL THING.

Just my opinion.

Now where did I put my flak jacket?

How many coins do you actually have out in the wild? I have released all of my coins except for a couple. Six went straight to a person that collected them and sees fit to take them on "adventures". What fun is that? I am not sure I will release any more coins as they end up in people's collections or possession for a period of time.

March 27, 2006

I think this is an awful idea.

If you just want to collect icons why not log “virtual gecoins” – an equally awful idea.

If I see the icon for a geocoin next to a cache I’m going for I expect to see the REAL THING.

Just my opinion.

Now where did I put my flak jacket?

How many coins do you actually have out in the wild? I have released all of my coins except for a couple. Six went straight to a person that collected them and sees fit to take them on "adventures". What fun is that? I am not sure I will release any more coins as they end up in people's collections or possession for a period of time.

I don't have any geocoins out in the wild - just 9 travel bugs.

I have only just started collecting geocoins and was intending to release several soon.

Perhaps I'll have to reconsider my attitude!

Gecoins are still very rare in Australia (at least within my caching range) and so that affected my initial post - if I go after a cache with one I want to see a real coin!

I looks like in the US that they have lost their "travel bug" nature. Pity.

March 27, 2006

Guess I'm in the minority.

I agree! I found one the other day and felt like I kissed my sister.

Considering that real coins just aren't out there to be found, (with a few exceptions), I think finding a replicated coin is more like kissing your really hot stepsister. :tired: It may not be what you hoped, but it beats the alternative of not finding anything. If people really don't like them, they can just leave them in the cache. The majority of cachers haven't found their first geocoin of any kind in a cache. I think it would be a positive thing to find something in a cache to log to get a new icon and certainly it's a lot more sporting than being given a sheet of coin tracking numbers at an event.

March 27, 2006

Well, I appreciate all your quick replies. I guess my opinion is somewhere in the middle. I had hoped to find an actual coin, but, I would much rather find this in a cache and get the icon on my trackable page, then to find nothing, because someone else had just taken the coin. And, if I spent money buying coins, as one of my geocaching friends has done, and then released them into the wild, only to see 11 of the 12 dissappear within a few days, never to travel again, I would be really frustrated about the money I spent on buying them. I don't have any coins to set loose myself, but if I did, I am not sure that I would right now, but I might do this, I just think that way they would continue to travel.

Thanks for your help.

1.3k · March 27, 2006

I like finding real coins in the wild. I have moved 5 Geocoins in the wild. Yesterday, I put 4 out.

The only coins I log outside of those in caches are the ones I dont think I would be able to find in a cache, ie, Moun10Bike V.2 and Volunteer.

I am not happy when I see Geocoins stolen by people and kept. If the coin says to move from cache to cache, then people, please do so. If it says you can keep it, feel free.

I will continue to release geocoins into the wild.

nielsenc

Edited March 27, 2006 by nielsenc

March 27, 2006

I'm also in the minority I guess. I put the coins themselves in caches and would enjoy finding a few myself.

I don't judge people for making the decision not to put their coins in caches but, to me, there isn't a lot of difference between losing the 6-10 dollars you spent on a coin or possibly having a cache you placed stolen after paying for the container, swag, FTF prize etc. The emails and logs I get from people who have found my coins are priceless.

March 27, 2006

I have been considering the wooden nickel idea, similar to MetroGT above, for some time now. In my three years of geocaching I have had caches stolen and several travel bugs are missing. I do not wish to add any coins to this list. Perhaps I should just consider buying more of the coins I am now and not just collecting them. Could get expensive, but so are travel bug tags. I'm really on the fence on this one.

March 27, 2006

I thought I was in the minority, but after reading this, it looks as if it's a split....

I would rather see the coins in the cache, not a cardboard facsimile. I say put a note with the coin explaining your intentions on having the coin move and let it go, if it moves, great, if it gets stolen, oh well..... try again

just my .02

22k · March 27, 2006

Guess I'm in the minority.

I agree! I found one the other day and felt like I kissed my sister.

Considering that real coins just aren't out there to be found, (with a few exceptions), I think finding a replicated coin is more like kissing your really hot stepsister. It may not be what you hoped, but it beats the alternative of not finding anything. If people really don't like them, they can just leave them in the cache. The majority of cachers haven't found their first geocoin of any kind in a cache. I think it would be a positive thing to find something in a cache to log to get a new icon and certainly it's a lot more sporting than being given a sheet of coin tracking numbers at an event.

What exactly is the point of a geocoin? The coin or the Icon?

The fact is that coins are desired by people who simply take and keep them for themselves. That's why I don't release mine into the wild.

Those little metal tags work much better as travelers and idea of releasing coins as pieces of paper with tracking numbers pretty much proves it.

I think a better solution is to leave the traveling to the travel bugs and use geocoins in a more social situation, like trading and collecting them at pokemon conventions, oops I mean geocoin conventions/events.

March 27, 2006

I think I'll start looking at cache locations on Google Earth and start logging them from that. I guess there's no reason to actually go out in the woods and find them.

March 27, 2006

check out LZ33's trackables profile and look at the pictures

1k · March 27, 2006

I'm with those that don't like the idea. If you aren't going to release the coin itself, why bother releasing the copy? for the Icon collectors? As someone stated, many cachers haven't found any sort of geocoin, why would they want to if they only found the clones? It really doesn't come close to being the same thing, you can see the detailing and such. The fewer actual geocoins out there, the more likely they are to be taken. I think the clones may encourage that happening more, it makes the real ones appear even more rare than they are.

For those wanting to see more geocoins in caches, please visit this thread:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=119277

I am preparing my second set to release. (already have a volunteer to drop the 3 activated ones)

I do like seeing other peoples collections at events to see the coins that I may not have yet, though I don't log them or really understand that practice either. But I think for many of those logging them it really is all about the numbers. Some will record all the TBs at events just to log them, though not actually help them travel. Even less understood to me.

March 27, 2006

I think I'll start looking at cache locations on Google Earth and start logging them from that. I guess there's no reason to actually go out in the woods and find them.

I'm inclined to agree, You find a coin or you don't find a coin. A piece of laminated paper does not make it a coin.

I have no problem logging coins in events though based on a couple previous posts that is subject to change. (It's not every day you get to paw through M10B's collection.)

Finding the coin is part of the game. I've put out a bunch of coins and yes they go missing. Still have several traveling including a GWIII which you would think would disappear pretty fast. That being said I didn't find my M10B V2 coin. M10B handed #400 to me in the ANC airport after 3 fabulous days of caching with the ACD crew. (ACD FORUM POST) IS that a find? I claimed it as such? It's in my possession so I'm claiming it.

March 27, 2006

A piece of laminated paper does not make it a coin.

Why not? Why does a coin have to be made from metal instead of wood or paper? Paper coins are the new fad, run with it!

2k · March 27, 2006

I've been thinking of doing this for lost coins.

1) Release "real" coin, but have picture/tracking number ready

2) Call the coin "My great adventure" (or whatever)

3) IF coins gets stolen (hopefully not "when")

4) Start circulating the copy, BUT (and this is important) CHANGE the name to "COPY of My Great Adventure"

This way, everyone wins. Coins get into caches, folks know in advance if the one in a cache is a copy, and you can still continue the coins adventure after some bottom-feeding jerk has stolen it for "their" special "collection"

(I still scratch the original -- so if you see scratched coins -- make sure they aren't STOLEN!)

1.5k · March 27, 2006

I would say that yes, by definition a coin is metal, as does the dictionary. There are wooden tokens/nickels, poker chips (plastic), the original POG (paper), but coins are metal.

I think the bigger issue here is that coin hunting in caches has morphed into icon hunting, which seems to be more important than the coin that it comes with. So then, why not just write the number on a piece of paper, laminate it and send it off, no need to spend the time making it look like a coin.

Coin definition as found on dictionary.com

coin ( P ) Pronunciation Key (koin)

n.

A small piece of metal, usually flat and circular, authorized by a government for use as money.

Metal money considered as a whole.

A flat circular piece or object felt to resemble metal money: a pizza topped with coins of pepperoni.

Architecture. A corner or cornerstone.

A mode of expression considered standard: Two-word verbs are valid linguistic coin in the 20th century.

tr.v. coined, coin·ing, coins

To make (pieces of money) from metal; mint or strike: coined silver dollars.

To make pieces of money from (metal): coin gold.

To devise (a new word or phrase).

Edited March 27, 2006 by Hula Bum

2.1k · March 27, 2006

Copied coins..."when you care enough to send a paper copy instead of the real thing"

Bumping into Mick Jagger in NYC once when I was a kid was cool...it wouldn't have been as cool if I bumped into one of those cardboard cut-outs...

Finding geocoins in caches is cool...finding a cut-out is less cool in a way similar to my Mick Jagger story (which is true by the way, between Zabars and Shakespeare Books on Broadway, although he might not remember ).

Jamie

March 27, 2006

I think the bigger issue here is that coin hunting in caches has morphed into icon hunting, which seems to be more important than the coin that it comes with. So then, why not just write the number on a piece of paper, laminate it and send it off, no need to spend the time making it look like a coin.

or forget the coin, the paper, and Geocaching all together. Just put a number on a web site somewhere and let people log that.

8.8k · March 27, 2006

Personal opinion:

"This guy doesn't trust me to move his coin, so I won't."

"What a cheapskate!"

"Oh look, the laminate is falling off and it's nice and moldy now from this wet cache, even better than the real thing!"

"How tacky."

Moderator Opinion: It's allowable, and it's been done, if that's what you choose to do.

What you can't do is post the number on the internet and allow people to log it virtually, that will get your coin page shut down. You can let them log the number at an event or if they meet you on the trails. You can't just post it and say here ya go, log it.

2.3k · March 27, 2006

Guess I'm in the minority.

I agree! I found one the other day and felt like I kissed my sister.

Um...

I would make a Georgia joke, but seeing as how that would make the Alabama jokes start flowing...

2.3k · March 27, 2006

What you can't do is post the number on the internet and allow people to log it virtually, that will get your coin page shut down. You can let them log the number at an event or if they meet you on the trails. You can't just post it and say here ya go, log it.

Why not? I don't get that at all... if it's my coin, I paid for the coin, and therefore I paid for the tracking number attached. How is that different than getting a coin list from a Meet & Greet/coin swap?

2k · March 27, 2006

What you can't do is post the number on the internet and allow people to log it virtually, that will get your coin page shut down. You can let them log the number at an event or if they meet you on the trails. You can't just post it and say here ya go, log it.

Why not? I don't get that at all... if it's my coin, I paid for the coin, and therefore I paid for the tracking number attached. How is that different than getting a coin list from a Meet & Greet/coin swap?

I think it's different than a list. The list is for folks that have seen the coins at a meet and greet. In this case, the real coin is not seen. That stated: if the original was lost -- I like the idea of a "ghost" coin replacing it. (as long as people know in advace -- before trying to find it).

Hmmmmm? Maybe all custom icons could have a version 2 with eeirie little aura's -- these would be the "fake" coins and then folks could collect REAL icons and GHOST icons......

hahaha!

March 27, 2006

When i go to a cache i am excited to find a real geocoin to see the different kinds out there. I have also been to caches where there was supposed to be a coin but was stolen. I have also found several of the card geocoins out there that arent as important to steal but either way just being able to pass them along and claim them is fun to me. If people wouldnt steal the real ones there wouldnt be a need for the card geocoins. Either way on to the next cache i will send them....

1.5k · March 27, 2006

Another variation I've seen is the replicate coin making the rounds for a period of time. At the end of the designated time, a drawing is conducted with all the loggers' names in a hat and the winning cacher receives the real coin.

Other than that, I treat the replicated coins I find in caches as travel bugs (kind of like using the copy tag) and move them on.

Bottom line, though...it is much more fun for me to find real coins to move along and I won't be creating coin replicates of the coins I release to the wild.

1.1k · March 28, 2006

As one who releases paper versions of coins I don't see any big issue with doing it. When losing a single coin is about as expensive as losing two travel bug tags I prefer to keep the little metal objects safe at home. I do plan to make some exceptions to this practice. I will release the real bike dog coins instead of a replica.

If you're disappointed by finding a paper version instead of the real thing don't take it. Wet, moldy, bent, spindled, chad still attached or otherwise in poor condition, let me know and I'll shoot you a new on in the mail to replace the bad one.

8.8k · March 28, 2006

What you can't do is post the number on the internet and allow people to log it virtually, that will get your coin page shut down. You can let them log the number at an event or if they meet you on the trails. You can't just post it and say here ya go, log it.

Why not? I don't get that at all... if it's my coin, I paid for the coin, and therefore I paid for the tracking number attached. How is that different than getting a coin list from a Meet & Greet/coin swap?

Joe,

You can take your coins to events and let people look at them and log them, that's fine. What is not allowed is posting the number online, or on the cache/bug/coin page and letting people log it from the other side of the world. It's considered abuse of the geocaching.com system and virtual bug/coin pages get disabled when they are discovered/reported. There is no problem with letting the people who actually SEE/TOUCH/FEEL the coin/bug log it. Event lists are ok. Logging without ever seeing, or even being up close and personal with to it is what I am talking about.

Sorry for the delayed reply.

March 28, 2006

This sounds like the chain reaction tb released a few years ago. The goal was to get the tB into as many caches and an log as many miles as possible before 2006. When you find the chain reaction tb you make a photcopy of of it and place it into another cache, you can replicate it as may times as you want and put in as many caches as you can. I beleive it was terminated early due to some policy violation or something. I don't know the details.

24.7k · March 28, 2006

What you can't do is post the number on the internet and allow people to log it virtually, that will get your coin page shut down. You can let them log the number at an event or if they meet you on the trails. You can't just post it and say here ya go, log it.

Why not? I don't get that at all... if it's my coin, I paid for the coin, and therefore I paid for the tracking number attached. How is that different than getting a coin list from a Meet & Greet/coin swap?

In a nutshell you don't own the tracking service that the tracking number is tied into. Thus your use of that number to track has to coincide with this sites idea of what it wishes to allow to be tracked. Think of it in terms of a shrink wrap liscense agreement.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree, just pointing out what you purchased when you ponied up for that tracking number.

March 28, 2006

This sounds like the chain reaction tb released a few years ago. The goal was to get the tB into as many caches and an log as many miles as possible before 2006. When you find the chain reaction tb you make a photcopy of of it and place it into another cache, you can replicate it as may times as you want and put in as many caches as you can. I beleive it was terminated early due to some policy violation or something. I don't know the details.

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=58222

2.3k · March 28, 2006

I think its a bad idea I like finding coins in the cache and seeing it first hand a picture would be lame.

2.9k · May 26, 2006

In this cache, GCGHR9, there is a copy of the Alabama geocoin. What's funny is...real coins in this area get moved along quickly...this one has been there since late March.

Coincidence? I think not. Copies are lame.

May 27, 2006

It's a great idea and I have begun doing it, if you are spending $10+ or $20+ for a collectable coin(s) and don't want it ripped off I see no problem with doing this at all.

May 27, 2006

I would probably throw it in the bin.

May 27, 2006

Ouh yeah, what a great idea....

Hey, finding a real coin in a cache is great (and quiete rare here...)!

Imagine the following: You read a cache description and see 'coin x is there'. Cool, a coin! Lets visit the cache.. Then you find the cache aaaaaand.... a laminated copy.. What a feeling..

A local cacher thought, laminated copies were just great. The result: His things don't get logged or moved :huh:

In the German forum we had a thread about these copies. Result: 23% would ignore the photo, 13% 'don't care as long as I can log it', 7% are not interested in geocoins, 19% 'great idea, if it's lost, send a new one', 33% 'a photo instead of a real coin?! I don't want to see such crap', 1% 'no opinion'.. Well, there's a majority :huh: (http://www.geoclub.de/viewtopic.php?t=8449)

I personally didn't find any copies (yet). But I would ignore them. If you want to send coins and keep them for the collection, then buy 2 coins..

2.9k · May 27, 2006

It's a great idea and I have begun doing it, if you are spending $10+ or $20+ for a collectable coin(s) and don't want it ripped off I see no problem with doing this at all.

No offense, but the idea stinks. Who wants to go after, much less move a copy of a geocoin? It is pathetic. If you're not going to release the coin, don't bother. If you'll notice, copies of coins rarely get moved...why? No one is interested in them!! Like another poster said, how would you feel if you scouted out a difficult cache with supposedly a geocoin in it...found the cache...and all you found was a laminated piece of paper? If it were me, I'd be sorely tempted to pitch it...but I'd never do that. What I do, though, is make a notation on a cache that the coin is a fake (replica) so beware.

I say before going the pathetic route of releasing paper copies, deface the coin to make it uncollectible...punch a hole in it and put a tag on it...stuff like that.

If you want to send coins and keep them for the collection, then buy 2 coins..

Exactly. You should do that anyway if you release coins, so you'll always have one for yourself.

Edited May 27, 2006 by Arthur & Trillian

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