Geocoins As Signature Items.

[+UOTrackers]

Our coins should be here any day now and we intend to be dropping them periodically into caches. Our coin is not trackable but we'd still like to know who picks them up so I'm thinking of creating a small card to go into the coin sleave saying that it is the finders to do with as they pease but that we'd love to know who picked it up.

 

Does anyone else leave nontrackable coins? Do you have a note or something that goes with it? Do you, like me, want to know who picked it up? I need to get off my duff and write to Marky to get them set up on sigitems.com but I was curious what anyone else does when they drop their coins. Oh also do you mention it in the logs or just say left signature items? I don't really want people to just follow us around picking up our coins from every cache we hit. Do you think they would be considered swag or signature item?

 

TIA for your answers!

[+mertat]

My coins are primarily signature items (they aren’t trackable) – I will trade but only in person. I had them made specifically so I could drop them in caches because I really enjoy finding coins in caches myself. I don’t attach a card but I did consider it – I like the idea but I guess I’m just too lazy.

 

I do mention in my log that I’ve dropped one of my coins. I don’t worry too much about people following me around just to pick up my coin. If it happens, it happens – but typically they’re going to have to earn it – I don’t drop my coins in just any cache . And even though I do like to know who picks them up (I keep track of which caches I’ve dropped coins in and who’s picked them up with a Coin Drop bookmark) not everyone logs that they’ve picked up a coin so I try not to lose any sleep over it. It’s just a coin.

 

I guess I’ve always considered sig items as swag and always trade for them.

 

Have fun with your new coin, BTW!

[+Kealia]

Ditto.

 

I only drop my personal coin in caches. Depending on the cache I may or may not mention that I've done so.

 

I don't leave a card but I have put a sticker on the outside of the sleeve stating to trade with a $5.00 trade item so that new folks know the value.

 

Some do, some don't. Some people log that they take them, some don't.

 

I only leave them in caches that I really enjoy so when they go MIA I at least know that the person who got it got to enjoy the same cache.

[+Team LightningBugs]

My personal coins were made for two reasons: to leave in high-quality caches and to trade with. I don't leave anything with it - no cards or stickers, though I don't think it's a bad idea to do so. I just consider them small gifts to the greater geocaching game. Once in a while, I see a happy log where somebody has found one and that makes my day. But since I have other things I would rather spend my time on than tracking who got one, I've tried to make the whole experience as angst-free as possible.

[Rupert2]

My coins are for trade (only for personal coins that have never been sold) and cache drops. Ok, I have given several away to special cachers too. My experience with cache drops has been very positive so far. To date I have not left a note, but may do so in the future. I have had one caching team find a coin that I had already given one to. They left it (without comment in the log) for the next cacher to find. You have got to love classy folks like this (which is why they were given one in the first place).

 

I very rarely mention in a log that I leave a coin. I can only think of one example where I have, but if you find it you deserve it!

 

So far folks have been pretty good about dropping me a line when they do find one. IMHO, cache drops have been fairly rewarding. I hope more people begin utilizing them more as sig items and less as comodities or travelbugs for sale.

[+HooTunes]

I have designed a coin and am leaning towards having it just be a sig/trade item. May I ask how many coins you had made? I would also love to see pictures!

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

I traded some of my coins back in Sept 2005, but they are now only signature items for caches (and I only have 6 or so left anyhow -- all earmarked for specific cache milestones).

 

Whenever possible, I get my Geo-nick engraved on all commercial coins I buy (UK, CAC come to mind) and then use them as cache-only drops.

 

While it was fun to trade some of my coins at first (and amass a big collection of early geocoins) -- there are just too many coins out there now. So face-to-face trades and into caches only.

 

...actually, I lie. I *would* still trade some of my new coins for personal coins of other cachers in some cases where we are unlikely to meet face-to-face and we have some history (fought in the forums, worked on some sort of event together, the design is cool, etc). I think I'll do my 2006 coins in August again.

Edited July 3, 2006 by Lemon Fresh Dog

[+Pepper]

I leave my big bell Pepper's and micro bell Pepper's all over the place. It's a fun sig item. I have a little peice of paper that says this is a gift...that's it the end. Don't expect anybody to do anything...but that's just me.

 

ok going back into lurking mode : )

 

Pepper

Edited July 3, 2006 by Pepper

[+AtlantaGal]

I drop my personal standard coins in caches and I also use them for trades. I don't leave any notes and I leave them based on geographic area, meaning I try to spread them around in all types of caches. That way more than one type of cacher has an opportunity to get one.

 

Last year some local cachers used to follow me around and gather them up. That got on my last nerve, however, I am over it. Some folks log that they took them and some don't. One cacher picked one of my 2005s up and dropped it into a cache in Switzerland. I thought that was pretty cool.

Edited July 3, 2006 by AtlantaGal

[+GBOTS]

We have left a few of our, non-trackable, coins around here...

One was picked up and promptly put up on Ebay...that got to me a bit , but whatever, I guess...

[+Dr. Whoever]

I tried this with a few of my first and only personal coins, however, they quickly ended up missing in action, so I had a 2"x2" Patch made (see my forum picture) for $0.68 each and used Marky's signature item tracking page to track them and now use these predominantly in caches. So far I've had very nice comments on them.

[+UOTrackers]

It's been great to hear how you all use your coins. In January when I found this forum I was overwhelmed with the possibility of signature items, geocoins, tokens and the like. Since then I have tried to come up with items that reflect me and my family and have had a great time doing so. I went a little crazy with a credit card and bought several coins and while we were in St. Louis I dropped some as gifts for the next cacher. They weren't difficult caches by any means, one was right in the local (free) zoo! It was a micro soo I figured it would really surprise the next finder. IT did! It gave me such a good feeling to do something for someone else, and that has been the fun part for me so far. I like reading back through logs to see who picked up what I left behind. I've always liked leaving things for my family, kinda like an easter egg hunt without the eggs....

 

Ok I'm rambling. Thanks everyone for telling me about your coins and how you use them. I hope others will add their tales to this thread...which gives me a great idea for another one!

 

Take care and Happy 4th!

 

For the one who asked about our coins, check our profile they can be found in there!

[+TMOCM]

My coins are numbered but not trackable. I've mostly traded with others for their personals and have recently begun placing them in some quality caches. Coins placed in caches are done without any notes left with the coin, although I'm considering leaving a small note so cachers understand the coin is theirs to do with as they wish, keep or move along. I don't say anything in my cache logs regarding the fact a personal coin was dropped in the cache, I like the next finder to be surprised.

[+Nero]

I have dropped a few of mine in caches, and they disappeared quick. even a couple i drilled and added TB tags to one is missing nd one is still moving.

 

I have decided to mainly trade my coins and maybe drop them in special caches.

 

for my every day sig item, i recently had these made...

 

[+HerrK & Friends]

I drop our non-trackable personal geocoin also in caches....as a little "Thank You" for great caches!

[+nfa]

I drop one of my personal, non-trackable, geocoins into every cache I visit or place...along with one of my TFTC! geocoins...I keep an eye on the cache logs to see who picks it up, and do feel happy when I read those logs.

 

Jamie - NFA

[+fox-and-the-hound]

We just dropped one a couple weeks ago and It was found this past weekend. Have to say it felt really, really good to do it We kept checking the logs everyday until it was picked up. I'm not sure why, but there's a real sense of anticipation and satisfaction when it's finally found. Almost immediately after the finder was inquiring about how to go about getting a coin made, too I've never found an unactivated coin, but it gives us hope to someday have the same experience.

[+graylling]

I had mine made up and split them between trading and dropping in caches. I don't like the idea of someone paying for something that I consider my personal item. If i drop it in a cache or trade it away then it's fair game. It's always nice to get the notes when someone actually finds one of my coins and drops me a line about it.