Do you support commercial coins?

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

In another thread (several actually), coins have been offered at prices above the cost to procure them.

These coins are then sold at a profit.

 

What happens to that profit?

1) it goes into the sellers hands

2) it is sometimes used to provide "free" or "cache" coins.

3) sometimes both

 

The above is fine, but not all that relevant to the question I pose:

 

Do you support commercial coins? If so, what are the ranges of prices you would pay for a coin?

 

As I pose the question, I suppose I should go first and provide BOTH a yes and a no!

 

I will buy the odd commercial coin if it is from an organization or of very high interest to me (like a place I used to live or visit). I will not buy personal coins that seek to make a profit.

 

My reasoning behind this is that a "geocoin" to me is not a souvenir, but an artifact of an activity and hobby. So when I acquire a state or organizational coin, I know that the profit is likely benefiting the hobby as a whole. I will pay up to about $10 and ussually only $7-8 max.

 

When I trade for a personal coin, I know that I acquired it from a cacher that had it made as part of their interest in the hobby. I ran out of my coins and had to stop trading, but I have a new order of 100 different coins coming in soon for face-to-face trades.

 

To me, a personal design that is sold at a profit, regardless of the number of ammo cans, etc, etc on it isn't a true geocoin. It's a way for someone to either subsidize their own coin or make money at the expense of the hobby -- I truely believe that the glut in these coins has hurt the hobby more than it has helped.

 

I do feel folks have the right to create, sell, buy and do whatever they want. I just ain't shopping.

 

That's MY story and I'm sticking to it! What are your thoughts?

Edited August 11, 2006 by Lemon Fresh Dog

[+Team Shydog]

I will keep it short and sweet.

 

Ditto

[+UOTrackers]

I suppose I handle it on a case by case senario. For example, I love turtles, so when I saw the loggerhead turtle coins I HAD to have them. They are among the favorites in my daughter's collection. I'm not so big on Aliens When I started I had nothing to trade, so to ebay I went. Now I have our coins that we've done some trading with so I really don't have much of a need to buy coins anymore.

 

A whole other story would be coins that benefit a cause. I'm a really big donator for the March of Dimes, having lost 2 children of my own it's my very small way to help other parents not to have to feel what I do. So depending on the charities I am likely to help out. Cancer charities also usually pull sway with me, my husband has had cancer 3 times, and that was just before he was 17.

 

I guess it all depends on the coin. Although I really think that any profit over $1.00 a coin is pushing it. I can see the $1.00 as it is a LOT of work, at MOST $2.00 anything more is a business plain and simple. I'd rather submit my designs to companies who sell coins at a decent price and hope for some coins in return then turn around and make them myself for a profit...wait, that's what I've been doing!

[+Renegade Knight]

Commercial coins go hand in hand with commercial caches. Hell only approve commercial caches if the company stocks them with commercial coins that they sponsored.

[danoshimano]

The thread seems to be mixed up between "personal" geocoins and "commercial" geocoins, so I will address each individually:

 

Personal Geocoins:

 

I think it is a great market that has developed, and the coin collecting sub-hobby has grown because of it. The fact that people can sell personal coins at a profit is critical. This allows geocachers who don't have a spare couple-thousand dollars lying around to mint a personal geocoin, sell the majority to other willing cachers at a small profit, then have a bunch of coins left over to leave in caches and trade. This market that has developed has resulted in a huge variety of coins. The only problem lies with collectors who want to have "one of each" and therefore give up. Me, I try for most personal coins that come on the market. (I was a coin collector in the 1970s, and started again at the turn of the century. Geocoins are one of four different coin collections I pursue.)

 

Commercial Geocoins:

 

I assume you mean a coin that is other than one with a geocachers handle on it, or otherwise directly related to that geocacher. Here my criteria is simple: I buy what I like. The Evil Micro geocoins are a good example. I would call it "commercial" because it has nothing to do with an individual cacher (whether it was made by a company for profit, or ordered up by an individual cacher is unimportant). It's a cool looking coin. I love it, and it is in my collection. Others I pass on. I don't care for many of the state/province/country coins, but I have some because I like them.

 

So, yes, I support the "commercial" geocoin market by buying, and I actively support the "personal" geocoin market by buying even more.

[+bluegillfisherman]

In another thread (several actually), coins have been offered at prices above the cost to procure them.

These coins are then sold at a profit.

 

What happens to that profit?

1) it goes into the sellers hands

2) it is sometimes used to provide "free" or "cache" coins.

3) sometimes both

 

The above is fine, but not all that relevant to the question I pose:

 

Do you support commercial coins? If so, what are the ranges of prices you would pay for a coin?

 

As I pose the question, I suppose I should go first and provide BOTH a yes and a no!

 

I will buy the odd commercial coin if it is from an organization or of very high interest to me (like a place I used to live or visit). I will not buy personal coins that seek to make a profit.

 

My reasoning behind this is that a "geocoin" to me is not a souvenir, but an artifact of an activity and hobby. So when I acquire a state or organizational coin, I know that the profit is likely benefiting the hobby as a whole. I will pay up to about $10 and ussually only $7-8 max.

 

When I trade for a personal coin, I know that I acquired it from a cacher that had it made as part of their interest in the hobby. I ran out of my coins and had to stop trading, but I have a new order of 100 different coins coming in soon for face-to-face trades.

 

To me, a personal design that is sold at a profit, regardless of the number of ammo cans, etc, etc on it isn't a true geocoin. It's a way for someone to either subsidize their own coin or make money at the expense of the hobby -- I truely believe that the glut in these coins has hurt the hobby more than it has helped.

 

I do feel folks have the right to create, sell, buy and do whatever they want. I just ain't shopping.

 

That's MY story and I'm sticking to it! What are your thoughts?

 

Been ditto'd, but ditto once again.

 

bgf

[+501_Gang]

In another thread (several actually), coins have been offered at prices above the cost to procure them.

These coins are then sold at a profit.

 

What happens to that profit?

1) it goes into the sellers hands

2) it is sometimes used to provide "free" or "cache" coins.

3) sometimes both

 

The above is fine, but not all that relevant to the question I pose:

 

Do you support commercial coins? If so, what are the ranges of prices you would pay for a coin?

 

As I pose the question, I suppose I should go first and provide BOTH a yes and a no!

 

I will buy the odd commercial coin if it is from an organization or of very high interest to me (like a place I used to live or visit). I will not buy personal coins that seek to make a profit.

 

My reasoning behind this is that a "geocoin" to me is not a souvenir, but an artifact of an activity and hobby. So when I acquire a state or organizational coin, I know that the profit is likely benefiting the hobby as a whole. I will pay up to about $10 and ussually only $7-8 max.

 

When I trade for a personal coin, I know that I acquired it from a cacher that had it made as part of their interest in the hobby. I ran out of my coins and had to stop trading, but I have a new order of 100 different coins coming in soon for face-to-face trades.

 

To me, a personal design that is sold at a profit, regardless of the number of ammo cans, etc, etc on it isn't a true geocoin. It's a way for someone to either subsidize their own coin or make money at the expense of the hobby -- I truely believe that the glut in these coins has hurt the hobby more than it has helped.

 

I do feel folks have the right to create, sell, buy and do whatever they want. I just ain't shopping.

 

That's MY story and I'm sticking to it! What are your thoughts?

 

Been ditto'd, but ditto once again.

 

bgf

 

3rd Ditto!

[+Rattlingcrew]

I buy the ones I like, which are a lot of different designs, and can afford. If I like it and can afford it, who cares if somebody makes money on it? Somebody has to be making money on all of them or else there would be none of them. Everybody needs paid, in one way or another. Glen

[+Green Achers]

...This allows geocachers who don't have a spare couple-thousand dollars lying around to mint a personal geocoin, sell the majority to other willing cachers at a small profit, then have a bunch of coins left over to leave in caches and trade....

I'm property rich and dirt poor... and was still able to mint a few coins (lowering my costs by selling some) so I could hide them in caches. Finding something special in a cache every now and then brings more joy to an already fun sport! Maybe you'll get to find a Glowing Benchmark or better yet, how about a Moun10Bike coin! That would be cool.

[+saso792]

I buy the ones I like, which are a lot of different designs, and can afford. If I like it and can afford it, who cares if somebody makes money on it? Somebody has to be making money on all of them or else there would be none of them. Everybody needs paid, in one way or another. Glen

 

I don't especially like this topic since it is just beating a dead horse and has been discussed before but.....

I'm with you Glen, all the way. If I like it and can afford it, I buy it. If I can't afford it or don't like the design, then I don't buy it and that seems pretty simple to me. Actually this is where I should stop but I'm not noted for that so on we go.

Geocoin sales, "Groundspeak" forum sales (notice the highlights around Groundspeak, doesn't have my name or your name at the top of this page), eBay sales and a host of other sales avenues are all about the "American Way" of the free enterprise system! I paid for a premium membership but I don't remember geocaching.com saying that I paid for the right to decide the geocaching community would be run by what I think should or should not be done or by my opinion (you know what they say about opinions). If it is approved by geocaching.com, then that is good enouigh for me and if not, then I can get off the wagon. After all, this is their baby, not mine, not the whiners, not the complainers, not the happy cachers, all theirs and we get to share in the fun!!! If we don't like it and don't want to live with it, then we go do something else. They have made a bundle off geocoins and that is a positive for all of us and we all benefit from it. Tracking numbers and icons pay for a host of things that improves geocaching as a whole. I haven't seen anyone getting after geocaching.com for the money being made on the tracking numbers or icons and haven't seen anyone going after the coin makers for the prices and profit they make (yes they also make a profit), so why should I have a problem with the end sellers? They put up the money at their own risk to have them made and they should be able to profit from that risk at the rate the market allows. I can still buy several geocoins for what it costs me to fill up the fuel tank on my truck.

Now, can we quit beating a dead horse and get back to the fun side of geocaching? The old horse is getting really really tired. Too much negativity is not good for the geocaching community, nor is it good for you or me. Smile, put on a happy face and quit worrying about what the other person is doing. If they are making a dollar at it, good for them. I have a high enough self esteem that I don't feel the need to slam someone just because I may not like their geocoin design or because I think they may be selling them for more money than "I" think it should be sold for. God didn't give any of us a Monopoly on thinking or anything else. Sorry if the above offends anyone but we all need to be more positive!!

[+Kealia]

 

Do you support commercial coins? If so, what are the ranges of prices you would pay for a coin?

 

 

I support commercial coins that are done by organziations, states, groups, etc. as long as the price is decent - say $8.00 - $9.00. There are a few commercial coins I like and have bought/traded for (Signal, USA, Commemorative Finds, APE, etc.) that are tightly related to geocaching IMO so I buy/trade for them.

 

I don't/won't buy a personal coin (and don't typically trade for them as of a long time ago) as I like the personal coins in my collection to reflect a meeting or experience with the cacher - more than just an email, for me.

 

Even on the coins I like (Signal as an example) I won't pay what I think is too much - I'll trade for them with older coins which is usually helpful for newer collectors trying to get older ones.

[+geoSquid]

Commercial Geocoins:

 

I assume you mean a coin that is other than one with a geocachers handle on it, or otherwise directly related to that geocacher. Here my criteria is simple: I buy what I like. The Evil Micro geocoins are a good example. I would call it "commercial" because it has nothing to do with an individual cacher (whether it was made by a company for profit, or ordered up by an individual cacher is unimportant). It's a cool looking coin. I love it, and it is in my collection. Others I pass on. I don't care for many of the state/province/country coins, but I have some because I like them.

 

I'm with you on this one. I buy what I like if it's at a price I like, without regard to whether or not it's "commercial".

 

I honestly and truly cannot understand why so many people seem to have a weed up their butts about a person recovering their costs (yes, that means selling higher than procurement due to coins lost/damaged/replaced or traded), or making a small profit. It's not like someone has a monopoly on coins and is charging through the nose AND we're all forced to buy coins or be killed. I guess the other way to look at it is thus:

 

Why is it expected that a person who makes a coin lose money on the project?

 

Because, hobby/interest/or whatever, I think it's a bit silly to deliberately set out to lose money. Maybe Bill Gates can do that in his spare time, but I'm pretty sure most people can't. More importantly, whether or not someone is making money of their coin is just not anyone's business in my opinion, and as a purchaser, you really have no idea what any coin's cost actually is anyway.

 

Yes, you can make an onajeristic guess based on some web page estimators, but you really don't have a clue unless the maker decides to disclose that information.

 

So all-in-all, I think it's pretty unfair to rag on someone because they might be making a profit. Frankly, someone can produce a coin I like and want to buy, and they can make a profit off it too, more power to them. That's what the American Dream is all about isn't it?

 

If someone can produce a coin with a unit cost of $0.01 and sell them all for $100, that's cool with me. If the coin is awesome enough, I might even buy some.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

I don't especially like this topic since it is just beating a dead horse and has been discussed before but.....

 

I'm sorry, but I am not judging anyone and/or trying to be negative, non-american (although I am not), etc, etc. Nor do I really care what others do in as much as it doesn't affect me one way or another. There is no dead horse unless we start judging and telling people their opinions are wrong.

 

I asked a question. A simple one at that. I also stated an opinion without making judgement on anyone holding an alternate opinion.

 

Personally, I feel any coin that generates a profit for any reason is commercial. I do not like to buy coins from individuals that generate a profit -- whether that profit is intended as a subsidy to their own coins or whether that profit is profit for it's own sake. I do buy coins from organizations.

 

However, I also respect people's right to do what they want. No beating here. Just a question to see what the general population thinks as a whole.

[avroair]

I make and sell event coins for NNJC (a caching group here in New Jersey), all the profits go towards the clubs. I try to sell for as cheap as I can, usually making 50-80 cents off each coin. The club then uses the money to help pay for events and geocaching educational tools. So yes I support coins that make a profit...

 

But on the other hand no coin that I have seen should cost more than $10 (in my mind) so higher than that and I don't buy it unless I knew it was a good (in my opinion) cause. I won't buy coins I feel are commercial in nature rather than having a point or meaning.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Just to be 100% clear.

 

This is not a question of whether someone SHOULD or SHOULD NOT make money on a coin.

 

The quesiton is whether you would buy one and for how much.

[avroair]

No, I don't buy what I deem to be commercial coins.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Sorry Avroair, I was posting my last post at the same time you were --- my comment was not directed at you whatsoever.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Absolutely support commercial coins. When we started we didn't know anything about coins. As soon as we started to learn we purchased some of the CITO coins and climbed right back up the mountain to leave one where we found our first USA geocoin (also commercial). On an extremely limited budget it's much easier to buy some great looking coins to trade or release than to make a bunch for yourself. Every purchase supports the system, too. Whether it's custom icons, tracking numbers, TB's or premium membership it's all for the love of the hunt

 

Trading coins is still selling anyway. It's called barter and whether you barter for cash, coins or a pb & j sandwhich it's all the same in the long run. You traded something of worth for something of worth. After that it's all semantics.

 

As for how much, it all depends on how shiny it is

Edited August 12, 2006 by fox-and-the-hound

[+MustangJoni]

Do commercial coins support Geocaching?

 

I think the answer here is yes. If they mint 500 trackable coins with an icon, then $900 goes to geocaching. When I was on the GW4 committee several of the coin sellers lent their support to the event.

 

So do I support them? Definately!

[ParentsofSAM]

Do I support commercial geocoins???

 

Yes and No.

 

I buy what I like and what I feel like buying at the time. No real criteria other than I want to feel like I got my monies worth when I get the coin.

 

That is the reason I would not ever buy a HTF coin from eBay for hundreds and hundreds of dollars....no matter what coin it was. It just is not worth it to me.

[avroair]

 

As for how much, it all depends on how shiny it is

 

Is glow in the dark considered shiny?

[+Jan and the Percey Boys]

 

As for how much, it all depends on how shiny it is

 

Is glow in the dark considered shiny?

 

Mine is

 

Bob

[+Team JSAM]

I will support any coin really as long as its priced right thses coins that are 12.00 and up for no real reason I dont support, just personal choice. I dont see anything wrong with commerical coins as the end result is more coin in caches and I support that 100%. The only thing I dont like is when someone makes a 6-8 dollar coin and sells it for 13+ dollars, all that does is prohibite that coin form ever going into a cache.

 

-TJ

[+geoSquid]

 

Personally, I feel any coin that generates a profit for any reason is commercial. I do not like to buy coins from individuals that generate a profit

 

Unfortunately, you (the generic "you", I'm not aiming this at LFD or any specific person) have absolutely no way of being sure any given coin is generating a profit, and no coin issuer is under any obligation to release their financials to you.

 

So, in essence, you have to make an onageristic guess - pre-judging, if you prefer, whether or not that person's coin production meets your strict standards for purchase. For a battery of reasons that are both obvious and previously stated, you could very well be wrong.

 

I have no fundamental problem with that, but I wish that people doing it would do so quietly, rather than trying to claim some kind of high ground that just isn't there.

 

More to the point of the question about how much you'd pay, for me, it depends on what I think of the item, but I have a general upper limit of about double what a travel-bug tag would cost. So about $15 CAD give or take. Unless the coin is actually struck in precious metal (and therefore has an intrinsic value), geocoins are simply game tokens with an artificial market, I can't see paying much more than about $15 each for the best ones. Mr. Moun10bike could offer a handcrafted one for sale only to me, and maybe, just maybe, I might possibly pay $20 if it was trackable and had an icon too.

 

If you want an issue that isn't a tempest in a teapot, why are there no discussions about people shipping single geocoins from the US to Canada for $5.99 US and other ludicrous shipping prices. Envelope, postage, and packing all included, it doesn't cost anywhere near that to ship a coin or two to Canada (that's about right for US to Europe, I think). If people want to rail about profiteering, look at shipping costs vs shipping rates.

 

Don't forget also that a $7 US coin will incur duties and taxes when shipped (on my two coins, D&T worked out to 50 cents per coin on one, and about 12 cents per coin on the other). Then add about 40 cents per coin in paypal fees, and if eBay is involved, another 40 cents per coin in ebay sales fees, and depending on how many are listed at once, possibly another 50 cents to $1 in ebay listing fees. So your $7 coin shows up for sale at almost $9 on ebay. Add a bit of extra to cover fair losses and you're at closer to $10 and the seller STILL HASN'T MADE A PROFIT, which is why coins seem a bit more expensive on ebay. Also, if the seller isn't the coin originator, he's had costs to acquire the coin that are probably in excess of base cost.

 

People who are down on commercial coins, to me, just seem to want to get something cool for free.

Edited August 13, 2006 by geoSquid

[+budd-rdc]

I don't knowingly support commercial Geocoins. I buy what I like, and ignore what I don't like. I don't consider myself a compulsive collector, so the Geocoin Hype didn't influence my buying decisions too much.

 

Anything that costs more than $10 each gets extra scrutiny. I always appreciate manufacturers and designers who know how to cut costs yet can deliver a good product. (below $8 including icons)

 

I'm indifferent to what people do with the profits. The Geocoin Community is well-informed, so it's easy to spot the mere speculators who I consider supply and demand amateurs - come back to me with a profitable securities portfolio then we are talking.

[+pfalstad]

I buy commercial or any other coins if they're cool, otherwise not. All coins support the hobby (geocaching); geocaching.com gets money for each one sold. I don't care if the seller is making a profit. Somebody is making a profit on every coin, whether it's the artist, or the mint in China, or ebay, or the people who resell it on ebay, or whoever... Why not the sellers, since it's their idea?

[Rupert2]

In another thread (several actually), coins have been offered at prices above the cost to procure them.

These coins are then sold at a profit.

 

What happens to that profit?

1) it goes into the sellers hands

2) it is sometimes used to provide "free" or "cache" coins.

3) sometimes both

 

The above is fine, but not all that relevant to the question I pose:

 

Do you support commercial coins? If so, what are the ranges of prices you would pay for a coin?

 

As I pose the question, I suppose I should go first and provide BOTH a yes and a no!

 

I will buy the odd commercial coin if it is from an organization or of very high interest to me (like a place I used to live or visit). I will not buy personal coins that seek to make a profit.

 

My reasoning behind this is that a "geocoin" to me is not a souvenir, but an artifact of an activity and hobby. So when I acquire a state or organizational coin, I know that the profit is likely benefiting the hobby as a whole. I will pay up to about $10 and ussually only $7-8 max.

 

When I trade for a personal coin, I know that I acquired it from a cacher that had it made as part of their interest in the hobby. I ran out of my coins and had to stop trading, but I have a new order of 100 different coins coming in soon for face-to-face trades.

 

To me, a personal design that is sold at a profit, regardless of the number of ammo cans, etc, etc on it isn't a true geocoin. It's a way for someone to either subsidize their own coin or make money at the expense of the hobby -- I truely believe that the glut in these coins has hurt the hobby more than it has helped.

 

I do feel folks have the right to create, sell, buy and do whatever they want. I just ain't shopping.

 

That's MY story and I'm sticking to it! What are your thoughts?

 

Been ditto'd, but ditto once again.

 

bgf

 

3rd Ditto!

4th ditto!

[+indgeodog]

I do not know if there is a topic for this or if this fits under this topic. Ebay sold coins. I found one of Lemon Fresh Dog's coin, at least the picture says it is and the description says different. How can someone transfer the ownership of a coin they do not own. I looked under Lemon Fresh Dog's trackables and they own all of their coins as I can see. Here is the link. ebay coin

[danoshimano]

I do not know if there is a topic for this or if this fits under this topic. Ebay sold coins. I found one of Lemon Fresh Dog's coin, at least the picture says it is and the description says different. How can someone transfer the ownership of a coin they do not own. I looked under Lemon Fresh Dog's trackables and they own all of their coins as I can see. Here is the link. ebay coin

 

That's not a Lemon Fresh Dog coin, it's a Red-Handed coin. The person selling it is the owner of the coin, and says they will transfer ownership to the buyer.

[+indgeodog]

I do not know if there is a topic for this or if this fits under this topic. Ebay sold coins. I found one of Lemon Fresh Dog's coin, at least the picture says it is and the description says different. How can someone transfer the ownership of a coin they do not own. I looked under Lemon Fresh Dog's trackables and they own all of their coins as I can see. Here is the link. ebay coin

 

That's not a Lemon Fresh Dog coin, it's a Red-Handed coin. The person selling it is the owner of the coin, and says they will transfer ownership to the buyer.

 

Did you look at the picture? It is the same coin they have in their trackables and their name is on it.

[+Mauison]

I do not know if there is a topic for this or if this fits under this topic. Ebay sold coins. I found one of Lemon Fresh Dog's coin, at least the picture says it is and the description says different. How can someone transfer the ownership of a coin they do not own. I looked under Lemon Fresh Dog's trackables and they own all of their coins as I can see. Here is the link. ebay coin

 

That's not a Lemon Fresh Dog coin, it's a Red-Handed coin. The person selling it is the owner of the coin, and says they will transfer ownership to the buyer.

 

Did you look at the picture? It is the same coin they have in their trackables and their name is on it.

 

Lemon Fresh Dog was the designer and sold these at a very affordable price, I think around $5.75 each. The one on eBay more than likely was bought by the seller from LFD and then activated. Now they're selling it and will adopt it out to the buyer.

[+indgeodog]

I do not know if there is a topic for this or if this fits under this topic. Ebay sold coins. I found one of Lemon Fresh Dog's coin, at least the picture says it is and the description says different. How can someone transfer the ownership of a coin they do not own. I looked under Lemon Fresh Dog's trackables and they own all of their coins as I can see. Here is the link. ebay coin

 

That's not a Lemon Fresh Dog coin, it's a Red-Handed coin. The person selling it is the owner of the coin, and says they will transfer ownership to the buyer.

 

Did you look at the picture? It is the same coin they have in their trackables and their name is on it.

 

Lemon Fresh Dog was the designer and sold these at a very affordable price, I think around $5.75 each. The one on eBay more than likely was bought by the seller from LFD and then activated. Now they're selling it and will adopt it out to the buyer.

 

Thanks

[+indgeodog]

Thanks

[danoshimano]

Did you look at the picture? It is the same coin they have in their trackables and their name is on it.

 

Yes, I did look at the picture. I thought "Red-handed" was a cacher. I see Lemon Fresh Dog's name on the other side now. Anyway, the owner of the coin is selling it and will adopt it out to who ever buys it. I'm not sure what the problem is with the auction.

[+indgeodog]

Did you look at the picture? It is the same coin they have in their trackables and their name is on it.

 

Yes, I did look at the picture. I thought "Red-handed" was a cacher. I see Lemon Fresh Dog's name on the other side now. Anyway, the owner of the coin is selling it and will adopt it out to who ever buys it. I'm not sure what the problem is with the auction.

 

 

I noticed they were missing one. It was a general question to all coin owners how they felt there coins being sold on ebay.

[+indgeodog]

I talked to Lemon Fresh Dog by email and my question has been answered, thanks to all.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Hello all,

The Red-Handed coin was a joke that turned into a coin. Everyone was complaining that coins were being stolen and it was suggested that folks might not know what to do with a coin when they found one. So I created the most obvious coin I possibly could.

 

The coin was sold at cost to anyone that wanted it on a pre-order basis. I think somewhere around 475 were pre-ordered at $5.50 a coin. I kicked in the extra cash and brought the order above 500 (600 actually) in order to get the coin cost down (we also needed 500 to get the tracking - which added $1.50 to each coin). Way back then, they didn't offer custom icons for anything less than 1000 coins --- in fact, I think custom icons may not have even existed formally at the point the coin was created.

 

So many folks have these. It's sort of a "community" coin that I project managed. I'd do it again just to give folks a cheap, trackable coin (I even thought of a left-handed, red-handed version), but I found the mailing out was pretty time-consuming in general. I'll leave coins to organizations that have volunteers to package and mail them.

 

I have about 50 left that I place in many caches -- many as FTF prizes. Like everyone, I paid my share of the cost for these - $5.50 a coin.

[+PAWSitraction]

To answer the OP,

I will purchase group coins, organization coins, and other "non-personal" coins, should I like them and should the price be what I'm willing to pay for that coin. I don't have a "price range", per se - it varies by coin.

 

For Personal coins, I will not pay one cent. I don't buy anyone's sig items from them, and In My Opinion, that's what they are - a sig item that just so happens to be made out of metal.

[Not So Lost Puppies]

To answer the OP,

I will purchase group coins, organization coins, and other "non-personal" coins, should I like them and should the price be what I'm willing to pay for that coin. I don't have a "price range", per se - it varies by coin.

 

For Personal coins, I will not pay one cent. I don't buy anyone's sig items from them, and In My Opinion, that's what they are - a sig item that just so happens to be made out of metal.

 

I pretty much agree with that, though I now buy very few 'non-personal' coins that are NOT organization coins.

 

and I agree on personal coins being sig items, thats what ours is. Also, unless it is no longer available from the person, I don't trade them with others.