Calling Cards

[+chameleon77]

Just wondering,... I seem to notice that people put calling cards in the caches that they find. Is this a generally accepted practice?

I have seen quite a few, and have followed suit. However, now I'm wondering if I'm not just adding clutter to the cache, or if the owner appreciates these cards. I haven't gotten to the stage of placing my first cache, but when I do, I think it would be neat to build up a collection of geocachers calling cards.

(Not sure if this topic has been covered, or if I've posted in the right area.)

[+gof1]

If you are talking about signature cards, cool.

If you are talking business cards for things like Joe's plumbing, could be considered commercial in nature.

I like seeing the sig. cards. Usually toss the business cards from my caches.

[+4leafclover]

sometimes they are considered swag, especially by those who enjoy collecting sig items. I have several different varieties, and I enjoy lookin gat others in caches. I laminate mine, too.

[+chameleon77]

Thanks guys, I was using the wrong term. I now know that I meant to use the term signature cards.

And I'll assume that they're okay to add to a cache.

Many thanks again for the help.

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

It is an accepted practice by most people, if it's done as a signature card and not a trade. I think the original intent of the signature cards was a way of signing the log book; it was a bit more personal and sometimes easier than just a signature. In some areas it has become overkill to the point of being impersonal - find the cache, throw in a card, and run to the next. the caches all end up full of cards and no signatures in the logbook.

 

I know there are many people who enjoy trading signature items, but I don't consider them to be a trade item. Some people collect travel bugs & coins (or at least they collect the icons), but most don't consider them trades. I've had more than a few logs on my caches that said something like 'Took cool swag, left sig card'. To me that's like saying 'Took something, left nothing, signed log'. I have yet to see a log that says 'Took sig card, left cool swag'. A signature card is not a trade item unless the cache was originally full of other sig cards as trades. When I stock my caches with swag and end up with a bunch of cards, it's just clutter to me and I end up swapping most of them out. I can appreciate the effort that many people put into making their signature cards, they are artful at times, but I put effort into my hides too, I don't think a real signature is too much to ask.

 

- Kewaneh

[+evelbug]

I tend to just trade for signature items. I'll always leave a signature poker chip in a cache. If someone else has left an interesting sig item, I'll take that. For me, a card needs to be something more than just a business card printed on an inkjet to catch my intrest. Laminate it or have a real cool design, and I might be interested.

[57chevy]

I like the Idea of signature cards, and just recently picked up some card stock and will be experimenting with it soon.

[Warbones]

any particular program or settings you all are using to make these? I haven't found any yet but I think I'd like to collect them if and when I do.

[+caderoux]

They are not acceptable in film cans (or any other cache where space is prohibitive).

[+chameleon77]

 

I can appreciate the effort that many people put into making their signature cards, they are artful at times, but I put effort into my hides too, I don't think a real signature is too much to ask.

 

- Kewaneh

I appreciate the time and effort that people put into hides, and to sign the log I feel, is a privilege.

It took effort to find the cache, and the reward is to be able to add your name to the list of successful hunters. I think the sig card is just a little extra, something personal from the geohunter. ( I have yet to learn about geocoins, etc.)

 

Thanks for your input, I did have in the back of my mind when I started this thread, that I may be contributing to the clutter of a cache, but it seems to be a generally accepted practice. Maybe I should reserve the sig card dropping-into-cache thing for caches over a certain size. Guess common sense is a good guideline there.

Cheers.

[avroair]

Thanks guys, I was using the wrong term. I now know that I meant to use the term signature cards.

And I'll assume that they're okay to add to a cache.

Many thanks again for the help.

 

Many people, myself included, collect signature cards and items. Around here people also leave personalized buttons, poker chips, wooden nickel tokens, pencils or laminated 'found it' cards. I have a binder I keep them in. I like having a keepsake from another cacher.

[nycrayjai]

I would collect sig cards if they have cool designs on it.

(have cache anything yet, prob start today after work)

[+niraD]

I have yet to see a log that says 'Took sig card, left cool swag'.

FWIW, I always leave my own sig token (if it won't fit, then I leave it in the next cache I find). But when I take someone else's sig item for my collection, I always leave something (besides my own sig token) in exchange for the sig item I took.

[RedStickHam]

I've seen a few signature items in caches before. I recently saw a logsheet in one from a cacher in a city I used to live in so I dropped him an Email. When I went on a caching trip with a science fiction club, we left cards advertising our club in caches where we left items. I put a business card advertising the group in case with an audio cassette tape I left in one cache.

 

We don't think these items were cluttering the caches, since they were regular caches and not too crowded. The organization was a non-profit group, so I don't think it was inappropriate. I think cards with signatures or promoting some organizations are OK, but commercial stuff needs to stay out.

 

Just my opinion.

[+TeamHarrison]

It's definitely a case-by-case basis thing with me. I'm growing increasingly leary of "non-profit" organizations after recently meeting someone that was running one of these. Even though the stated purpose of the organization was noble, it didn't really collect much money BEYOND THAT OF THE LEADER'S SALARY to do much good for that purpose. It definitely redefined "non-profit" in my mind.

 

I now know to do my research to find out just what percentage of my "donation" is going to the actual cause versus how much is going elsewhere.

 

So, in the vein of this topic, be VERY cautious with what you consider commercial or not.

[+wfmitch]

Thanks for the info

[+H2OBob]

I look at sig cards as a separate ‘side trade’. After the regular trade is finished, if there is a card that I want, I trade one of mine for it. The guidelines are the same as the regular swag trade. Trade to enrich the cache. At least that’s how I look at it.

 

I agree with those that think that non-laminated cards are trash. They turn to mush with the least moisture, and even a little condensation will be absorbed by them, forming a wet mass of goop in the bottom of the container. This goop holds the moisture, turning buttons or any other metal swag to rust. Whenever I can, I’ll clean this wet goop out of a cache.

 

My cards are printed in color, on cardstock, and laminated. I used MS Word to print them, but MS Works and others will do. I just think that Word is easier.

 

You can get the prepunched cardstock at any office supply store. I found the best buy on laminate at WW. Called XYRON, a 12 inch by 24 foot roll was only a few bucks.

 

Happy Caching!

[+TotemLake]

 

I can appreciate the effort that many people put into making their signature cards, they are artful at times, but I put effort into my hides too, I don't think a real signature is too much to ask.

 

- Kewaneh

I appreciate the time and effort that people put into hides, and to sign the log I feel, is a privilege.

It took effort to find the cache, and the reward is to be able to add your name to the list of successful hunters. I think the sig card is just a little extra, something personal from the geohunter. ( I have yet to learn about geocoins, etc.)

 

Thanks for your input, I did have in the back of my mind when I started this thread, that I may be contributing to the clutter of a cache, but it seems to be a generally accepted practice. Maybe I should reserve the sig card dropping-into-cache thing for caches over a certain size. Guess common sense is a good guideline there.

Cheers.

 

If the cache contents are damp, I tend not to leave a card just because of that condition. The other thing I do sometimes, is carry little snack ziplocks and put the card in that to help protect it further from the elements besides the clear coat that is sprayed on the card.