Stolen Geocoins

[+nefesh]

Norway is not really considered a country where coins go missing very often.

Maybe this is just a stroke of bad luck.

I am sorry for you anyway

Thanks Sivota. Update: he did give it to another cacher who took it to Sweden. Not it's Mission (wanting to go to Iceland), and another cacher has since retrieved it and not yet dropped it. Keeping fingers crossed........

[+TEAM HARTSOCK]

I released a TB with a couple more ready to go out. My TB disappeared by the 2nd cacher and they won't return my emails and haven't cached in months with a total of 15 caches. It was a special keychain that the kids got me that said World's Best Dad. We all knew that it was a good possiblity of it disappearing but they wanted to take the chance and they thought it was cool to see it logged (at least that one time). I will release other TBs, but there is no way I am releasing any of my coins. I plan on doing some of the copy things and if cachers don't like them, then just don't take them. I would love for the coins to travel, but the ones I have I don't want to lose. I will buy some coins with the specific purpose of releasing them, but they will be ones that I don't plan to truly to be considered in my collection.

[+steel city babes]

Here are two of my coins that went missing early in their adventures and eventually found themselves in the same cache recently .

 

motogrrl Memorial Geocoin SCB#1 missing since 6/26/07(6 days after placing) back in the game on 7/3/09 almost two years

 

Rockin Roddy's RACER#1 Last seen on 5/12/07 back in the game again on 5/3/09.

 

Both were found in this cache: MIDWAY but they weren't logged into the cache.....

Edited July 7, 2009 by steel city babes

[+nefesh]

Here are two of my coins that went missing early in their adventures and eventually found themselves in the same cache recently .

 

motogrrl Memorial Geocoin SCB#1 missing since 6/26/07(6 days after placing) back in the game on 7/3/09 almost two years

 

Rockin Roddy's RACER#1 Last seen on 5/12/07 back in the game again on 5/3/09.

 

Both were found in this cache: MIDWAY but they weren't logged into the cache.....

Whoo Hoo! Congrats on getting a couple back. I love to hear about them surfacing again.

[+Fiery Searcher]

Here are two of my coins that went missing early in their adventures and eventually found themselves in the same cache recently .

 

Congrats, SCBs! These stories always give me hope that some of my "missing" releases might resurface somewhere...sometime...somehow...

[+steel city babes]

Another one shows up after a year being misplaced in some tin boxes in the woods....LOL

 

Zoester's Geocoin #1 - Steel City Babes

 

Having a good summer as far as my coins showing back up....

[+Fiery Searcher]

SCB, you must have some awesome coin karma with you (and your coins) this year. What's you secret?!

 

Makes me wonder just how much time I should allow before I "really and truly" consider a coin missing?

[+nefesh]

Norway is not really considered a country where coins go missing very often.

Maybe this is just a stroke of bad luck.

I am sorry for you anyway

Thanks Sivota. Update: he did give it to another cacher who took it to Sweden. Not it's Mission (wanting to go to Iceland), and another cacher has since retrieved it and not yet dropped it. Keeping fingers crossed........

It's still moving It's mission has many northern locations, the first of which is Iceland. The coin started in Norway and is now is Sweden, but pretty close to a larger city and the ocean. My coin,TB2X8ZJ, maybe someone can help it along.

Edited July 25, 2009 by nefesh

[+TEAM HARTSOCK]

I released a TB with a couple more ready to go out. My TB disappeared by the 2nd cacher and they won't return my emails and haven't cached in months with a total of 15 caches. It was a special keychain that the kids got me that said World's Best Dad. We all knew that it was a good possiblity of it disappearing but they wanted to take the chance and they thought it was cool to see it logged (at least that one time). I will release other TBs, but there is no way I am releasing any of my coins. I plan on doing some of the copy things and if cachers don't like them, then just don't take them. I would love for the coins to travel, but the ones I have I don't want to lose. I will buy some coins with the specific purpose of releasing them, but they will be ones that I don't plan to truly to be considered in my collection.

 

TB in question turned up a few weeks ago when a cacher emailed me and told me they drpped it off in a cache. but like the cacher before them, they hadn't logged it. so i had to grab it and dip it into the one they found it in and then drop it to where it is (supposedly)

 

Wonder how many coins get moved and never logged...

Edited July 25, 2009 by TEAM HARTSOCK

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Wonder how many coins get moved and never logged...

I'm still a newbee, but from what I have seen, an awfully lot of them get moved w/o being logged.

Initially, I was thinking they were lifted (stolen), but watching a bit more, I see some show up in another cached (not logged there, either). Finally, grabbed and re-introduced to the system.

 

Others, like really cool coins, just plain get lifted and put into a private collection.

[+rdfirebrd]

I really like finding coins and TB's and moving them along where ever I might go...assuming I am not hurting their mission if they have a specific one.

 

So far out of the 3 coins/1 TB I have released, I consider all but 1 coin to be missing(and that one has been in its cache for awhile and may be missing)...the other 3 have been in the hands of cachers for anywhere from a month to almost 3 months.

 

I have duplicates of the coins for my own collection, but consider the rest to be missing after only 1 or 2 trips....while I realize they may someday be dropped, I find considering them missing will make it that much more enjoyable when/if I finally get that mail saying so.

 

I do have another coin ready to drop to celebrate my 300th find(I've chosen to drop them at special moments in my caching experience/life)...but I believe after that if I buy anymore they will simply be for my own collection and I will more than likely not release any to the wild.

[+Kiwi Nomad]

My account has 16 geocoins, some are mine and some are my sons (they don't have accounts of their own).

 

Of these 10 only travel with me to events which leaves 6 of which 2 are still being logged so 4 which isn't many except when you look at percentage of those traveling have either been kept be cachers or lost in muggled caches.

 

I would still like to send some more out to travel as I love seeing where they go but I just haven't had much luck so far.

[+nefesh]

My account has 16 geocoins, some are mine and some are my sons (they don't have accounts of their own).

 

Of these 10 only travel with me to events which leaves 6 of which 2 are still being logged so 4 which isn't many except when you look at percentage of those traveling have either been kept be cachers or lost in muggled caches.

 

I would still like to send some more out to travel as I love seeing where they go but I just haven't had much luck so far.

Uh Oh. I'm just about to drop a coin in your area. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[+Toojin]

I have released 39 coins 13 of them are probably still around... maybe more... maybe less...

 

I check on them every few months because I see how irritated some people get when they go to a cache for a bug or coin and it is not there. I guess I would rather mark it unknown and have it be magically found, though this has never happened.

 

The really cool thing is that several coins have been logged as picked up and then just disappeared into backpacks or drawers or cars and then then magically reappeared sometimes more than a year later!! And then started travelling again.

 

Regardless, I wouldn't have released them if I wasn't okay with them disappearing in the wild.

 

To some people caches and bugs and coins look like trash.

 

It's a game and it's all good !!

[+idocdlw]

I have released 39 coins 13 of them are probably still around... maybe more... maybe less...

 

I check on them every few months because I see how irritated some people get when they go to a cache for a bug or coin and it is not there. I guess I would rather mark it unknown and have it be magically found, though this has never happened.

 

The really cool thing is that several coins have been logged as picked up and then just disappeared into backpacks or drawers or cars and then then magically reappeared sometimes more than a year later!! And then started travelling again.

 

Regardless, I wouldn't have released them if I wasn't okay with them disappearing in the wild.

 

To some people caches and bugs and coins look like trash.

 

It's a game and it's all good !!

 

What a healthy attitude. I have released several TB's and only one has gone missing (due to an act of nature). I recently started collecting GC's with the intent of setting them all out "into the wild". None are so expensive that I will be broken if they disappear, but I do have an emotional attachment to each and every one as it was my hard earned dollars that paid for them in the first place.

 

I will release all as planned and keep my fingers crossed. I picked up a non-trackable "lucky yen coin" from a cache recently and passed it on to another cache...perhaps this will influence my karma !?!

 

I really don't want to drill my coins so I guess I am resigned to the fact that they may disappear. I wish great blessings upon any geocacher who finds a TB and/or GC and discovers, retreives, and/or places it in accordance with geocaching guidelines.

 

Happy Caching,

Dawn

Edited July 30, 2009 by idocdlw

[avroair]

Up until 6 months ago I was at 34%, but only 1 coin have moved since then, so I hope it's not up to 99%

[+BirchSnooper]

I have yet to release a coin though I'm considering it. I am concerned about them going missing and I assume at some point they will which is a sad commentary, I guess.

 

I have this idea that it would be nice if all GeoCoins came in matched pairs: one to keep as a souvenir and one to release into the wild.

 

It seems that if anyone wanted to trade a coin from such a set, that real collectors would only buy the matched pair and anyone trying to sell the traveling coin from the pair would be considered "suspicious". It would also hurt less should the traveling coin go AWOL since one would still have the master coin. (BTW, there could be a viable market in the trading of "master" coins since they never circulated in caches.)

 

If anyone ever implemented this model, I would be more inclined to release the traveling coins; however, I wonder what the net impact on coin theft would be.

 

Just a thought.

[+hollora]

I have yet to release a coin though I'm considering it. I am concerned about them going missing and I assume at some point they will which is a sad commentary, I guess.

 

I have this idea that it would be nice if all GeoCoins came in matched pairs: one to keep as a souvenir and one to release into the wild.

 

It seems that if anyone wanted to trade a coin from such a set, that real collectors would only buy the matched pair and anyone trying to sell the traveling coin from the pair would be considered "suspicious". It would also hurt less should the traveling coin go AWOL since one would still have the master coin. (BTW, there could be a viable market in the trading of "master" coins since they never circulated in caches.)

 

If anyone ever implemented this model, I would be more inclined to release the traveling coins; however, I wonder what the net impact on coin theft would be.

 

Just a thought.

 

Your idea is a good one and it has been done - although not a lot. I am not sure of any out now like that. Immediately I think of Tools of the Trade (which was a Geocoin Club design) and there was one with two nickels on it. Am sure some of the others here can help complete the list.

[+Chiroptera]

It seems that if anyone wanted to trade a coin from such a set, that real collectors would only buy the matched pair and anyone trying to sell the traveling coin from the pair would be considered "suspicious". It would also hurt less should the traveling coin go AWOL since one would still have the master coin. (BTW, there could be a viable market in the trading of "master" coins since they never circulated in caches.)

that raises the price. I wouldn't be so happy with it. The "around the world in 80 caches" racer was such a coin. I used the coin(s) to irritate the finders: Schroedingers Ballon (but just realized that the animated gif, showing my cat with either the blue or the violet coin isn't there any more...) - but I haven't checked the logs for a long time - therefore I don't know if both are travelling or just one is left.

 

Concerning the question about stolen geocoins: I had about 24 travelling - about 10 are gone (no idea if stolen, muggled or just on holidays in Hungary). Therefore I sent them out again in the Lost coins travel Express

 

I will send out more coins. Its fun reading the logs and I like odd Missions. (like "Miss undercover" was - you weren't allowed to log the coin into a cache - that was obviously teasing...)

[+steel city babes]

Here are two of my coins that went missing early in their adventures and eventually found themselves in the same cache recently .

 

motogrrl Memorial Geocoin SCB#1 missing since 6/26/07(6 days after placing) back in the game on 7/3/09 almost two years

 

Both were found in this cache: MIDWAY but they weren't logged into the cache.....

 

the motogrrl memorial geocoin is missing again....LMAO it lasted less than a month.

[+nefesh]

Here are two of my coins that went missing early in their adventures and eventually found themselves in the same cache recently .

 

motogrrl Memorial Geocoin SCB#1 missing since 6/26/07(6 days after placing) back in the game on 7/3/09 almost two years

 

Both were found in this cache: MIDWAY but they weren't logged into the cache.....

 

the motogrrl memorial geocoin is missing again....LMAO it lasted less than a month.

OH, I'm so sorry. You were on a roll of recoveries. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too; that it resurfaces

[+forthferalz]

"Your idea is a good one and it has been done - although not a lot. I am not sure of any out now like that. Immediately I think of Tools of the Trade (which was a Geocoin Club design) and there was one with two nickels on it. Am sure some of the others here can help complete the list"

 

The increased numbers of coins for a double set guarantees a lower price ( but not for handmade coins! ) the original 4 balloon set worked out to 1000 as 250 sets ie around $5 each so it is a great idea especially it creates less anxiety for kids.

 

The hogwild Nickels coin set was subsidised - mine went missing in South Africa on it's second cache so it was great to have the one at home

 

Crake released a couple of coin/magnet sets beginning with three roses coin, followed by the swallowtail butterfly - not sure how many butterflies were created as sets.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=167494

 

There are quite a few unintentional sets due to the mint errors being remade with same tracking number

welsh dragon, satellite coin v4 has a little orbiting satellite - ours still travelling i think, mr mrs loggerhead - never released as kid and i had a tussle over which one to keep - he liked the error coin!, australia 2007,

[Team_Merchlinsky]

Are CCCopper coin is gone we really loved this one she gave it to us her selfe guss are coins may be soon discover only

[+HOKIEMARY]

Several years ago I purchased a number of geocoins to travel the US and World. I was having some health problems at the time and it was a nice way for me to experience some adventure through these coins travels. Since I wasn't able to do much geocaching I released these in one of my close caches and enjoyed seeing them travel. Sadly, like many of you, my coins have disappeared over the years. I think I have 15-20 of them out of about 40 still moving along. I've come to realize they will eventually go missing. I did replace a few I knew were permanently missing with clones because I enjoy seeing them move and like the fun they bring to others and myself. One observation I do have is that the coins I own traveling in Europe do not seem to go missing.

What does this say?

[+Toojin]

WOW WOW WOW WOW

 

I just got notification that one of my coins that has been pretty much missing for three THREE years has surfaced and been placed in a cache.

 

Isn't this way cool ???

 

TBV4A3

[+nefesh]

WOW WOW WOW WOW

 

I just got notification that one of my coins that has been pretty much missing for three THREE years has surfaced and been placed in a cache.

 

Isn't this way cool ???

 

TBV4A3

Congrats! yes, that is way cool.

[+TrinketTrailer]

I just found this thread because I placed my first geocoin and it has also gone missing. I think it's pretty obvious that they are meant to travel. I was very new to geocaching the first time I ever found one and at first I was excited at finding such a cool trinket -- but then VERY quickly realized that it read right on it that it was a trackable coin. All it said was "Track this coin at geocaching.com" and that was all I needed to read. Geocachers should educate themselves on the etiquette of geocaching before they head out. The one I left had a tag on it that read "DONT KEEP - TRACK @GEOCACHING.COM / WANTS TO TRAVEL WORLD & END UP IN SCOTLAND" and I figured once it's there if anyone who finds it there and wants to keep it, they can. I knew there was a good chance it could be muggled, but it was the only thing missing from the cache, so it was likely a geocacher. Hopefully they will figure it out and get it moving again. Some of your posts have given me hope.

 

And to the people who say they thought they could keep any geocoins they've found, you are incorrect. If you still have them PLEASE log them online and see what the intention of the coin was -- most likely the person who left it wants to see how far it can travel, and you screwed it up Thank you for getting it/them moving again; you'll make someone's day!! And pass the word along to any other ignorant geocachers.

Edited October 7, 2009 by TrinketTrailer

[+TrinketTrailer]

That is great, but I can't believe they let their kids play with it for THREE YEARS!!!! Those silly irresponsible Keelys. A month maybe -- even all summer to show off to friends. But three years?!?! You're so lucky it resurfaced! I am amazed they didn't apologize profusely!!

[+Degai]

 

Now I just trade them as swag and let someone else deal with the disappointment.

 

I do the same thing. For the most part, I leave coins in caches as swag and I put a note in with it to let the Geocacher know this. I rarely feel that they are traded for their worth and I don't know why that is. I know someone traded a pencil for one of my personal coins. I felt it was worth more than a pencil, for pete's sake.

 

In the beginning, I was naive enough to think that all geocachers were honest! I am not kidding about this either! It never entered my mind that someone would steal a Geocoin! (Boy, was I naive! ) However, after sending out 3, and having all 3 of them stolen within a very short time (one never made it out of the original cache that it was placed in), I decided it was too disappointing. Then, I met someone from Germany and had a coin placed with her in Germany. It traveled for a long time, but it, too, has disappeared. I have several in various countries now that are still traveling. It is a lot of fun watching my Geocoins travel abroad-especially when there have been pictures posted on the site. I have found that my coins seem to travel longer when they are NOT in the US-sad, but true.

[+Degai]

WOW WOW WOW WOW

 

I just got notification that one of my coins that has been pretty much missing for three THREE years has surfaced and been placed in a cache.

 

Isn't this way cool ???

 

TBV4A3

 

Wow, Toojin, you're so LUCKY!!! Congrats!!

[+Degai]

It would be helpful to know how some of these coins are released. I drill, engrave my name, attach a laminated, grommeted instruction tag with a steel cable. This helps, but is not 100% effective.

 

I think you have to expect the 20% rule. This means that 20% of your outstanding coins will go missing each year. If you do better, great....

 

 

Where do you get those little steel cables and the things to attach to the cable? I have seen them attached to coins and TBs and I would like to get some. Anyone know where to get them?

 

I have attached laminated cards and drilled the coins, too, but alas, they still go missing. Who knew?

[+nefesh]

plain old airline cable bought at places like OSH. Comes in different sizes. Buy however much you want and cut it as you go. I forget the name of the little metal piece to fit at the end of the cable, but the guy at the store should know.

[+Mauison]

plain old airline cable bought at places like OSH. Comes in different sizes. Buy however much you want and cut it as you go. I forget the name of the little metal piece to fit at the end of the cable, but the guy at the store should know.

 

Yep, that's where I bought my cable. The little metal piece is called a ferrule.

 

Of course, tagging geocoins with cable won't deter stealing as all of the traveling geocoins I've sent out have been tagged. At last count, I'm up to 138 geocoins missing but I'm sure the real count is well over 150.

[+Six Little Spookies]

This question comes up every couple of months and it gives me cause to look through my inventory and see what's gone missing since the last time. Current score: 10 TBs owned, 7 missing. Geocoins sent traveling: 17, 13 missing, presumed hiding in a backpack, car or drawer.

 

I've been disappointed, but not disillusioned with each loss; but each one hurts a little.

[+nefesh]

plain old airline cable bought at places like OSH. Comes in different sizes. Buy however much you want and cut it as you go. I forget the name of the little metal piece to fit at the end of the cable, but the guy at the store should know.

 

Yep, that's where I bought my cable. The little metal piece is called a ferrule.

 

Of course, tagging geocoins with cable won't deter stealing as all of the traveling geocoins I've sent out have been tagged. At last count, I'm up to 138 geocoins missing but I'm sure the real count is well over 150.

Wow, Mauison. That's a lot of coins. Thanks for continuing to put them out there!