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Do I or Don't I?


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I have what is probably an age old geocoin related dilemma and would like to canvas public opinion on the best way to resolve it. I was given a couple of fantastic geocoins for a Christmas present. They're translucent Suncatcher 2006 coins by Christopher Rake as shown in the screenshot below. The clipping doesn't do them justice. :sad:;)

 

Now under normal circumstances I'd have released them into the wild like a shot, as generally I'm all in favour of letting everyone get a chance to legitimately log new coins. However, these are so spangly that I'm willing to bet they get nicked before I can blink.

 

Is it worth releasing them into the wild? How long does anyone think they're likely to last? And is there anyway I can make them less attractive to any potential coin thieving magpies who might be out there? (So I'm lead to believe - allegedly!) :huh:;)

 

All POV's welcome no matter how vociferous!

 

Thanks.

 

suncatch001.jpg

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Is it worth releasing them into the wild? How long does anyone think they're likely to last? And is there anyway I can make them less attractive to any potential coin thieving magpies who might be out there? (So I'm lead to believe - allegedly!) ;);)

 

If you're whole reason for wanting to release them is to allow others to experience them, then releasing photocopies or prints of them is not an option. It's just a case of weighing up the enjoyment you'll get from seeing folks reactions to them against the risk of loosing them, especially as they were a gift to yourself and so may mean more to you than the average Geocacher.

 

Maybe an alternative would be to carry them about your person, allowing other geocachers you meet to see and discover them? You could try tethering them to yourself or to a cache? Bit like that coin Top Cat used to have on a chain for tipping the doorman :sad:

 

J

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I'm fairly new to this, so am still forming my opinions, but as I see it, I think the attitude that makes sense is that if you release a bug or coin into the wild think of it as gone. Along with that attitude I suppose goes, don't release anything you couldn't bear to not see again.

 

I've only released a cheap TB so far and so wouldn't be too upset if it went missing and I plan to release a coin or two that didn't cost me very much in the near future.

 

I think I'd certainly think twice about releasing such attractive coins. But that said, it's a delight to discover coins such as those in the wild, rather than all wrapped up in cotton wool at an event. Ho hum. That's a good bit of fence-sitting. Maybe I'd get two of a nice coin - one to release, one to keep.

 

Anyway, back to your dilemma. I suppose I'd be even more cautious as the coins were gifts.

 

I quite like the idea of fixing them to a cache so they can be discovered and are still free(ish) and the finders can still get their icon. I must admit to being a bit disappointed with a laminated photocopy of a coin I found recently.

 

In conclusion. Not sure! ;)

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I'm fairly new to this, so am still forming my opinions, but as I see it, I think the attitude that makes sense is that if you release a bug or coin into the wild think of it as gone. Along with that attitude I suppose goes, don't release anything you couldn't bear to not see again.

 

I've only released a cheap TB so far and so wouldn't be too upset if it went missing and I plan to release a coin or two that didn't cost me very much in the near future.

 

I think I'd certainly think twice about releasing such attractive coins. But that said, it's a delight to discover coins such as those in the wild, rather than all wrapped up in cotton wool at an event. Ho hum. That's a good bit of fence-sitting. Maybe I'd get two of a nice coin - one to release, one to keep.

 

Anyway, back to your dilemma. I suppose I'd be even more cautious as the coins were gifts.

 

I quite like the idea of fixing them to a cache so they can be discovered and are still free(ish) and the finders can still get their icon. I must admit to being a bit disappointed with a laminated photocopy of a coin I found recently.

 

In conclusion. Not sure! ;)

 

Well put!

 

FWIW - we buy two of ea h coin, and release one. Touch wood, no missing ones yet, but if it did, it wouldn't be the end of the world, and I'll only be annoyed rather than financially incapacitated!

 

All of ours go out 'naked' - no drilling or moulding in plastic, so we've been lucky so far. I don't want to have to start drilling them if i can help it.

 

Having said that, I like the idea of it beng chained to my own cache! never thought of that!

 

Cheers

 

Dave

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You could try tethering them to yourself or to a cache? Bit like that coin Top Cat used to have on a chain for tipping the doorman ;)

 

 

I like the idea of that. I've seen a few recent threads on the forum about TB's attached to moving objects or people, but the thought had never crossed my mind to do this with a coin. I can almost see it now...Yorkshire cachers chasing me through Tesco's car park! :sad:

Edited by shr00m
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I'm fairly new to this, so am still forming my opinions, but as I see it, I think the attitude that makes sense is that if you release a bug or coin into the wild think of it as gone. Along with that attitude I suppose goes, don't release anything you couldn't bear to not see again. ...

 

This is my theory on travel bug and trackable coins.

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Just picked up one of these coins last night and really like it.

 

Release and share I say!

 

It's not like you're likely to see them again anyway (thought I did by chance come across my current sole surviing coin recently!) , so it's not you who will really lose out if they are stolen, just others who will miss out on the experience you've generated by releasing them.

 

Just my 2p!

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I love finding coins, but I understand your reluctance to release them - I feel the same.

 

I recall finding a black and white, creased A4 photocopy of a coin once. As we had visited the cache especially to retrieve the coin, and as there was no mention of this on the coin's page, I was not impressed. :sad:

 

On another occasion, I found a nicely laminated, double-sided lifesize photo, and although that wasn't quite as good as finding an actual coin, I was still pleased, and I got my icon! ;)

 

As long as a tag is attached to them to make it obvious what it is, I don't see a major problem with this. If you don't attach a tag though, it will probably just get lost amongst the calling cards at the bottom of the cache.

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Last year I release 5 geocoins and 2 TB's so far I have only lost 1 coin through the cache it was in being muggled. All the coins were sent out undrilled but I left them in the plastic wallet and printed out a mission page for them which I tucked into the wallet, I get great enjoyment from peoples logs if they have enjoyed seeing the coins. I also love finding coins in the wild and will thank the owners for releasing them, I saw someones collection boxed up and beautiful and I left them there undiscovered, I like gaining the icons but not through collections. If I see a cash has a nice coin in it I will often travel that little bit further just to see it and move it (in caches I haven't found yet I hasten to add).

BUT when I completed my one hundreth cache recently the caching friend who was with me gave me a boxed 100th coin as a gift, this means a lot to me sentimentaly and so far I have been unable to release it. I have another coin (geonut) that I keep in my geocaching rucksack, if you meet me you can discover it I log it into every cache I visit, I do this as I feel it represents my caching name. The most resent purchase that I made I actually bought 2, 1 to release and 1 to keep.

If you want to see it travel and let others gain enjoyment from seeing it then release it.

If you can't bear to lose it then box it or let it travel wherever you go. :anitongue:

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I have released 18 geocoins into the world (more to follow soon). At first I also worried about them going missing so went down the drilling a hole (12 coins so far) and attaching a hard plastic key ring tag (the ones you can put a picture in) to it with its mission details etc. However, I feel that the design/pattern of some coins would be spoilt by drilling so I also released some un modified (6 so far) and not worried about it :anitongue: .

 

So far I am very happy to report that it has made no difference to the survivability of my coins, all doing well. Now I may of been just lucky (hope it doesn’t change) but depending on the coins design I will probably still drill them. That is because its easer to ensure the mission details stays with the coin and also highlights the fact that it is not a swap item.

 

That said I have had a couple of cases where the tag has been removed in order to take a photo of the coin! I just hope it the tag was put back on, but that’s the risk you take on releasing any traveller - no more control but I'm happy with the risk. I look forward to finding out where they have been to and what others thing of them.

 

Edited for spelling.

Edited by Al & Tracy Smith
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Initially we had the same dilemma and our solution was to release a paper facsimile encapsulated in plastic along with information on the Geocoins mission. After a while we got a bit fed up with the pile of original coins gathering dust next to the computer so made the decision to recall the facsimiles and replace them with the original coins. We do not regret doing this as the logs when cachers find an attractive coin are often much more interesting and complementary than when they find a paper facsimile which often led to disappointing logs, probably due to disappointed cachers. Since doing this we have only lost 1 coin (touch wood :anitongue: ) and this was due to the cache it was in being muggled. We shall probably re-release this one as a facsimile when I get a round-tuit. To make our coins less attractive to collectors we drill a hole through it and attach a small tag with the coins mission details. We also request that they are not taken to Geocaching events, as 1) the attrition rate at events often seems to be a bit high, and 2) because coins and bugs often seem to get passed from one event to next, but we prefer them to travel from cache to cache.

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ive got 134 out there in the wild and plenty stil to release, A few have gone missing a few have vanished for months at a time only to reapear, 1 was missing for 10 months then reappeared.

If you dont want to run the risk of it being lost or stolen dont release it. personally i would go for it as its great looking at where they travel to

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Right now, I have 3 undrilled geocoins out in "the wild". They are doing very well (one made it all the way out to California and is on its way back), a credit to the geocachers who have handled them. They are in their plastic protectors, with a note included to let people know the mission and that this is not a swapable item. I have left the protectors open so that people can handle the coins.

It's funny because my GCs are doing better than my cheap TB did! My TB is permanently in the hands of a 12 year old boy who seems to have turned his back on geocaching. :anitongue: Ah well, that's the way it goes!

For this reason, I only release GCs that I have doubles of.

There are 4 "single" GCs that ride along in my cache bag with me. I'm trying to decide what to do with them ("Have You Met Me," "Personal Coin" seem like possibilities).

As others have said, finding an actual coin in a cache is a great feeling. It adds to the whole "buried treasure" thing that we all seem to be addicted to. It seems like a waste when I see my GCs sitting at home, unused.

Whatever you decide to do with yours, I wish you luck.

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I'd like to thank everyone for all the great tips, info and various philosophies on releasing GC's into the wild. I know I'm only seeing a small sample of coin owners in this thread, but from reading all the comments it would appear the rate of attrition is nowhere near as bad as I first assumed. :unsure:

 

I think I'm going to bite the bullet, trust in the generally great attitude of most catchers and release the coins to the whims of the geocaching Gods! <_<

 

I'll probably need to play around with one or two of these suggestions to see how I can make them work for me. I especially like the idea of attaching the GC to a physical cache so it can only be logged during a visit or maybe even turn myself into the GC location. I also like the idea of keeping one coin and releasing a second to see how it goes, as a bit of a trial run.

 

Any more creative GC ideas would be most welcome. Thanks.

 

:o:o

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We picked up a Suncatcher around the Cotswold Water Parks, most attractive it was as well. Took it hoe logged it in. took a photo and then moved it on to another cache next time that we went caching. Enjoy them and their logos, but do not hold on to them. They are like counters in a game, so just enjoy the game by leaving the counters on the board! :unsure::blink:;)

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I really enjoy finding coins and photographing them. The suncatcher is a particularly beautiful one and one of my favourites, along with the dream catcher.

 

I have several of my own coins which I am not keen on sending out into the wild, well not just yet anyway. they travel everywher with me and can be discovered if anyone should want to see them.. Maybe one day when the novelty wears off I will set them free.

 

Abercachers have just started a bug race so my first TB is out there on its travels, and I am going to set another one off soon. (well I guess it's my 2nd because I am the first :laughing: )

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We found our very first geocoin only this weekend (Frozen Bone), followed quickly by a second the same day (Definitive series 2 of 3). We were surprised at their quality, weight and beauty. Both are 'unharmed' in lovely little plastic wallets, and we hope to drop them both off in different caches while in Yorkshire this weekend..

 

:D Many thanks to all who send GCs and TBs out for the pleasure of others. :D

 

I think geocachers by their very nature are generally honest and trustworthy people. We have sent out 3 TBs so far (only recently), and have enjoyed reading about their movements. The only concern I have is with caches that may not be hidden well from muggles :D, and a trackable item may suffer as a result.

 

One question:-

Where can I buy Geocoins? I have had a quick look on eBay, and it's looks like I'll be lucky to buy for less than £5. Is this a normal price, or am I looking in the wrong place?

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I have what is probably an age old geocoin related dilemma ...

Is it worth releasing them into the wild? How long does anyone think they're likely to last?...

I know how you feel. Up until now, I've happily released my few geocoins into the wild...

However, I recently bought a rather special, unusual personal geocoin from the U.S.A. Having paid rather more than usual for this geocoin, I'm reluctant to release it. I've made a very good laminated copy of it and that will be sent out to circulate, while the original will stay in my pocket for other cachers to discover it at Events. I've made it very clear on the name of the geocoin that the one in general circulation is a laminated copy. It seems a reasonable compromise.

 

MrsB :(

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