Stolen Geocoins

[scottandkerrie]

Hi, I'm new to geocoins, I just bought The Spirit Of Geocaching (Ouija) Geocoin and totally love it. But I was worried that thier are collectors out thier who might nab my coin. I say this as I read somewhere that some cachers drill a small hole, making it worthless to colerctors.

Does this happen and what should I do? It is far to nice to make a hole in, plus it would ruin it.

Edited September 4, 2007 by scottandkerrie

[+keewee]

I divide my "keepers" in to 2 types - collections, and travelers. My travelers I drill a hole in and usually attach 2 tags - a mission tag, and a geocoin traveller tag from GeoSwag.

 

Does it work? Pass - ask me in 12 months.

 

Do travelers get stolen for collections - yes, sometimes.

[+Steinwälzer]

I always try to buy two exemplars of a geocoin, one for myself and one to send out to travel (or buy three, so that I can trade one...). But that makes it much more expensive

 

I am new to geocoins too, and so far I have lost none of my coins. I haven't drilled holes in them, but on three I put mission tags, and two travel just plain and naked as they are. After just a few weeks I can see no difference in how they travel (but they do much better than my poor TB which hasn't travelled a mile since I released him...).

 

Steinwälzer

[+Droo]

First of all I don't think it's collectors who get their coins by stealing them. It's more like the magpies and hoarders who like to take shiny things they find in the wild.

 

Second if you don't drill it you run the risk of it disappearing. May as well toss it in the ocean at that point. If you're going to release it to enjoy it's travels you have to let it go and do what you can so that it's journey is a long one.... well, you can't do anything about it being placed in a cache that's going to get muggled.

 

So if you're afraid of marring it ... keep it for your own personal enjoyment.

[scottandkerrie]

Hi, I'm new to geocoins, I just bought The Spirit Of Geocaching (Ouija) Geocoin and totally love it. But I was worried that thier are collectors out thier who might nab my coin. I say this as I read somewhere that some cachers drill a small hole, making it worthless to colerctors.

Does this happen and what should I do? It is far to nice to make a hole in, plus it would ruin it.

 

Thank you for your advice all. I think I will keep this one and buy a "bog standard ish" one for travelling.

 

Happy caching all.

 

Kerrie.

[TrekkerPooch]

One thing you could do is make a laminated index card with all the important info on it (tracking #, owner's name, mission, etc) and use this as your "coin." I've seen it done before, and it still counts as an official coin grab. I don't think anyone will mind much.

[+IDLookout]

One thing you could do is make a laminated index card with all the important info on it (tracking #, owner's name, mission, etc) and use this as your "coin." I've seen it done before, and it still counts as an official coin grab. I don't think anyone will mind much.

 

That's a whole 'nother can of worms.

 

Personally, I find "copies" to be just goofy, and don't really see the point. (I've read thread after thread after thread here with the pro's and con's on the subject)

 

I like the drilled hole and attaching a mission tag. If done right, it almost looks like it was supposed to be there in the first place.

 

Here's an example:

 

Edited September 5, 2007 by IDLookout

[+Bunya]

One thing you could do is make a laminated index card with all the important info on it (tracking #, owner's name, mission, etc) and use this as your "coin." I've seen it done before, and it still counts as an official coin grab. I don't think anyone will mind much.

 

No-one will mind!

OK, some won't, but others might react like this . . .

 

 

Added in edit: one of the (many) past threads on this topic: Geocoin substitutions.

Edited September 5, 2007 by Bunya

[+tokencollector]

Second if you don't drill it you run the risk of it disappearing. May as well toss it in the ocean at that point. If you're going to release it to enjoy it's travels you have to let it go and do what you can so that it's journey is a long one.... well, you can't do anything about it being placed in a cache that's going to get muggled.

 

Many (most?) of the coins I have found in caches did not have holes drilled in them or tags attached. That said, I too drill my coins and attach a laminated mission card or travelbug buddy. Different folks have had different experiences with coins dropped in the wild. Mine have done about as well as traditional TBs. Some dissappear quickly, others have had long and distinguished journeys.

 

I try to drill holes in spots that mar the design as little as possible. I also drill a hole as small as possible for the attachment - 1/8" for bead chain and something smaller (I don't remember the exact size) for aircraft cable.

 

As for coin copies, I don't personally care for them. I like to collect icons, but only of "real" coins that I move. I won't move paper copies of coins. Others don't mind paper copies a bit. However, if you look in the logs of coin copies, there are often some less than gracious comments.

 

At one time, I intended to release every coin that I bought. I've come to realize that that won't happen. I like some of them too much and others have some sentiment attached to them. However, I still like to release lots of coins and will often seek out the less expensive ones to release (along with some "nice" ones too). If you can't bear the though of losing a geocoin (or any other TB for that matter), you may want to hold onto it. But if you buy extras, as some posters have described, you can have your cake and eat it too.

 

Have fun, and good luck!

[+Eartha]

Half the lost trackables out there are lost because new cachers were not taught by their mentors all the aspects of the game, such as how to log a Trackable item. If you show someone about geocaching, include instructions on these matters.

If you cannot bear to part with the coin, then I'd suggest you put it in a pretty shadow box frame on the wall. If you are daring and brave and trusting, let it travel.

You hear a lot about the ones that go missing, because you will always hear complaints louder than you will hear compliments. I'm sure far more are travelling than are missing. And way less are "stolen", they just don't get logged online, and appear missing, when they could be in a cache somewhere. I find it kind of sad that we have so many threads accusing people of stealing these coins, when in reality, that is probably not the case. Yes - I do know some get stolen, but I don't think it's as many as people think. I firmly believe it is that people do not know how to log a trackable item.

[+ChapterhouseInc]

Full content removed by moderator. Please read the forum guidelines on proper posting in the forums.

Edited September 20, 2007 by Eartha

[+joranda]

I'd just keep it and show it at events like I do. Why throw it away in the wild.

[+tokencollector]

I'd just keep it and show it at events like I do. Why throw it away in the wild.

 

I don't see sending one off in the wild as "throwing it away." It is probably not unreasonable to assume that it will dissappear eventually, but it is still fun to watch geocoins (and other TBs) travel.

[+forthferalz]

Half the lost trackables out there are lost because new cachers were not taught by their mentors all the aspects of the game, such as how to log a Trackable item.

As if most cachers have a mentor - IMO half the trackable items are lost because the TB tag and the geocaching website are still not CLEAR and PROMINENT enough about where to log it - and point them variously to Groundspeak.com or geocaching.com but make the trackables link really really small and confuse the newbie/foreigner with 3 separate terms 'seek' 'track' and 'log'.

After recent overhaul this was a lot better but it still needs improving at point of first contact. I mean you must make it a complete NO BRAINER no mentor required a caching kiddie could log it properly first go affair - the tracking codes are a BIG money spinner for GC.com and if it is such a problem that you think half the folk can't do it without lessons you need to overhaul it again.

Edited September 20, 2007 by forthferalz

[+Steinwälzer]

I just bought a TB tag, and found something new that might help (at least with TBs). The website to visit has changed from www.Groundspeak.com to www.travelbugs.com. In my opinion hat website is easier to understand for a newbie, as it just has one option to enter the tracking number, and has links to "What is a travel bug" and "How do I use a Travel bug" on top of the page.

 

Don't know if there is anything similar for geocoins...

[+Eartha]

I just bought a TB tag, and found something new that might help (at least with TBs). The website to visit has changed from www.Groundspeak.com to www.travelbugs.com. In my opinion hat website is easier to understand for a newbie, as it just has one option to enter the tracking number, and has links to "What is a travel bug" and "How do I use a Travel bug" on top of the page.

 

Don't know if there is anything similar for geocoins...

 

TBs and geocoins are logged the same way.

[+Steinwälzer]

Yes, I know that you log them the same way. What I wanted to say... they changed the words on the TB tags and created a special web page for that, and I wonder if they create a similar web page for geocoins and we can put a special link on our coins, like "Track at www.geocoins.com" instead of "Track at www.Groundspeak.com".

[+Bhob]

I'm with Steinwälzer on this one

 

Groundspeak and/or GeoCaching.com have not done a very good job of informing their customers about trackables in general, and geocoins in particular

 

On the GC.com homepage, the word "coin" does not even appear

 

On the homepage, there is a box with the text "New to geocaching?" and a link titled "Let's Get Started"

 

On the "get started" page, once again, the word "coin" does not appear

 

There are links to pages for FAQs, finding your first cache, and creating your first cache

But, nothing about what to do with trackables of any sort

 

The FAQ page makes no mention of coins

The only refrence to trackables is under the heading of "can I move a cache once I find it", and that is just a link to the standard trackable items page

 

There is an event cache in my area just about every month, and I go to all that I can

At every event that I have attended for the last three years, someone new to the hobby will ask "what do I do with one of these ?", and holds up a travel bug and/or geocoin

 

Those lucky few get educated on the spot

But that is no help for all of the folks who can't or don't get to events

 

I am sure that everyone who is reading this knows how to log a geocoin or other trackable

But that is a small percentage of the total number of people who are out finding caches

 

I am firmly convinced that a better job of educating newcomers to the hobby can be done

Edited September 20, 2007 by Bhob