Geocoins for collection? what gives?

[+Boagsratz]

Howdy people, as a newbie to the sport/game/whatever, and as a coin collector, i am wondering what is the story with collecting coins? i mean if I put a coin out there, I do not expect it to go to the first FTF. I would expect it to be a trackable item. So where does the coin collecting come into it? Do people find a GC, and add it to their collection? That would seem like I am just buying coins for others....Any feedback welcome. Austin

[+MustangJoni]

I'll give this a shot.

 

Activated coins in caches are travellers and not meant to be kept. If you find one, keep it moving. If you find an unactivated or non-trackable coin in a cache, it is swag, and should be traded for evenly.

 

As for our collections, we buy and trade for unactivated and non-trackable coins. Some of us activate our coins and take them to events or just keep them in their collection. Some people activate their coins and send them out travelling. Some people don't activate their coins and keep them in their collections. But they don't take travellers out of the caches to add to their collection.

 

I'm sure there are things I've left out, but I'm sure someone else will chime in.

 

My only advise would be to run while you still have money in your bank account!

Edited October 11, 2007 by MustangJoni

[+Nochipra]

Like MustangJoni said there are coins that have tracking numbers and some that don't. Now if you come on a cache that has a coin in it, you first need to determine if it is a trackable or not. If it is trackable and has a mission in the little flap with it or has some kind of note attached to it that says it needs to keep going then you can keep it moving into another cache or leave it for someone else to move. If by some luck you happen to come upon a coin that is trackable but not activated to anyone's acct. then it can be considered swag and it was either probably meant for you to keep or for you to give it to someone else as long as you do not activate it in your name. If you decide to keep it and activate it you can keep it in your own personal collection or put it in a cache for someone to pick up and move along if you attach a mission (note) saying where you want the coin to travel. Now a non trackable coin that does not have the tracking number is usually swag and you can either keep that too or send it out on a mission too but you would need to attach a travel bug on that along with your mission (note) to say where you would like it to travel. I know it is a lot of info but once you start getting into geocoins you'll learn real fast. I've only been collecting for about a month and already I probably should be in a geocoins anonymous group but I can't resist the cute little coins. HHHHHEEEELLLLPPP!

[+Lotho]

You are getting confused here. If a coin goes into a cache, its a traveler. Some people buy coins to admire and dont send them out, they leave them in their collection. Some gcs do go missing but not that often.

[+MustangJoni]

You are getting confused here. If a coin goes into a cache, its a traveler. Some people buy coins to admire and dont send them out, they leave them in their collection. Some gcs do go missing but not that often.

 

Unactivated coins or non trackable coins in caches are swag. They need to be traded evenly.

[+Accordiongal]

How about starting at GC listing.

 

You have noticed on the left hand side there are icons (pictures) of either coins or travel bugs.

Most coins have a unique icon that has been created to represent the coin.

Travel bugs share the same icon.

 

If a coin icon has been dropped into a cache, the intention of the coin owner is for the coin or TB to travel from cache to cache with a mission. These items are not to be kept by a cacher.

 

As a cacher moves or discovers a coin, then that cacher gains the unique icon on the trackable list. this will be the left sided list in trackables.

 

Trackable items that a cacher owns are listed on the right side.

There are cachers that gain satisfaction in collecting the icons.

 

Coin collecting can be considered like collecting any item of interest, like cars, pens, tractors, glass ware, etc. The owner gains a form of satisfaction in collecting the item.

 

So far I have determined there are about five types of collectors:

 

1-Those that purchase the coins to be released into the wild to travel.

 

2-Those that purchase coins to be held in personal possession to be discovered.

 

3-Those that purchase coins to trade.

 

4-THose that purchase coins and never activate them.

 

5-Mystery coins-given to the caching comminity by generous cachers to share. These need to be traded fairly, unactivated coin for unactivated coin, ideally in the same cache.

 

Coins are created by two basic routes, private and commercial.

Some coins are highly desirable due to unique designs, history, rarity of numbers minted.

 

 

Then there is the subject of cointest, missions, races etc. I am not going to address those here.

 

Keep in mind, if you find a trackable in a cache, please move along.

 

Accordiongal

[+Lotho]

You are getting confused here. If a coin goes into a cache, its a traveler. Some people buy coins to admire and dont send them out, they leave them in their collection. Some gcs do go missing but not that often.

 

Unactivated coins or non trackable coins in caches are swag. They need to be traded evenly.

Im well aware of that, but thats not what they guy asked, so i didnt mention it.

[+MustangJoni]

You are getting confused here. If a coin goes into a cache, its a traveler. Some people buy coins to admire and dont send them out, they leave them in their collection. Some gcs do go missing but not that often.

 

Unactivated coins or non trackable coins in caches are swag. They need to be traded evenly.

Im well aware of that, but thats not what they guy asked, so i didnt mention it.

 

Not trying to pick a fight, but my understanding is that he wanted to understand coin collecting in relation to caching. Your statement that if it is in a cache, it is a traveller is only part of the story. If it is in a cache it could be a traveller or it could be swag. It is a pretty important distinction.

[+Droo]

Do people find a GC, and add it to their collection? That would seem like I am just buying coins for others....Any feedback welcome. Austin

 

People who take activated coins from caches and start collecting them are known COIN THIEVES. People who take unactivated coins and don't trade fairly for them are known as SWAG THIEVES.

 

There is a problem with leaving valuables in the woods but the geocaching community is built on and DEPENDS ON the trust that if you find a cache full of swag and take something you should leave something of equal or greater value. Like any community we have our share of rotten apples who abuse this honour system.

 

But back to the point.... you can buy coins from the coin makers, e-resellers, commercial resellers and what you do with YOUR coins is your business. You can trade them, sell them, release them etc., etc. Joni's post covered all that.

[+Suziq]

Do people find a GC, and add it to their collection? That would seem like I am just buying coins for others....Any feedback welcome. Austin

 

People who take activated coins from caches and start collecting them are known COIN THIEVES. People who take unactivated coins and don't trade fairly for them are known as SWAG THIEVES.

 

There is a problem with leaving valuables in the woods but the geocaching community is built on and DEPENDS ON the trust that if you find a cache full of swag and take something you should leave something of equal or greater value. Like any community we have our share of rotten apples who abuse this honour system.

 

But back to the point.... you can buy coins from the coin makers, e-resellers, commercial resellers and what you do with YOUR coins is your business. You can trade them, sell them, release them etc., etc. Joni's post covered all that.

 

I dont do much coin collecting. when I buy coins its to leave them in caches. I dont expect anyone that finds a coin that I have left to "trade even" what is "even" I have some old coins that I expect on e-bay would cost 20 to 30 bucks so should I expect them to leave 20 to 30 dollars worth of stuff. How many people carry that much swag around.

 

I guess what I am getting at is that to expect "even" trades is not going to happen and to call them theives because they did not trade "even" is a bit harsh.

 

I used to mention on the cache page that I left coins in caches and the coins would disapear before the next new finder got there. So I dont mention I put them in any more in my logs. So finders can get their hands on something special.

[+Renegade Knight]

I'll keep it simple.

 

It's all owner intent.

 

If the owner has set up tracking, it's to be moved like a travel bug.

If they say it's a FTF prize, it's a FTF prize.

If they don't activate it and leave it in the cache, we assume it's SWAG.

If it's got a tag that says "move me" move it.

If you bought it, you are free to do as you wish with it. Collect, leave it as swag treat it like a TB.

[+Shop99er]

You are getting confused here. If a coin goes into a cache, its a traveler.

 

Not true.

 

On occasion, I'll put one of my personals in a cache when I'm on a road trip. It is not a traveller. It is meant for either the cache owner, whom I will tell, or for the next finder. It's theirs to keep.

[+Boagsratz]

OK, folks, i think I get the picture, thanks for your replies.