4000 B.C. Bronze Age or geocoins ~ Past History COINTEST!

[avroair]

Well, I am sitting pretty on the ledge of 4000 posts. To mark this milestone of sorts I am holding a cointest.

Since it has take some time to attain 4000 posts I am gonna integrate history with geocoins.

 

Presenting The Geocoin Timeline (recreating history with geocoins)

 

COINTEST: Come up with a time period, research it a little then integrate geocoins into that time period. You can use any time period, build upon other people's time period.

RULES: No limit to time period posts. Pictures are allowed. On October 20th I will make a timeline and select the winners, feel free to mention specific geocoins or just refer to them generally.

ENTRIES: Must have date in bold and the time period

WINNERS: As an incentive: Six winners will recieve a geocoin goodie-bag (5-6 coins per bag).

 

(yeah, yeah, I'm a nerd)

[avroair]

I will go first with examples of general and specific:

 

The 4th millennium BC saw major changes in human culture. It marks the beginning of the Bronze Age and of writing ~ which meant that shortly after that antiqued bronze geocoins were available in Mesopotamia. The city states of Sumer and the kingdom of Egypt are established and grow to prominence, using geocoins as trade.

1485, Italy Inspired by avroair's personal coin, Leonardo Da Vinci creates the human powered ornithopter, and the thoughts of human flight begin in earnest.

 

[+keewee]

Awesome cointest! Will have to have a go with this.

 

Oh, and congrat's on 4000 posts!!

[+PengoFamily]

Wow! 4000 posts! Congrats.

 

This sounds like fun. I am doing a timeline of TOYS, because I am still a kid at heart. Let's see if I can get something going like avroair is looking for.

 

Toy Timeline

 

4000 BC Chess

 

1759 - Roller Skates

 

The Manhattan Urban Cachers Skateboard is introduced. And the Great Geo Pumpkin was seen rolling from cache to cache even during this time!! Who knew??

 

There is also rumor of another invention on wheels. The moun10bike V1...this data cannot be confirmed at this time.

 

1800 - First mass produced doll to Lionel trains

 

Who could forget the Ranger216 trainset...way ahead of it's time.

 

Fictional characters - mystery troll doll. Such a stylish hair do!! And everyone's all time favorite LoriDarlin's 2007 personal Mrs. Potato Head...I still can't find the pink purse that goes with mine.

 

1902 Teddy Bears to Monopoly

 

Watch out or you may be bitten by White Bear. But who can resist taking home a TGBear?? Awww. so cute and metal-ly.

 

And everyone's favorite game EMGT Monopoly. What all geocoin nickers play in their spare time.

 

1943 Slinky to Etch a Sketch

 

You will find an etch in the Wretched Skull but don't forget to BYO Pencil Geocoin to draw. And there is no better place to do this than the Official Caching Log Book Coin.

 

1965 G.I. Joe to Action figures

 

Well if it's action you are looking for then why not try the Airborne event coin??

 

1979 Trivial Pursuit to Beanie Babies

 

And the trivia keeps going with many cointests. Who can resist?? This lead to the creation of the RealWorldAvatars Games Addicts and the GeoBingo coin...did I hear B12??? And as for babies...you have a choice of the geobaby in pink or blue. I may even cry like a baby if I can't get a geocoin grab bag from avroair.

[+Flo.]

Okay, I will try this, doubt I will win, but here is to hoping!!

 

1930's Wilkes Barre, PA, The Great Depression

 

My great grandmother was born in 1900 in Wilkes Barre. She was married in 1917. The 1930's brought along the great depression and my great grandmother had 4 small children. My great grandfather lost his job, they owed a small sum of money on their house (I believe it was in the neighboorhood of $6) and had no way to pay that note, much less feed their children. My great grandmother was a woman who refused to back down. One evening, wondering how she would feed her children the next day she came upon an idea. Since winter was coming and the children needed gloves and clothes, she would take what she had around the house and make her own geocoins. The first week was tough trying to trade items for these coins, but soon the entire neighboorhood had caught on and started making different coins also. Within a month, everyone was making geocoins and trading each other for other geocoins and swag. I have one of my great grandmothers creations that I cherish to this day. (This is a true story, with the exception being that she knitted and crocheted gloves and scarves and sold them to a local store for money. Her neighbors caught on and other women got involved. They did not make enough, but at least they could feed their family somehow).

 

Hope this is what you are looking for. If not, at least you got a story out of me.

[Theotokos]

 

56 BC

 

Little is known of Maximus Cachius' early life. What we do know is that he was married to the daughter of Brutus, and had one son - SonofMaximus Cachius. He studied the art of tracking at Rhodes under Archelaus and became fluent in Greek as well as hide and seek. He was known as being a bit wild and rode the Quadriga off-road many times to the dismay of his mother. His first office was as moderator under Marcus Licinius Crassus in 53 BC, and he proved himself to have a capable mind and kept discussions on topic with little blood shed. He traveled with Crassus to the province of Syria, and on the way hid various treasures for future seekers to find. Not long after, these treasures became known as Caches - out of respect for Maximus.

 

Soon many more people started to hide 'caches' and Maximus managed to seek and find many himself. He became the most prolific of all seekers. In 50 BC, Maximus was on a seeking expedition and on his return to Rome the senate surprised him with his own commemorative coin. 500 of these coins were given to Maximus to drop in caches so that they may spread the word of Rome to all nations and the superior skills they posses as cache hunters. The quadding coin - aptly named as Maximus took his quadriga with him on all expeditions was the first trade item used for caching.

 

Unfortunately, in 49 BC Maximus was killed when fellow Roman, Nero Hoarder was caught trying to falsify a cache find. Nero stabbed Maximus in the back when Maximus bent down to check the log. Nero was hunted down and hung out to dry on the very forum that Maximus had his first moderator position.

Edited October 16, 2007 by Theotokos

[avroair]

 

56 BC

 

Little is known of Maximus Cachius' early life. What we do know is that he was married to the daughter of Brutus, and had one son - SonofMaximus Cachius. He studied the art of tracking at Rhodes under Archelaus and became fluent in Greek as well as hide and seek. He was known as being a bit wild and rode the Quadriga off-road many times to the dismay of his mother. His first office was as moderator under Marcus Licinius Crassus in 53 BC, and he proved himself to have a capable mind and kept discussions on topic with little blood shed. He traveled with Crassus to the province of Syria, and on the way hid various treasures for future seekers to find. Not long after, these treasures became known as Caches - out of respect for Maximus.

 

Soon many more people started to hide 'caches' and Maximus managed to seek and find many himself. He became the most prolific of all seekers. In 56 BC, Maximus was on a seeking expedition and on his return to Rome the senate surprised him with his own commemorative coin. 500 of these coins were given to Maximus to drop in caches so that they may spread the word of Rome to all nations and the superior skills they posses as cache hunters. The quadding coin - aptly named as Maximus took his quadriga with him on all expeditions was the first trade item used for caching.

 

Unfortunately, in 59 BC Maximus was killed when fellow Roman, Nero Hoarder was caught trying to falsify a cache find. Nero stabbed Maximus in the back when Maximus bent down to check the log. Nero was hunted down and hung out to dry on the very forum that Maximus had his first moderator position.

 

LMAO! This is great! Exactly what I am looking for.

[avroair]

Basically, pick a date in history and make it relevant to geocoins.

[+MommyFinder]

Okay, I will try this, doubt I will win, but here is to hoping!!

 

1930's Wilkes Barre, PA, The Great Depression

 

My great grandmother was born in 1900 in Wilkes Barre. She was married in 1917. The 1930's brought along the great depression and my great grandmother had 4 small children. My great grandfather lost his job, they owed a small sum of money on their house (I believe it was in the neighboorhood of $6) and had no way to pay that note, much less feed their children. My great grandmother was a woman who refused to back down. One evening, wondering how she would feed her children the next day she came upon an idea. Since winter was coming and the children needed gloves and clothes, she would take what she had around the house and make her own geocoins. The first week was tough trying to trade items for these coins, but soon the entire neighboorhood had caught on and started making different coins also. Within a month, everyone was making geocoins and trading each other for other geocoins and swag. I have one of my great grandmothers creations that I cherish to this day. (This is a true story, with the exception being that she knitted and crocheted gloves and scarves and sold them to a local store for money. Her neighbors caught on and other women got involved. They did not make enough, but at least they could feed their family somehow).

 

Hope this is what you are looking for. If not, at least you got a story out of me.

 

Wow, I love this story! My grandmother was also born in Wilkes Barre, PA in 1900. Small world!

 

Hmmm. Small World. Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida in 1971. Maybe I should do something with that!

[+derschlings]

20 OCTOBER 2007 At PH IV avroair unveils his GeoCoin-Operated "Relief Station".

Event participants discovered several new uses for their geocoins:

Insertion of a RE coin opened door allowing entry

Once inside, privacy guaranteed by insertion of MicroCoin which locks door

Insertion of LE coin dispenses several "Log Sheets"

Insertion of XLE geocoin unlocks door allowing exit.

 

WallStreet responded with a run on copper and brass futures.

 

Several coin-trading sites experienced simultaneous server crashes.

 

 

{Hey, I'd be happy with a grab bag with just one coin... PH IV copper or gold!! }

Edited October 16, 2007 by derschlings

[Theotokos]

 

56 BC

 

Little is known of Maximus Cachius' early life. What we do know is that he was married to the daughter of Brutus, and had one son - SonofMaximus Cachius. He studied the art of tracking at Rhodes under Archelaus and became fluent in Greek as well as hide and seek. He was known as being a bit wild and rode the Quadriga off-road many times to the dismay of his mother. His first office was as moderator under Marcus Licinius Crassus in 53 BC, and he proved himself to have a capable mind and kept discussions on topic with little blood shed. He traveled with Crassus to the province of Syria, and on the way hid various treasures for future seekers to find. Not long after, these treasures became known as Caches - out of respect for Maximus.

 

Soon many more people started to hide 'caches' and Maximus managed to seek and find many himself. He became the most prolific of all seekers. In 56 BC, Maximus was on a seeking expedition and on his return to Rome the senate surprised him with his own commemorative coin. 500 of these coins were given to Maximus to drop in caches so that they may spread the word of Rome to all nations and the superior skills they posses as cache hunters. The quadding coin - aptly named as Maximus took his quadriga with him on all expeditions was the first trade item used for caching.

 

Unfortunately, in 59 BC Maximus was killed when fellow Roman, Nero Hoarder was caught trying to falsify a cache find. Nero stabbed Maximus in the back when Maximus bent down to check the log. Nero was hunted down and hung out to dry on the very forum that Maximus had his first moderator position.

 

LMAO! This is great! Exactly what I am looking for.

 

Glad you liked it - I had fun putting it together. Afterwards I was thinking that making an Ancient geocoin might not be a bad idea, unless it's already been done? I also noticed that I messed up the dates and was going the wrong way since BC should be going down not up as time passes, so I had to edit the original post

Edited October 16, 2007 by Theotokos

[Theotokos]

 

100,000 BC

 

The first recorded coins in history were called Neo-coins due in large to the fact that they were created by Neandrothal-man.

 

These pre-historic coins are the humble beginnings to what we know today as geocoins. Neocoins did not last long probably owing to the fact that they weighed almost 300 lbs and the art depicted was not always family friendly as shown in this ancient example. Cache owners also complained due to the fact that anyone leaving one of these monstrous coins in a cache basically gave away the location and the cache soon became smuggled - stolen by a muggle (what we know today simple as muggled).

Edited October 16, 2007 by Theotokos

[+fairyhoney]

 

100,000 BC

 

The first recorded coins in history were called Neo-coins due in large to the fact that they were created by Neandrothal-man.

 

These pre-historic coins are the humble beginnings to what we know today as geocoins. Neocoins did not last long probably owing to the fact that they weighed almost 300 lbs and the art depicted was not always family friendly as shown in this ancient example. Cache owners also complained due to the fact that anyone leaving one of these monstrous coins in a cache basically gave away the location and the cache soon became smuggled - stolen by a muggle (what we know today simple as muggled).

 

Love your drawing... would it, could it, become part of a geocoin design

[+forthferalz]

ooh my type of cointest. Just checking i'm on the right track before working on the pictures:

a brief history of the 21st C “By the middle decades of this century the global energy crisis was averted by the discovery of nuclear fusion, and Humanity also took it’s first tentative steps towards colonising the solar system, but the real start of the Interstellar Space Age would have to wait until the dawning of the 22nd Century.”[1]

 

Dec. 2006 CE: NASA announces US plans to begin colonising space funded by sales of mission patch geocoins, donated geofairy and Indy Diver v1 geocoins

 

Dec 2007 CE: Dr. Love takes first geocoin into orbit CRAKE astrolabe geocoin TB16CKV

 

2021 CE: first geocache on the Moon. Tasmanian caching legend Robtas places his 1000th fruit jar cache GMA1 at south lunar pole; colonists begin mining tritium.

 

2098 CE: First Contact

While exploring Mare Humorum [2]

during construction of the Trans-Lunar Express, a high-speed monorail system connecting the major lunar colony sites, Commander James T. Rutter and Lt. Michael D. Rutter disturb an FSM searching for cache GM3E on her lunar geocaching holiday. They exchange geocoins - a full set of antique 2006 black nickel jeeps and 195 2008 Australian Legend geocoins, which their grandmother had failed to sell which were about to recast as radiation shielding for the TLE outpost, for 200 iridium FSM geocoins.

 

2099 CE: 198 iridium FSM geocoins activated and travel to caches on Earth Moon and Mars.

Pastafarianism becomes the dominant religion on Earth and her colonies. People ask themselves WWFSMD? War and inter-personal conflict are a thing of the past. Interstellar trade in geocoins begins.

 

3000 CE: Muggles discover FSM geocoins

Interstellar trade expands to non-geocaching related items. Spaghetti Bolognese becomes main export earner for Earth. FSM geocoins adopted by the United Earth Federation (UEF) as human currency promoting “fair trade” or “trade up” - all countries have the same living standards and earn 20,000 geocoins including one Moun10bike v201 per capita annually. Poverty is finally history.

 

[1] http://www.cthulhurising.co.uk/timeline.php

[2]http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/usgs/I495/

Edited October 16, 2007 by forthferalz

[Highland Geofairy]

4th January 1958 Explorer Sir Edmund Hillary arrives at South Pole

Sir Edmund Hillary has reached the South Pole - the first overland explorer to do so since Captain Robert F Scott's expedition in 1912.

The New Zealander and his team arrived safely after travelling 70 miles (113km) through mist and poor weather conditions.

They described seeing the round tower of the South Pole for the first time as a "black blob" on the horizon, location of Robert Scott’s cache was not considered an easy find, since much snow had fallen since 1912. Hillary was delighted to find that Scott had left a Keeper of the Mountain geocoin in the cache, something that had not been entered into the pages of the cache log.

Sir Edmund and his colleagues had only one drum of petrol left when they sighted the Polar base. This would have been enough for the "tractor train" to travel 20 miles (32km). If only they had had a GPSR they could have taken the direct route.

Earlier, the explorer had said fuel consumption was the party's main worry and that the team were "cutting it fine" because of very soft snow. Members of the team had to use shovels to clear a path for their tractors. Much like some of the cachers of today when they go cache bashing.

It took the tractor train, which included three tractors, a caboose and two sledges, more than 80 days to complete the 1,200-mile (1,930km) journey. Never before had so much effort been taken to reach a cache, so finding the geocoin was indeed an added bonus for all their efforts.

Sir Edmund was reportedly enthusiastic ahead of his arrival at the South Pole, and had told colleagues of heavy going in snow with a consistency of sugar, although he said good progress had been made.

In the final leg of the journey, the sky was overcast and there was no sun to warm the polar plateau. The party had to travel in "white-out" conditions for most of the time, with Sir Edmund telling Scott Base by radio: "It is tough, but not too tough." So remember that next time you find yourself in a tangle looking for that elusive cache.

The explorer later thanked his team, which included Ron Balham, Peter Mulgrew, Murray Ellis, Jim Bates and Derek Wright, and everyone involved in the expedition to the South Pole. A sort of TFTC log entry.

In 1985, Hillary accompanied Neil Armstrong in a small, twin-engine ski plane over the Arctic Ocean and landed at the North Pole. He thus became the first man to stand at both poles as well as the summit of Everest. That same year, Hillary was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner (Ambassador) to India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and spent four and a half years based in New Delhi.

 

In 1979, he had been scheduled to act as a commentator on the ill-fated Air New Zealand Flight 901, an Antarctic sightseeing flight, but had to pull out due to work commitments elsewhere. He was replaced by his close friend Peter Mulgrew, who perished as the flight crashed on Mount Erebus. In January 2007 Hillary travelled to Antarctica to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Scott Base. Whilst there, Hillary called for the British government to contribute to the upkeep of Scott's and Shackleton's huts and the commisioning of a new geocoin to mark the event.

On Sunday 22 April 2007, whilst on a trip to Kathmandu, Sir Edmund Hillary apparently suffered a fall. There was no comment on the nature of his illness and he did not immediately seek treatment. He was hospitalised after returning to his native New Zealand and he was sent an Owner Needs Maintenance geocoin as a get well gift.

[+PengoFamily]

Ok guess I misunderstood what avroair was looking for with my first post. Let’s try this again. :D

 

Rosetta Geocoin – discovered July 1799

 

After Napoleon’s 1798 conquest of all the geocaches in Egypt, the French founded Institut de l'Égypte pour les geocacheurs in Cairo, bringing many geocachers and archaeologists to the region.

 

French Army geocoin designer Captain Pierre-François Bouchard discovered the geocoin sometime in mid-July, while guiding construction work for the Fort Julien Mega Event near the Egyptian port city of Rosetta (now Rashid).

 

In 1814, the Briton Thomas Young finished translating the enchorial text, and began work on the hieroglyphic script. From 1822 to 1824, Jean-François Champollion greatly expanded on this work, and he is known as the translator of the Rosetta Geocoin.

 

The translation of this remarkable geocoin led to the understanding of many unknown geocaching terms that were used by the ancient Egyptians. Like the infamous terms TNLNSL, TFTC and DNF. With the Rosetta Geocoin deciphered now every geocacher was able to enjoy previous encrypted logs in all the logbooks located world wide.

 

Edited for grammar

Edited October 16, 2007 by PengoFamily

[+Wij Drie]

Piet Pieterszoon Hein

 

Piet Hein (November 25, 1577 – June 18, 1629) was a Dutch naval officer and folk hero during the Eighty Years' War between the United Provinces (the Netherlands) and Spain. He was the First Dutch Geocoiner.

 

Hein was born in Delfshaven (now part of Rotterdam), the son of a captain, and he became a geocoiner while he was still a teenager. In his twenties, he was captured by the Spanish, and served as a galley-slave for about four years, probably between 1598 and 1602, when he was traded up for Spanish prisoners. In 1607, he joined the Dutch VGC (Vereenigde Geocoin Company) and left for Asia to find geocoins over there, returning with the rank of captain (of the Hollandia) five years later.

 

In 1628, Admiral Hein sailed out to capture the Spanish treasure fleet loaded with silver Geocoins from their American colonies. Sixteen Spanish ships were intercepted. After some musket volleys from Dutch sloops their crews surrendered also and Hein captured 11,509,524 Spanish Geocoins of booty in gold, silver and other expensive trade goods, as ammoboxes and FTF-certificates, without any bloodshed. The Dutch didn't take prisoners: they gave the Spanish crews ample supplies for a march to Havana. The released were surprised to hear the admiral personally giving them directions in fluent Spanish; Hein after all was well acquainted with the region as he had been confined to it during his internment. The treasure was the company's greatest victory in the Caribbean.

 

tot cache,

team Wij Drie

[+Hr og Fru Danmark]

 

Appr. 1350 BC

The sun chariot of Trundholm, called Solvognen in Danish, is a late Bronze Age Relic. (appr. 1350 BC). It is a bronze statue of a horse and a big gold disk with very fine carvings. The disk is placed on two spoked wheels. The horse stands on a bronze rod connecting it to the disk and runs on four wheels, the disk itself on two. All wheels have four spokes.

The sun mooves from left to right and so pulls the horse the golden sundisk. The opposite disk shows a dark site to symbolise the night.

 

It was discovered in 1902 in the Trundholm moor on the northwest coast of the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in Denmark, in a region known as Odsherred. (Here we held the event for with this coin was made.)

 

The sun was the central in the religion. Bronze-Age-people imagined that the sun was transported over the sky in daytime. In the morning a fish lead the sun to a ship wich trasported it until midday. Here the horse took over and carried the sun to the afternoon-ship. A snake lead the sun to the underworld and down here the sun was dark. The dark sun was carried on the nightship until the morning, where the fish again took over. Like this, the eternety of the day cyclus, was maintenanced by the suns helpers – fish, horse, snake and ships.

 

Joan

[+PengoFamily]

Things in history that make you go HMMMMMMMMM.

 

The Event: THE FINDING OF THE PREHISTORIC CUBE

 

 

When: 1885

 

 

Where: Austria

 

The Mystery: In coal beds in Austria, there was found a metal cube, made of iron, carbon, and a little bit of nickel. Many experts think it could have been made only by human hands centuries earlier....but the 'experts' say that the time period to which it would have belonged would not have had human life...what do they know??

 

Embedded in the coal, the cube measured 2 1/2" by 1 4/5", weighed 28 oz., and had an incision that ran around it horizontally.

 

Discovered by a Dr. Gurlt, the cube created a minor sensation. Articles about it appeared in Nature, the British scientific magazine, in November, 1886, and in L'Astronomie, published in Paris, in 1887.

 

The cube was put in the Salzburg Museum. A few years ago, the Russian journalist G. N. Ostroumov decided to investigate the story of the cube. Officials at the Salzburg Museum said it was lost, probably sometime before W.W.II. The file for the period in which the cube was found was also missing. Ostroumov published articles saying the whole thing was a hoax.

 

What was later discovered is that this mysterious cube was the first ever muggle stone. The incision that ran around it horizontally was in fact the place the 2 halves joined together...DUH...had they simply pulled it apart they would have found an ancient log book with a few arrow heads as swag. And rumor has it that the first ever geocoin was inside. Of course it was non trackable. Some sources say that it can now be found for sale on ebay. It's listed as super-duper extremely rare and hard to find.

 

The reason that the cube was mysteriously missing, as any geocacher would know, is that it was muggled.

Edited October 16, 2007 by PengoFamily

[+surteb]

 

56 B.C. – Part II: Revenge of the Son

 

When Maximus Cachius was killed by his countryman Nero, SonofMaximus Cachius who, because he was always somewhat petite was nicknamed Micro, had just recently entered his rebellious teenage years. Though he often accompanied Maximus on his expeditions, he shunned the cache hunting activity, preferring instead to remain in the quadriga stewing over the “uncoolness” of his father playing silly games. Upon his father’s death, however, Micro had a change of attitude. Having missed the chance to be the First to Flog his father’s killer, Micro vowed revenge on all cachers failing to follow the rules of the game.

 

Micro began to venture out into the forests on his own, tucking himself into small holes in trees or wrapping himself around a branch and always being sure to be well concealed. In this way, he was able to observe the activities of many cachers without being seen. He did this so often, in fact, that when friends asked if Micro was available for an afternoon, his mother’s response was always, “Micro’s in the woods.”

 

In his hiding spots, Micro would observe cachers taking trinkets and failing to leave an item of equal value behind. Or he would see the same cacher leaving his mark multiple times so that he could claim many finds and increase his reputation as a spectacular seeker. Micro decided he would warn the offenders before exacting any punishment upon them, and this created the little "Caught Red Handed" coin.

 

This signature item would mysteriously appear on each offender’s doorstep The blood, Mirco wanted all offenders to know, would be on their hands. Soon all participating in the sport were looking over their shoulders and complying with the rules. Thus was geocaching made wholesome again.

 

Seeing the success Micro had, his Grandpa Brutus took the idea to Caesar himself, offering it up as a way to squelch crime throughout Rome. Because very few knew of Micro and instead believed the coins appeared through supernatural events, Caesar replied with a hearty laugh and asked, “Et tu, Brute?” Enraged by the mockery, Grandpa Brutus produced a dagger and struck Caesar in the back, ending his rule and his life.

Edited October 17, 2007 by surteb

[+deafnut]

refer from Moun10Bike website

 

The Birth of Geocoins

 

- Jon Stanley, aka Moun10Bike, gives us a look at the origin of the ultimate cache swag.

 

"One hundred finds will always be my most memorable caching milestone. Even 1000 finds didn’t match the thrill of reaching that first significant landmark. Of course, back in 2001, it was a lot harder to rack up 100 caches than it is today; but even now there is something special about number 'one-double-O.'"

 

"As the milepost approached, I began thinking of how I would mark the occasion. I initially considered designing a special one-time trade item, but I was becoming more and more intrigued by the idea of a signature item. I thought about small toy bikes, custom buttons, personalized pens, and many other things. However, none of these really captured my imagination."

 

"On July 21, 2001, we held the first ever Washington state event at Seattle’s Magnuson Park. The subject of signature items came up there during the course of the festivities. One of my fellow geocachers, Silver, had served in the military and mentioned the idea of challenge coins. These are custom-made metal coins that were originally used to recognize soldiers for outstanding acts, to boost morale, and to build camaraderie. Later, the tradition of 'coining' developed, in which soldiers would call on their fellow soldiers to show that they were carrying their unit’s coin. In the Vietnam era, the tradition evolved to include the loser of a challenge buying a round of drinks."

 

"The idea of a custom coin as a signature item immediately struck a chord with me. It was an object that would be unique, immediately identifiable, easy to carry around in a backpack, and – based on the popularity of coin collecting – highly desirable."

 

"With some leads from Silver, I started researching online businesses that produce coins and got to work on coming up with a compelling design. The design was the easy part: I used my mountain biking logo (which I had developed years earlier for a t-shirt design for my riding buddies and me) on one side and an alteration of the Groundspeak logo (one that fit better on a round surface) on the reverse. "

 

"Deciding on a supplier for the coins was a bit more difficult, but after some web surfing and several phone calls, I had one picked out. I decided on the features that I wanted on my coins (color, numbering, etc.) and then I sat back and waited for the coins to arrive."

 

...no one has an eye for a spectacular location like EraSeek. "During this time, I set about looking for a suitable cache to make the milestone find. I turned to my local geocachers for help and received several outstanding suggestions. It was the suggestion of EraSeek, however, that really made me prick up my ears – no one has an eye for a spectacular location like EraSeek. It was decided: the chosen cache would be EraSeek’s recommendation of Light House Point by Whidbey Walk, a unique location near Deception Pass along the shores of Puget Sound."

 

"When the coins finally arrived, I was thrilled at how they had turned out– even better than I had imagined. They were just in time, too– a few short days before find number one hundred. The timing of all of this was rather serendipitous, as it coincided with Jeremy Irish’s (founder of Groundspeak) implementation of traveler tracking on Geocaching.com. When Jeremy heard that I was having numbering put on my coins, he graciously offered me the option of tracking my coins on the website. I of course jumped at the chance and my coins were among the first of the new 'Travel Bugs.'"

 

"The big day arrived on September 30, 2001. Jeremy joined me and we headed north from Seattle toward Deception Pass. I was actually at ninety-eight finds at this time, so we made an initial stop at another cache to set up number one hundred (fittingly, it was an EraSeek cache)."

 

"Then we rolled on toward Light House Point.

Light House Point was everything it had been described to be: a beautiful location, a fun hunt and a unique journey involving an ascent up a 30-foot aluminum ladder. It was the perfect choice for a memorable one hundredth find, and the perfect place to release the first 'geocoin,' the name I had given to these creations. Actually, it was the second geocoin in existence (Moun10Bike Geocoin #002) that was released here; the first geocoin, #001, still sits on display on a shelf in my office."

 

"Since that date, I have released almost 200 of my geocoins. Most have been picked up never to be seen again, but several have traveled thousands of miles and seen such exotic locales as the Alps and Machu Picchu. Other geocachers have released their own geocoin designs, and these little metal disks have become some of the most desired trade items of all. Their beauty, variety, portability and durability coupled with their tradition of tracking have made them the ultimate cache swag."

[+Ble68]

How far back do you need us to go?

[+Ble68]

ooh my type of cointest. Just checking i'm on the right track before working on the pictures:

a brief history of the 21st C “By the middle decades of this century the global energy crisis was averted by the discovery of nuclear fusion, and Humanity also took it’s first tentative steps towards colonising the solar system, but the real start of the Interstellar Space Age would have to wait until the dawning of the 22nd Century.”[1]

 

Dec. 2006 CE: NASA announces US plans to begin colonising space funded by sales of mission patch geocoins, donated geofairy and Indy Diver v1 geocoins

 

Dec 2007 CE: Dr. Love takes first geocoin into orbit CRAKE astrolabe geocoin TB16CKV

 

2021 CE: first geocache on the Moon. Tasmanian caching legend Robtas places his 1000th fruit jar cache GMA1 at south lunar pole; colonists begin mining tritium.

 

2098 CE: First Contact

While exploring Mare Humorum [2]

during construction of the Trans-Lunar Express, a high-speed monorail system connecting the major lunar colony sites, Commander James T. Rutter and Lt. Michael D. Rutter disturb an FSM searching for cache GM3E on her lunar geocaching holiday. They exchange geocoins - a full set of antique 2006 black nickel jeeps and 195 2008 Australian Legend geocoins, which their grandmother had failed to sell which were about to recast as radiation shielding for the TLE outpost, for 200 iridium FSM geocoins.

 

2099 CE: 198 iridium FSM geocoins activated and travel to caches on Earth Moon and Mars.

Pastafarianism becomes the dominant religion on Earth and her colonies. People ask themselves WWFSMD? War and inter-personal conflict are a thing of the past. Interstellar trade in geocoins begins.

 

3000 CE: Muggles discover FSM geocoins

Interstellar trade expands to non-geocaching related items. Spaghetti Bolognese becomes main export earner for Earth. FSM geocoins adopted by the United Earth Federation (UEF) as human currency promoting “fair trade” or “trade up” - all countries have the same living standards and earn 20,000 geocoins including one Moun10bike v201 per capita annually. Poverty is finally history.

 

[1] http://www.cthulhurising.co.uk/timeline.php

[2]http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/usgs/I495/

FSM begins recruiting other in his works.

[avroair]

How far back do you need us to go?

 

As far back as you want.

[+KarelKraak]

What: Geocoin Mania

When: 1636-1637

Where: United Provinces (now the Netherlands)

 

The term geocoin mania (alternatively tulipomania) is used metaphorically to refer to any large economic bubble. The term originally came from the period in the history of the Netherlands during which demand for geocoins reached such a peak that enormous prices were charged for a single coin. It took place in the first part of the 17th century, especially in 1636–37.

 

The geocoins, introduced to Europe in the middle of the 16th century, experienced a strong growth in popularity in the United Provinces (now the Netherlands), boosted by competition between members of the upper trading classes for possession of the rarest varieties. Competition escalated until prices reached very high levels.

 

In 1623, a single coin of a famous variety could cost as much as a thousand Dutch florins (the average yearly income at the time was 150 florins). The geocoins were also exchanged for land, valuable livestock, and houses. Allegedly, a good trader could earn six thousand florins a month. By 1635, a sale of 40 coins for 100,000 florins was recorded. By way of comparison, a ton of butter cost around 100 florins and "eight fat swine" 240 florins. A record was the sale of the famous tulip, the Dutch Microcoin, for 6,000 florins in Haarlem.

 

17th-century watercolor of the Dutch microcoin, which sold for a record price.

 

By 1636, geocoins were traded on the stock exchanges of numerous Dutch towns and cities. This encouraged trading in coins by all members of society, with many people selling or trading their other possessions in order to speculate in the coin market. Some speculators made large profits as a result. Others lost all or even more than they had.

 

Some traders sold geocoins that had only just been designed or those they intended to design. This phenomenon was dubbed windhandel, or "wind trade", and took place mostly in the taverns of small towns using an arcane slate system to indicate bid prices. (The term windhandel is similar to the recent term vaporware: both have much the same metaphor.) A state edict from 1610 (well before the alleged bubble) made that trade illegal by refusing to enforce the contracts, but the legislation failed to curtail the activity.

 

In February 1637 geocoin traders could no longer get inflated prices for their coins, and they began to sell. The bubble burst. People began to suspect that the demand for coins could not last, and as this spread a panic developed. Some were left holding contracts to purchase geocoins at prices now ten times greater than those on the open market, while others found themselves in possession of coins now worth a fraction of the price they had paid. Allegedly, thousands of Dutch, including businessmen and dignitaries, were financially ruined.

 

Attempts were made to resolve the situation to the satisfaction of all parties, but these were unsuccessful. Ultimately, individuals were stuck with the geocoins they held at the end of the crash—no court would enforce payment of a contract, since judges regarded the debts as contracted through gambling, and thus not enforceable in law.

Lesser versions of the tulipomania also occurred in other parts of Europe, although matters never reached the state they had in the Netherlands. In England in 1800, it was common to pay fifteen guineas for a single geocoin. This sum would have kept a labourer and his family in food, clothes and lodging for six months.

 

Chris Mackey, in his book "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds", tells a story of the time:

A wealthy geocoincollector had paid 3,000 florins (280 pounds sterling) for a rare Dutch micro tulip coin, and it disappeared from his cache. After thoroughly searching, he saw a geocacher (who had mistaken the coin for swag) holding it. The geocacher was promptly arrested and spent months in jail.

Edited October 17, 2007 by KarelKraak

[+Ble68]

http://www.animatedatlas.com/timeline.html Here is the website I got all of my info from.

Let me know what you think! I did a science timeline!

[+PengoFamily]

Astrolabe -- attributed to Champlain

 

Made in 1603 -- found in 1867

 

In May 1613, Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer-cartographer, travelled up the Ottawa River. To avoid the rapids, he chose a course through a number of small lakes near Cobden, Ontario. Champlain and his men were forced to portage and to climb over and under fallen logs at one particularly difficult point by Green Lake, now also known as Astrolabe Lake. It was here, according to several nineteenth-century authors, that Champlain lost his astrolabe.

 

If this is correct, the astrolabe remained where it had fallen for 254 years. Eventually a 14-year-old farm boy named Edward Lee found it in 1867 while helping his father clear trees by Green Lake.

 

Captain Cowley, who ran a steamboat on nearby Muskrat Lake, offered Lee ten dollars for the astrolabe. Lee never received the money nor saw the astrolabe again. Cowley sold the astrolabe to his employer, R.W. Cassels of Toronto, President of the Ottawa Forwarding Company. He in turn sold it to a New York collector, Samuel Hoffman. The astrolabe was willed to the New York Historical Society in 1942 where it remained until June 1989, when it was acquired by the Department of Communications for the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

 

[+surteb]

 

1969 – The Dawning of the Age of the Event Coin

 

In 1966, John Roberts and Joel Rosenman happened to meet on a golf course. Becoming fast friends, and through wonderful twists of fate and coincidences, they soon met another pair of buddies, Artie Kornfeld and Michael Lang. The foursome bonded over their love of gaming and music. During a friendly game of poker, the idea to host a rock concert extravaganza was born. Afraid that music alone wouldn’t be enough to entice the masses, they decided to incorporate the game of geocaching. This, they thought, would appeal to the counterculture of the times since it involved using billion-dollar government satellites for no other purpose than to play a game.

 

To further entice folks to the event, the four created the first limited edition event geocoin. This coin would be available to the first 250 people coming to play, with roughly 50 artist editions being planted as First to Find Prizes for those seeking to discover the inner peace and harmony associated with being the first to sign a cache's logbook. Word of this free token quickly spread, and soon the New York State Thruway was shut down as people flocked to the pasture in Sullivan County to try and get this special event coin. Because the organizers had grossly underestimated the number of attendees, the coins quickly became very hard to find. Some folks, wishing to capitalize on this, began offering their Woodstock Coin up for sale or trade. Others chose to start a new fad: discovery of the coin. This, they felt, was in keeping with the peace and “free love” aspect of the event. So, though they maintained possession of their coins, they shared them with all who wanted a more tangible claim of Woodstock’s geocaching history.

 

Few people recall Woodstock as a caching event, as the music is what has always gotten the most press. The various drugs that were consumed during the festival—some of which, it is rumored, were offered up as trade items — may also be to blame for the memory loss and the fading of geocaching into the background of this era’s history.

[avroair]

http://www.animatedatlas.com/timeline.html Here is the website I got all of my info from.

Let me know what you think! I did a science timeline!

 

ROFLMAO! Awesome! Particularly fitting since I work at Scientific American magazine.

[+Ble68]

Today is the day! I can't wait to see the time line!

[+Mr.Explorer3]

From 1861 to 1863 ten famous battles were fought between groups of cachers over the FTF prizes of geocoins. This became known as the "Civil War geocoins".

[+Ble68]

From 1861 to 1863 ten famous battles were fought between groups of cachers over the FTF prizes of geocoins. This became known as the "Civil War geocoins".

[+PengoFamily]

The Narmer Palette Geocoin, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Palette or the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptian archeological find, dating from about the 31st century BC, containing some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. It is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the pharaoh Narmer.

 

This ancient Narmer Palette Geocoin discovered by an archeologist named Dorkfish has two female figures are Sekhmet (the War Goddess of Upper Egypt) and Bastet (the Goddess of Protection but also associated with war & battle). Bastet is handing Sekhmet a coin like a peace offering.

 

[+tsunrisebey]

Get to use my Anthropology background

 

PROJECT A.P.E.

 

Time Frame: 3 to 3.9 million years ago, during the Pliocene epoch: second

 

Australopithecus are the first documented hominids that exhibited bipedalism and share common ancestry with modern apes and humans. They were found to have established the first group of what are now known as geocaches and geocoins. This project is now know as Project A.P.E (Australopithecus Project Erectus).

 

Evidence found by Dr. Tsunrisebey and her team of geoassistants have revealed some magnificent and extraordinary information regarding these 'geocaches' and 'geocoins.'

 

Dr. Tsunrisebey states that most of the Project A.P.E. caches are federally protected and no longer available for viewing by the general geocaching public with the exception of the Brazil and Washington geocaches.

 

She noted that the slow bipedals would travel hundreds and even thousands of miles to place and locate these geocaches. Evidence revealed that nuts, berries and small insects were left at these sites which were usually covered by branches or rocks. Dr. Tsunrisebey noted that the amazing part regarding these caches was how they found them. The evidence is stgill being looked into but it appears that frogs were used in some manner. It is believed they emitted some kind of "signal" which the Australopithecus were able to use in locating the caches. Dr. Tsunrisebey stated that, "The intelligence exhibited by these early homonids is much more than we had originally thought possible. It almost appears as if they used this as some sort of entertaiment value."

 

In her research, she and her colleagues stumbled upon two major and incredible discoveries. Dr. Tsunrisebey described little round token or coin like objects, now known as gecoins. Dr. Tsunrisebey noted; " This is simply astounding! The Australopithecus were not know for their complex tool use, they used rocks to crack open nuts and digging sticks to hunt termites and ants, yet they fashioned these roundish type objects out of a clay type substance, colored them with Earthen materials and even etched pictures in them. These are out first evidence of petroglpyhs and we call them petroglyph geocoins or tokens. They are quite stunning and we have found six images!"

 

Dr. Tsunrisebey went on to say that an even more stunning find that probably came a million years after the petroglyph series of coins was a metal type geocoin. She stated, "We were blown-away by such a significant find, an actual metal coin. Not only did we believe that the Australopithecus would be incapable of such technologies, it appeared they had also developed some sort of written language amongst themselves. Considering their brain size and capabilites it would almost seem impossible. We have labeled the language; "Groundspeakus." It appears there were some homonids that were slightly more intelligent than others and we gave them the term; "Groundspeakus Lackeyus." When we stumbled across bone fragments and pieces, we nicknamed them Jeremy, Bryan, Raine, and Hiedi. "

 

Dr. Tsunrisebey gave us some pictures of her finds, they are on loan and currently displayed at a site called; 'The Original Stash' in Oregon. You can easily research Project A.P.E., Groundspeakus, and the Groundspeakus Lackeyus on the internet. She noted that she planned on continuing her research into this Project A.P.E. and hoped to find more geocoin evidence in her searches so she could establish a better understanding of this phenomenon.

 

Early petrolgyphs by Australopitecus

 

1 million years after the petroglyphs, this metal geocoin was found

[+forthferalz]

Couldn't resist making this one posted after deadline to avoid accusations of buttering up the contest owner. Thanks for all the fun - great entries!

 

The scientiffic age - late C17th to present the Scientist gains Liberty of Action after generations of terrifying ecclesiatical Oppression and Persecution[1]

 

1687 Theory of gravity removes last doubts about heliocentrism. Struck by a Pyallup Apple geocoin which had made its way, untrackably - so we'll never know how, into a badly repositioned cache overhead, Isaac Newton formulates his theory of gravity. Publishes Principia Mathematica without being burned at the stake for heresy.

 

4 June 1783 Theory of levity conquers gravity. After much experimentation with heavier than air geocoins, including paper cored with metal ( the elgecko) - Ettienne Montgolfier, the more sober of the pair, suggests to his brother Joseph, the flighty one, that they abandon the 'flat coin' stipulation and inflate taffeta geocoins with some of the 'hot air' from Joseph's legendary bad jokes, also called 'levity' or 'avroair'. [2] Thus the Montgolfier brother's successfully defy gravity and launch the first balloon racers.

1.http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/youth/history/TheStoryofMankind/chap58.html

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgolfier_brothers

Edited October 21, 2007 by forthferalz

[+surteb]

Just looking for the official timeline. Did I miss it?

[avroair]

I will pour over the entries tomorrow at work (when I have more time! ) ~ hope everyone enjoyed coming up with the Past History of Geocoins. Enjoyed reading and chuckling at some so far!

[+Ble68]

Are you posting tthe winners today?

[avroair]

Are you posting tthe winners today?

 

Yeah, I have the winners, they will be contacted soon, just in time for halloween.

[avroair]

Ok there are 9 winners. I have emailed you for contact info.

 

Thanks for the fun! If people have other timeline ideas... post em here.

[Theotokos]

I guess I didn't make the cut but thanks for the opportunity and cointest avroair

[avroair]

I guess I didn't make the cut but thanks for the opportunity and cointest avroair

 

Check your email.

[+PengoFamily]

I guess I didn't make the cut but thanks for the opportunity and cointest avroair

 

Same, but congrats to all the winners! Thanks for the cointest avroair!! It was lots of fun to read the really creative entries.

[+tsunrisebey]

Thanks for the cointest

[+Ble68]

This was a lot of fun!

[+deafnut]

THX !!!!!

 

yea i won ... I did not realy that was part of history ....

[+deafnut]

oops doblue post

 

( this system must eat too much to day !)

Edited October 24, 2007 by deafhunt

[+forthferalz]

:) and watch this space....

[+forthferalz]

this is addictive

 

Wheel of Yime - Landmark Inventions paleolithic to present

 

 

40,000 BCE Metallurgy [1] Following on from the discovery of native gold it became possible to merely engrave a likeness of the earlier monolithic stone geocoin in metal of a cache friendly size

 

 

3,500 BCE the Wheel [2] Mesopotamia - ancient centre of geocoin manufacture; clay tablets chronicle the inspiration arose after dropping a load of variously shaped geocoins and noticing the round shape travelled furthest.

 

xxx!!!

 

1800 BCE value of Pi [3] While wire wrapping geocoins for good karma amulets ancients discover the circumference of a round geocoin is always π times its diameter.

 

79 CE Yuranium Yime used in small amounts for yellow glass and pottery glazes [5]

 

1800 CE the Battery Italian physicist Allessandro Volta makes a chemical battery using a yemon and 2 screw geocoins of different metals[4]

 

1896 CE Radioactivity Antoine Becquerel notices his Yuranium Yime geocoin exposes a photographic plate [6]

 

16 December 1947 CE the Transistor [7] Using a joniandmarky semiconductor nanocoin William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain build the first practical transistor at Bell Labs paving the way for miniaturisation.

 

1990 CIRCULAR TRANSPORTATION FACILITATIUN DEVICE (sic)[4] inspired by examining his lovely round AUSTRALIA geocoin lawyer JM Keogh successfully patents the wheel despite not being able to spell as well as a 6th grader.

 

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallurgy#History

 

2.http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventions/a/wheel.htm

 

3.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi

 

4.*page 5* http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~gfx/Courses/20...el%20Patent.pdf.

 

5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_glass

 

6. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/lofiversi...t151718-50.html

 

7.http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/physics/transistor/history/index.html

Edited October 24, 2007 by forthferalz

[avroair]

WINNERS: As an incentive: Six winners will recieve a geocoin goodie-bag (5-6 coins per bag).

 

Packages were mailed out to the 10 winners today, 3-4 coins per package.

Happy Halloween!