Newbie Questions

[+Electric Water Boy]

I've read just enough to be confused, so I'll just post my questions, take the slams for not reading 497,348 pages of FAQs, and hope for the best (being sarcastic, I know most won't slam me.. I hope)

 

Is a tracking number and an activation number the same thing?

 

Can you order a coin with a specific number?

 

Now if you are turning red and getting ready to slam, maybe this might slow you down. Might intent in asking this is the POW/MIA coin. I'd like to get one with the tail number of my Dad's plane, and if I can't get that then maybe the date it went down. Just an idea going through my head.

 

Thanks

[+AtlantaGal]

Is a tracking number and an activation number the same thing?

 

No. The tracking number is what is on the item. The activate "code" is what activates the item on geocaching.com (in conjunction with its tracking number).

 

Can you order a coin with a specific number?

 

No. The tracking numbers are randomly generated by Groundspeak at time of purchase.

Edited November 28, 2007 by AtlantaGal

[avroair]

No.

 

Tracking number is used to keep track of a coin, logging in and out of caches or discovering.

Activation number is a one-time use to make the coin active in Groundspeak's database.

 

Nope.

The activation codes are random, but some owners do hunt through the numbers to find interesting codes.

 

Hope this helps! And welcome aboard.

[+coreynjoey]

A tracking number is the actual number on the coin. The activation number is a different code you put on geocaching.com to activate the coin. So to activate a coin, you need the tracking number off the coin and a seperate different code that corresponds to that coin.

 

When trading coins with others, some have preferences for specific numbers, but that's more when the coins are numbered ( 1 of 150, 2 of 150). I think it'd be pretty hard to get a coin with a specific tracking number, but I could be wrong. They tend to be very random and they come from Groundspeak, not the coin makers.

[+KoosKoos]

No and No, you newbie idiot!!!!

 

Sorry, someone had to slam you or the forum license would be revoked.

[+Accordiongal]

Activation codes are linked to the coin vendor or maker, or a few other coin code sites. Each UNACTIVATED coin needs to be entered into an activation process with the vendor by entering the tracking number.

 

The activation code is then retrieved from some data base. The next step is to proceed to geocaching activation page. At this point you enter the activatio number, then walla, the coin appears in your profile on the "ownership" side versus moved side.

 

Hope the process has been explained.

 

Accordiongal

[+Droo]

The POW/MIA coin was minted over a year ago so the time for any alterations or special orders for sequential numbering, if available, is long long long gone.

 

And I don't think you'd have found any of the answers you got so far on this thread in the FAQs... including the flaming renewal requeriments.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Droo

[+Frozen Buns]

OK, I'll ask, what numbers are you looking for, I will check mine just for the heck of it.

[+fairyhoney]

OK, I'll ask, what numbers are you looking for, I will check mine just for the heck of it.

Hey, I Was going to ask that !

[+Go JayBee]

Probably not the answer you are looking for...but,

 

It is possible to get a custom "prefix" for a coin series if you order a minimum of 250 "tracking" codes...for example: the Geo-Jellies coins all begin with: GJ..., or the Top 40 coins all begin with: LP

 

 

Now, as far as the rest of the tracking number goes...it is a random code generation by Groundspeak.

 

 

The other possibility is to assign a specific "Activation Code"...again, a minimum of 250 tracking numbers must be purchased. Perhaps you could have your Dad's "Tail" number used as the Activation Code.

 

 

Just a thought...

[+sillygirl & jrr]

While you can not request a specific coin number, if you own a coin and activate you can name it whatever you like, just like a TB. There is a field for the coin name when you activate it; the default is the coin's "generic" name e.g., POW/MIA Coin, that field can be edited. So whatever the coin's number you could name your coin"Tailnumber + Date." That way anyone who looked at the coin's page would see the info. Only those who actually move the coin see its tracking number.

[+Electric Water Boy]

Thanks all.

 

The number I'd be looking for is <I had to remove the number, see my post below to see why - Eartha, forum moderator>. If I had to shorten it then it would be 0477 or 477. And if I had letters in front it would be YP, so the whole thing would be YP <hiding the number>.

 

Looks like the thing to do is just associate the tail number with the name of the coin.

Edited December 6, 2007 by Eartha

[+wutzebear]

The number I'd be looking for is 560477.

Sorry, but <tracking number removed by moderator> is already registred with this TB.

 

You can check it out: go to www.geocaching.com/track and enter the tracking number.

 

If I were you I'd get a TB (with any tracking number) and attach anything related to your dad to it. Or related to it's plane, or the datum, or.. That way the relation to your dad is easier to see.

Edited December 6, 2007 by Eartha

[+Electric Water Boy]

Argh. I shouldn't type without having coffee first. I had YP on the brain because that's what all the records of looking for his plane show. However, the code should have been YU. Iremember years ago this being a big discussion on an email list with guys who flew the same mission. Finally got it straightened out when we got a picture of the plane. Definitely YU. Got to meet the last guy who successfully landed it (C-130A).

 

For the curious, the plane went down May 22, 1968 and wasn't found until just a few years ago.

[+MommyFinder]

Thanks all.

 

The number I'd be looking for is <tracking number removed by moderator>. If I had to shorten it then it would be 0477 or 477. And if I had letters in front it would be YP, so the whole thing would be YP <tracking number removed by moderator>.

 

Looks like the thing to do is just associate the tail number with the name of the coin.

This sounds like the best idea to me. You could also perhaps have the tail number engraved on your coin. So as not to confuse it with the tracking number, either use the whole thing (YU <tracking number removed by moderator>) or just the last part (0477).

 

Just another thought.....

Edited December 6, 2007 by Eartha

[CinemaBoxers]

Now if you are turning red and getting ready to slam, maybe this might slow you down. Might intent in asking this is the POW/MIA coin. I'd like to get one with the tail number of my Dad's plane, and if I can't get that then maybe the date it went down. Just an idea going through my head.

 

Thanks

Edit: This section removed because I haven't had my coffee yet either this morning.

 

~J

Edited November 28, 2007 by CinemaBoxers

[+Eartha]

I've read just enough to be confused, so I'll just post my questions, take the slams for not reading 497,348 pages of FAQs, and hope for the best (being sarcastic, I know most won't slam me.. I hope)

 

Is a tracking number and an activation number the same thing?

 

Can you order a coin with a specific number?

 

Now if you are turning red and getting ready to slam, maybe this might slow you down. Might intent in asking this is the POW/MIA coin. I'd like to get one with the tail number of my Dad's plane, and if I can't get that then maybe the date it went down. Just an idea going through my head.

 

Thanks

 

Most of your questions have been answered.

If you are looking for one coin with that specific number, it's taken.

If you are looking to have a coin made, why not one with your Dad's whole plane, numbers and all, right on it, maybe your Dad's profile on the back, like Lincoln on a penny. Chances of getting that tracking number are zero. (It's taken and I hope I don't catch anyone virtual logging it due to this thread. I know no one would that.) You could put the year the plane went down on it.

And to add:

There is the tracking number, which is on the item and used to log movement on the trackable.

There is the activation code, used once to activate the trackable.

There is the reference number, found on the trackable page, which is used to reference the bug in places like these forums so people can look it up, without giving out the tracking number. (Virtual logging is not allowed.)

 

Good luck, and have fun!

[+Eartha]

Due to the fact that there is an actual Travel Bug out there with this tracking number, which has sadly been muggled, or lost, I have had to remove the number that the OP is looking for in a few posts. But there have been lots of good ideas posted so far, so let's just pretend the number is 123456 for now, if we need to use it in an example. Thank you.

[+Bhob]

There are some coins that were made with a blank space on them

You could get one of those and have whatever you like engraved

Sadly, the POW coin does not have such a space

 

If you are really intent on having a POW geocoin with something special on it, a competent jewler could probably remove the tracking code and replace it with whatever you desire . . . but it would no longer be a GC.com trackable item at that point

[+Eric K]

 

It is possible to get a custom "prefix" for a coin series if you order a minimum of 250 "tracking" codes...for example: the Geo-Jellies coins all begin with: GJ..., or the Top 40 coins all begin with: LP

 

 

Is this correct? According to policy above you need to order 1000 to get a custom prefix then you can add to it by ordering in lots of an additional 250.

[+Bhob]

Now that I have thought about it for a while . . .

 

Most geocoins (including the POW ones) have a lot of blank space on the rim

You should be able to to get engraving done there

There should be plenty of space, if you wanted to include a name, date, tail number, etc

[+Addicted_too]

Coins can be created in any manner of shapes. How about a coin made in the shape of the planes tail, with the numbers of the plane you want on it. Expensive, but then you could drop these and share them with us. Extras always seem to sell on Ebay also.