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PRICEY...what's with the trend?


Rockin Roddy

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I've been looking about at various coins being sold and keep wondering WHY are prices sooooo high? What were we all just paying last year for coins? It seems we've had around a $2 jump in prices in the last year...having priced a few coins to be minted myself, I feel these prices are a bit "high", WHY?

 

At this rate, I'll need to make a coin or two just to keep on collecting (at a reasonable cost at least). Sounds like the thing to do, maybe I'll have to start scrimping to have a trade only coin made?

 

What say everyone? Are the prices jumping for a reason, am I missing something here? What prices would you consider "reasonable"?? Or is it just me? Maybe I'm just grumpy because I'm broke?

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Rod, you're not the only one who thinks its overpriced.

 

The reason coins are priced so high is because that is the price the market seems to bear. A few coin-makers raised their prices to get a better return, and lo-and-behold, the coins keep selling out at record pace. Seems that most coiners are willing to pay out their ears. (Guilty, as charged!)

 

Add to that the increased complexity of coins this year. How many hinged coins do we have now? That adds to the cost. How many two toned coins do we have? Add some more to that cost. A shaped coin? Yep, add that to the cost as well. Glow, Glitter, and more than four colors? Tack on a bit more. Cutouts? You guessed it...

 

Apparently we want it and we've asked for it and we're paying for it... Wish I could change it, but I don't have that kind of power. I do try to limit my purchases to places where I feel that the coin costs are reasonable, so there are few stores that aren't on my list anymore. If I end up wanting something from them, I'll try to trade for it.

 

What price do I think is reasonable? I try to limit my purchases to coins in the $7.50 range (before shipping). I'm not always successful, but I rarely buy a coin at $10.

 

That's my 2 cents. Take it for what its worth.

Edited by moscow32
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Overall I think the prices of geocoin have been pretty reasonable this past year. Yes vendors do make a slight profit but it's a business.

 

But I think next year is when we will see a bigger increase. The cost of metals have gone up over the year and I believe China has been getting pressure to have more 'normalized' work weeks like we do in the west. That could effect the geocoin costs down the road.

 

Hey but that's just my 2 cents...and it's probably only worht 1 cent. LOL!! :D

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Some coin prices still remain very fair and others are way overpriced, IMO.

 

It is getting to the point though where I cannot buy coins sold internationally at all any longer. The value of the dollar is so pathetic that many coins from overseas are simply priced so high that they are unaffordable.

 

I'm still kicking myself for purchasing 1 Britannia and 1 Best of British micro. Do you know that order was $27 shipped... for 2 coins and one of them is a micro. At most that order should have been $20 shipped and even that's excessive.

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There are several reasons for prices going up, but the most dynamic is the price of coin production. Oh, I'm not saying their are other factors involved, but what I've seen most is an almost 30% increase in what it takes to get a coin made. The declining US dollar has hurt us tremendously, not to mention we're now doing things that were undreamed of just a year ago when it comes to constructing new and beautiful coins. We're pushing the envelope ever outward, asking the mints to pull off crazy requests and the rate of useable units (about 3 in 4 made are actually pushed through to the end) is decreasing as these high-end demands increase. Costs more for the factory, costs us more time in design changes, costs more with a less powerful dollar and that all adds up to a more expensive average coin. I'm more surprised that coins have stayed as low as they have than that the prices have risen. Can we still make a coin cheaply? Maybe, but not if we want sparkly-glowing-translucent-moving-fun shaped-multipart coins! We're getting what we pay for and from what I've seen there is a lot more love than money to be gained in making coins. I can only speak for myself, but as a designer I make less than minimum wage per hour involved in designing (about 1/8th of my regular freelance rates) geocoins and consider every minute worthwhile. The payment for most of us are your reactions to a new design. :D

 

edit for bad math... I WISH I made that much freelance - lol

Edited by fox-and-the-hound
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That's why I pretty much stop buying, the prices are getting out of hand. It seems since coins go so high on Ebay, then why not charge a higher price and make a bigger profit.

 

It's pretty funny how the price starts out so high, and then after a few months, if someones stuck with a bunch of coins, the price drops down to a more resonable price, even at the coin clubs I noticed this.

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I think you need to look at the bigger picture but I'm not justifying prices for everyone's coins.

 

Paypal Fees

 

Packing/shipping: going to the post office, envelopes, stamps, etc.

 

Website/Employees: some people need to pay for a number of these services.

 

Designer Fee: Paying someone to do your work (not all people need this service) but most do.

 

Hosted Codes: Some of us have to pay to have the codes hosted

 

Groundspeak: tracking numbers/icons

 

Coins itself: Split the metals increases price (yes, it does!), shape, cutouts, colors, gems, hinges, size, amount of colors, 3D, you name it there is a charge. The prices have gone up since I've started.

 

Customs fees/Shipping: That is a huge chunk of change right there.

 

I may have missed a few things but you get the idea. When you add this all up, it is pricey to have a coin done. I only wish that everyone would have a coin done and do it on their own, then when the complaints come in about price, the attitude might change a bit. I know from my own personal experience after everything is said and done, I don't get paid even minimum wage for all the work/time I put into a whole coin project. The Rainforest Jewel itself was 3x's what it normally cost me to do a coin and I can tell you that I walked away with very little to show for it monetary wise.

 

Anyhow, I used to think the same way, then when you move into the design/production side of things, you quickly learn that most coin makers are not becoming rich quickly. There really is alot that goes into the whole process and for some of us this is an avenue of artistic expression versus pumping out designs for profit.

 

Again, I can not stress enough that there is so much more than paying the mint for coins. If it was that simple and cheap more people would be doing it on their own.

 

My 2 geocents

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The price of oil has gone up nearly 50% in the last year. So much of the movement and working of raw materials takes energy so you do the math. Add to that a 30% weakening of the dollar and it becomes clear that our purchasing power is seriously diminished.

 

Also Chinese workers aren't willing to work for the slave wages they used to accept gladly. As their economy heats up and their own quality of life improves the factory owners will be having more difficulties finding the cheap labour necessary for the prices we've come to expect. Imagine if the mints were forced to work within OUR own borders!!! At scale wages coins would cost at least 5x as much.

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One main issue (ignoring all other issues) is that most coins are made in China or Korea. The dollar is losing ground against most other currencies (and it's going to get worse). That makes anything made overseas cost more when it's imported here.

 

Blame the weak dollar on two things. The Trade Deficit and The Budget Deficit. Both hurt the dollar. The US was lucky for a long time but the time has come to pay the piper. Especially since the Fed is now not acting in the best interests of the country as a whole and instead is trying to minimize harm in certain sectors (at the expence of everthing else).

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Roddy,

 

What you are seeing now is what happens every year. I say this in looking at your join date and thinking back to before you started. Prices have gone up every year since geocoins started.

 

I'll concede that there are some legitimate factors involved (mint prices, new "features", etc.) but the main reason that I see, and always have seen, is because people will pay higher prices. Coins have continually creeped up from the $5.50 - $6.00 range to averaging $10.00 now. It's been slow, but steady.

 

It started when a few high priced coins came out and people started saying "that's too much for a coin", but bought them anyway. Others saw that they were still able to sell and followed suit and soon the median price rose because of it and it became the norm.

 

If you look at some of the higher priced coins you'll see comments like "This was expensive for a coin, but I had to have one/two so I bought them anyway". Feedback like this is reinforcing the rising prices and will continue to do so until people stop buying. If the coin is minted in limited amounts, then the sales typically go even faster because some segment of the buyers "have to have it".

 

Add to this LEs, XLEs, AEs, AXLEs, etc. and there are more artificial ways for the prices to go even higher and raise people's thresholds on what they see posted as sale prices - and what they will pay. It used to be that two versions of coins were made - a regulr version and an LE (for locals, or just a small run). In the beginning they cost the same and were just limited in availability. Then somebody decided that supply and demand should be applied and raised the rates for the LEs. That started the flood of multiple versions at higher prices, when in actuality the different metals add no (or very little) increase in cost.

 

In summary, as long as people are willing to support higher priced coins by buying them, you'll see the prices continue to go up.

 

(For those that don't know, I made my first local group coins back in 2005 and have been involved in no less than 12 coin productions over the past 3-4 years, so I speak from experience. Not saying that my opinion is any more or less important than anybody else's - just providing the background on which my opinions are built)

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I can see the geocoin prices rising some but to have the shipping costs get out of hand seems extremely greedy to me. Buying from eBay some people are charging $6.00 within the states for shipping.

When I ship to Germany it usually costs under $2.00 for 2-3 coins and it is 10 Euro to ship one geocoin from Germany to the USA from the geocoin place there.

It costs me less to ship to Canada then to my neighboring states.

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I think you need to look at the bigger picture but I'm not justifying prices for everyone's coins.

 

List snipped for brevity... scroll up and read it

Anyhow, I used to think the same way, then when you move into the design/production side of things, you quickly learn that most coin makers are not becoming rich quickly. There really is alot that goes into the whole process and for some of us this is an avenue of artistic expression versus pumping out designs for profit.

 

Again, I can not stress enough that there is so much more than paying the mint for coins. If it was that simple and cheap more people would be doing it on their own.

This is one of the better summations I've read on this issue and I wish everyone would read it carefully before they start complaining that people who make and sell geocoins are ripping everyone off.

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well, talk about pricey :D

 

I have different problems buying in USA shops or European shops.

I think that european prices are rather higher than the usa shops, thats why i buy more there (regardless the fact that coins from europe became highly valuable in trades ;) )

 

Buying from the states and Canada aswell is cheaper and you may be surprised but the shipping cost are cheaper also (please don't start pushing them up now :D ). Nevertheless its usual to see a billing amount due to shipping costs higher than the one on the envelope himself.

 

My problem its customs taxes, which are at least 21% of the purchase amount. You've read it well 21% :D:(:D and which doesn't apply to european purchases.

 

I decide mainly on the quality of the coin, or the quality it seems to have, since i cannot afford to have all of them.

 

I wish they could stay in the range 8-10 dollars and 6-8euros but i think its asking to much B)

 

PL

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I think you need to look at the bigger picture but I'm not justifying prices for everyone's coins.

 

List snipped for brevity... scroll up and read it

Anyhow, I used to think the same way, then when you move into the design/production side of things, you quickly learn that most coin makers are not becoming rich quickly. There really is alot that goes into the whole process and for some of us this is an avenue of artistic expression versus pumping out designs for profit.

 

Again, I can not stress enough that there is so much more than paying the mint for coins. If it was that simple and cheap more people would be doing it on their own.

This is one of the better summations I've read on this issue and I wish everyone would read it carefully before they start complaining that people who make and sell geocoins are ripping everyone off.

 

I think that no one is complaining, just making a statement on the prices. In the end everyone has the right to decide doing a purchase.

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I wish they could stay in the range 8-10 dollars and 6-8euros but i think its asking to much :D

I disagree. IMHO there will be cheap coins in the future, but there will be higher-priced also; you get what you pay for. Nobody will expect a Laptop or a Morpheus Hinged Butterfly for $8, but there will be coins with less cost-producing extras. 1,5', round, 2D, no colours? These coins can look great, it depends on the design.

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I wish they could stay in the range 8-10 dollars and 6-8euros but i think its asking to much :D

I disagree. IMHO there will be cheap coins in the future, but there will be higher-priced also; you get what you pay for. Nobody will expect a Laptop or a Morpheus Hinged Butterfly for $8, but there will be coins with less cost-producing extras. 1,5', round, 2D, no colours? These coins can look great, it depends on the design.

I was actually shocked at how cheap the Morpho Butterflies were. For a set, it worked out to $9 apiece including shipping.

 

On coins like that, though with a complicated design, a higher price is totally understandable. It takes a lot more to produce the coin. But, there are a lot of plainer, pricey coins too. For a lot of those it just seems like they're charging what we will pay...

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Reading all the issues I wanted to see what I had done so I went back and look at the coins I have produced in just over a year:

 

I am going to use the price with shipping included.

 

United We Stand USA/Canada (first personal) 1.5" round - $8.50

Climbing and Caching (Briannan's personal) 1.75" shaped - $8.50

Dreamcacher (Meghan and Windrose personal) 1.5" round with cutouts and dangler - $9.00 (less for a set)

Scouting AE (only sold the AE Coins and Pins produced the coin) 1.75" oval - $10.40

Colorado 2007 (discount for pre-sales, regular price shown) 2" wide - $10.40

Morpho Butterflies (LE sold for more based on demand) 1.5" tall with hinge and 2"+ wingspan - $11.50

Baseball or Caching (Declan's personal) 1.75" shaped - $10.50

Kids' Minis (non-trackable set of 4) 1.25" - $10.50

 

Difficult to do a straigt line comparison becasue each coin is so different and has unique feature but, looking back the jump was from $8.50 to $10.50 for the most part. Tough to narrow down some things but looking at my list I can say. Size and shape played a part in the cost of the coin. People seem to like the 1.75" over the 1.5" (IMO). The other items like glitter, glow and translucent play a part as well. I have also seen an increase from the mint. I just yesterday got a quote for a coin I was looking to remint. The cost without changes was 30% high for the coin, not including shipping or anything else. The other single big change at least for me was shipping. I was able to ship the first few coins for $.58 a package. The same package cost me $1.31 now.

 

Just those last 2 changes justifies the price going up more that it has on the coins I have produced. I continue to try and keep my price under $10 (shipping not included) for the coins I produce.

 

Comparing this to the price of milk (might not be good example seeing as there is not as much freight, currency and raw material issues but anyway) Dec 06 - Denver - $3.19 Dec 07 - Denver $3.76 = 18% increase. Geocoins from $8.50 to $10.50 = 24%. $10.03 would be the same increase as milk.

 

These are just my coins and my opinion.

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I wish they could stay in the range 8-10 dollars and 6-8euros but i think its asking to much :D

I disagree. IMHO there will be cheap coins in the future, but there will be higher-priced also; you get what you pay for. Nobody will expect a Laptop or a Morpheus Hinged Butterfly for $8, but there will be coins with less cost-producing extras. 1,5', round, 2D, no colours? These coins can look great, it depends on the design.

I was actually shocked at how cheap the Morpho Butterflies were. For a set, it worked out to $9 apiece including shipping.

 

On coins like that, though with a complicated design, a higher price is totally understandable. It takes a lot more to produce the coin. But, there are a lot of plainer, pricey coins too. For a lot of those it just seems like they're charging what we will pay...

Thanks, I appreciiate the feedback. I am a cacher and have gotten into coins. Not looking to price sell based on demand, in most cases, looking to produce a quality produce people will like. I hope you like the upcomming coins I will have. And again, they will stay in the under $10 category.

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I can see the geocoin prices rising some but to have the shipping costs get out of hand seems extremely greedy to me. Buying from eBay some people are charging $6.00 within the states for shipping.

When I ship to Germany it usually costs under $2.00 for 2-3 coins and it is 10 Euro to ship one geocoin from Germany to the USA from the geocoin place there.

It costs me less to ship to Canada then to my neighboring states.

 

Go figure, The price just about doubles the price of the coin from Germany.

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Another factor at work here may be the number of units made for a particular coin

 

It is my sense that the production run size for many coins has declined over the past two or three years

For example, where someone once might have made 400 or 500 of a given coin, the number is more likely to be 250 now (and it only stops going lower at the 250 mark because that is the minimum for an icon - in fact, I am starting to see more coins made at the 100 level, skipping the icon)

 

This means fewer coins to absorb fixed costs

Die fees are the same, no matter how many coins are made

The icon fee is fixed at $150

 

300 coins made works out to an icon fee of 50¢ per coin

Make 600, and it halves that to 25¢

 

Die fees of $200 add a buck per coin for a 200 coin run

Reduce that to 100 coins, and it doubles the price to two dollars per coin

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Just my opinion . . . . . . Looking at the bigger picture it is a sign of the times. It's not JUST coins that have gone up in price, 2 prominent examples that come to mind are energy costs (petro, natural gas, fuel oil etc) or a trip through your local grocer and someone already mentioned the devalued dollar.

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Just my opinion . . . . . . Looking at the bigger picture it is a sign of the times. It's not JUST coins that have gone up in price, 2 prominent examples that come to mind are energy costs (petro, natural gas, fuel oil etc) or a trip through your local grocer and someone already mentioned the devalued dollar.

Especially our devalued dollar. - Not fair :D
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Excellent points by all.

 

I'd have to agree with Droo and RK that the changing economics of China itself are the general culprit regarding price increases. However, Hound's point about design demands has affected your favorite hobby more directly than anything, hands down.

 

It's a fact that our most commonly used Chinese mints have specifically raised prices on "geocoins" because they've become more burdensome on their resources. It's not just about designers "pushing the envelope", it's also the increased demands of minting coin after coin with change after change. Let's face it, we want or coins to look exactly the way we want them to. The more resources the mint has to devote towards making you perfectly happy, the more likely they'll charge you (and subsequently others) additional for it. In my opinion, this is precisely where a broker with years of experience makes all the difference.

 

Another continued practice that I feel is detrimental to future pricing is the sale of "controlled edition" versions of geocoins at significantly higher price tags.* It's one thing to place these coins on eBay, where the market is determined by supply and demand. But purposely attributing an excessive value to a so-called "special version" of the exact same geocoin only serves to test what kind of money you can make. We're long past the days when one finish fetched more than another, so this practice goes directly against keeping the hobby affordable.

 

*Keep in mind, I'm not talking about the recent Alaskan geocoins, because they're being made in true precious metals.

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I think you need to look at the bigger picture but I'm not justifying prices for everyone's coins.

 

Paypal Fees

 

Packing/shipping: going to the post office, envelopes, stamps, etc.

 

Website/Employees: some people need to pay for a number of these services.

 

Designer Fee: Paying someone to do your work (not all people need this service) but most do.

 

Hosted Codes: Some of us have to pay to have the codes hosted

 

Groundspeak: tracking numbers/icons

 

Coins itself: Split the metals increases price (yes, it does!), shape, cutouts, colors, gems, hinges, size, amount of colors, 3D, you name it there is a charge. The prices have gone up since I've started.

 

Customs fees/Shipping: That is a huge chunk of change right there.

 

I may have missed a few things but you get the idea. When you add this all up, it is pricey to have a coin done. I only wish that everyone would have a coin done and do it on their own, then when the complaints come in about price, the attitude might change a bit. I know from my own personal experience after everything is said and done, I don't get paid even minimum wage for all the work/time I put into a whole coin project. The Rainforest Jewel itself was 3x's what it normally cost me to do a coin and I can tell you that I walked away with very little to show for it monetary wise.

 

Anyhow, I used to think the same way, then when you move into the design/production side of things, you quickly learn that most coin makers are not becoming rich quickly. There really is alot that goes into the whole process and for some of us this is an avenue of artistic expression versus pumping out designs for profit.

 

Again, I can not stress enough that there is so much more than paying the mint for coins. If it was that simple and cheap more people would be doing it on their own.

 

My 2 geocents

 

I totally agree with tsunrisebey here - while we do not have to pay designers, web support, and minters (we are crazy enough to try and do it all!), we have seen a big rise in shipping and metal costs since the last time we cast our TikiCoins. All of this ties into the plummeting dollar, the astronomical oil prices, and the spike in metal costs. This time last year when I cast coins silver was going for $8 and ounce. Now it is over $15! The drastic increase in the cost of raw materials has to make an impact on the finished coin's cost.

 

Tiki

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Another factor at work here may be the number of units made for a particular coin

<snip>

This means fewer coins to absorb fixed costs

Die fees are the same, no matter how many coins are made

The icon fee is fixed at $150

<snip>

 

This is a valid point as well. With the saturation of coins in the market, coin makers (be they companies or individuals) are making fewer coins per run - as a general rule. The cost is spread across fewer units, meaning higher prices per unit.

 

Great point.

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I think that no one is complaining, just making a statement on the prices. In the end everyone has the right to decide doing a purchase.

True, they aren't complaining in this thread. But, as someone who had a coin that was more expensive than your average coin and took a lot of flack over this, I can say that sadly not everyone is as polite.

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Thanks for the responses everyone, some good answers.

 

I agree, I do expect to pay more for a coin with say....jewels for toes (Tsun....THANKS kiddo, got that ET....VERY NICE!! Of course, the Raiders coin is AWESOME... :D ), hinges etc, but some coins are no more than a few colors and some artwork...and are bringing big bucks as well?

 

I had our LHD event coin made for a VERY reasonable price allowing a nice profit (which helped off-set the costs of the event, THANKS!!)...not close to these prices today (and that was 6 months ago or so). :P

 

I'm not saying ANYONE is ripping anyone off, please don't read this as accusing anyone of anything. Great to hear the responses and see everyone is being civil here!! :)

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I just believe it's simple supply and demand as well as quality.

 

I buy most of my coins, and I refuse to pay a lot for a smallish coin with a simple design. However, for something like the Tracking Time or Tranquility, I cheerfully spend a bit more. Those coins have a lot of art in them, and they are big coins. Smaller, more common coins are not worth that.

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Minting costs, trade value and eBay value are three different ball games.

 

At the center of all of them is supply and demand, that's how free markets work.

 

eBay, the most reviled of the three, is actually the best place to determine value!

 

An item is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

 

On eBay I start most of my listings for .99 cents. If folks want the item, they will bid the price up to the top dollar any buyer is willing to pay, and no more.

 

I don't have a clue what a particular item is worth, like the autographed 'Groundspeak Takes Flight' Travel Bug I have on sale right now - but then I don't have to... bids from buyers will determine its value for me.

 

So, a totally transparent free market at work for the seller and the buyer;

if coin prices are high on eBay, it's because that's what buyers are willing to pay.

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The mint this, the mint that... The bottom line is most people will charge whatever they think they can get for the coins. Coins have jumped from $5.00 standard to $9.95 standard and people want to continue to make the same profits as they did before. The prices keep jumping as they see secondary market prices jump accordingly.

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The mint this, the mint that... The bottom line is most people will charge whatever they think they can get for the coins. Coins have jumped from $5.00 standard to $9.95 standard and people want to continue to make the same profits as they did before. The prices keep jumping as they see secondary market prices jump accordingly.

 

Sorry but completely disagree with you on this comment. Let's not make a blanket statement :D Not everyone goes about business/selling coins the same way.

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It's a fact that our most commonly used Chinese mints have specifically raised prices on "geocoins" because they've become more burdensome on their resources. It's not just about designers "pushing the envelope", it's also the increased demands of minting coin after coin with change after change. Let's face it, we want or coins to look exactly the way we want them to. The more resources the mint has to devote towards making you perfectly happy, the more likely they'll charge you (and subsequently others) additional for it. In my opinion, this is precisely where a broker with years of experience makes all the difference.

 

YY is completly correct here.

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All very good points as said, and I cant really contribute much more than has already been said here. But my presumption is just that we are absolutley goofy over these coins and will pay what the price is for a great design...whether its has cut outs, jewels, hinges or glow.

 

Granted the dollar has dropped, costs are up and shipping is crazy right now...we want coins and will get them at no expense, and if we dont get em...we get left with a lump in our stomach cause we want that coin so dearly.

 

It all comes together in supply and demand, the design and the market...which ebay has drastically helped with. Why would a coin maker sell a coin for 7.50 just for it to get turned around and sold for 15.00 or 25.00 on ebay which would be a greater profit than the maker of the coin can even make?

 

We did this, whether its a demand for higher quality coins, demand for more extravegant coins or just a demand for coins period...there is a demand and with that comes the costs. Just look at yesteryears coins compared to todays...Much more involved all the way around!...in every aspect from shipping, designing, minting, and sells. The maker costs more make em, the shipper costs more to ship em, the designer takes more time to design em and WE spend more to buy em, we cant get enough...we buy em all...its Simple!

 

Every single point made in this topic has a valid place whether its the Brunt of the big picture, or a small detail that goes unnoticed...They are higher and we are paying, whether we like it or not, someone will buy that coin that you pass on.

 

If that all makes sense at all! :D

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Looks like we could actually turn this into a PROFIT making venture like the Oil Companies. Here goes. My latest geocoin for sale for just $20 each for the regular edition:

 

UGG.jpg

 

I hope noone takes this serious. LOL

Oooooooooh Gimmee Gimmee Gimmee!!!!! :D Ill take 2...No make that 3! One for travel!!! :P

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Silly CM :P:D

 

Just think about your local market or jeweller..... If you stuck a pin on the back of a gorgeous geocoin like the Rainforest Jewel (thereby deleting the necessity for artwork on the back), turning it into a brooch, it could easily be sold for $25 - $75. It is a piece of art. Even the supposedly 'mass produced' coins of 1000 or more pieces, are actually quite rare, considering that's all there is in the entire world.

 

I personally WANT people to profit from their geocoins, especially people like Cinemaboxers, Tsunrisebey, Crake, SooooCool and Chris Mackey who produce outstanding artwork, and go to a lot of time and effort to make, package and ship quality coins that are, I feel, being sold at amazingly good prices.

 

Keep up the brilliant work people :)

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The mint this, the mint that... The bottom line is most people will charge whatever they think they can get for the coins. Coins have jumped from $5.00 standard to $9.95 standard and people want to continue to make the same profits as they did before. The prices keep jumping as they see secondary market prices jump accordingly.

 

Sorry but completely disagree with you on this comment. Let's not make a blanket statement :D Not everyone goes about business/selling coins the same way.

 

I have to agree, if I had wanted to make oney instead of losing over $500.00 I would have sold my coins for more, I did it the way I did,

#1. I wanted to keep total with postage at $10.00

#2. I wanted people to enjoy them

#3. It was an investment in a hobby that I greatly enjoy. So why try to profit from it?

#4. Coins with less detail still sell for $5-7.00 and coins with 5-6 levels, which most folks would not have a clue about, unless the could see the blueprints, are extremely detailed are only selling for 8.50 to 10.00 not counting postage. To be honest I am surprised at how far the envelope has been pushed without a major jump in prices.

 

That is my 2 cents for what it is worth :P

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Not everyone goes about business/selling coins the same way.

 

You must have missed the part when I said "most people" :D

 

Edit to add:

It's a fact that our most commonly used Chinese mints have specifically raised prices on "geocoins" because they've become more burdensome on their resources. It's not just about designers "pushing the envelope", it's also the increased demands of minting coin after coin with change after change. Let's face it, we want or coins to look exactly the way we want them to. The more resources the mint has to devote towards making you perfectly happy, the more likely they'll charge you (and subsequently others) additional for it.

 

This is very true, revisions, revisions and more revisions can be quite burdensome. This is probably the first time (that I have at least seen). Where ever aspect of a product has become customized... As consumers, we generally buy off the shelf stuff that is mass-produced. Along come geocoins where highly-specialized coins (somtimes only 6-10 being made) are minted and they are different and engraved EVERY time ~ no wonder some prices have gone up. Small quantities and high specialization does that...

 

But still, people are still charging what they think the market will bear...

Edited by avroair
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I think that it all really boils down to what will people pay. As long as people are willing to pay a high price for a round coin with three colors then they will be sold at that price. Of course people who sell coins for a living are trying to make a profit however, not all of them are making a huge profit. I do think that most people who do personals are just trying to break even. However, every year prices go up on everything so I guess geocoins are no different than everything else we buy.

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