Signatute Items

[+minstrelcat]

It occurred to me that signature items seem to have died out lately - the last time I found one was about a year ago, not including those laminated calling cards. They used to be a really popular thing to do and they were nice things to swap for. I have a collection of them at home - mostly keyrings but a few other things like badges, soft toys, fridge magnets and CDs.

 

I wonder why they seem to have died out. I used to hand make my sig items but that fell by the wayside due to my studies but I want to start up again. The rate of cache hiding and finding has gone up so maybe people would find it too costly to leave a sig item in every cache. I used to put one in each cache I found (that wasn't a micro) but this time I'll probably only leave them in caches I particularly like.

 

Also caches seem to be smaller on average now, making it harder to leave larger sig items - I used to leave handmade greetings cards but there aren't so many caches big enough to take one nowadays!

 

Lisa

[Izzy and the Lizard King]

We generally leave a signature item in any FTF that we get - a lizard! Not as a swap but as an extra, provided we can fit it in the cache.

 

Of course, if we happen to find a toy lizard in a cache we will always make a swap - it helps replenish our stock ready for all the future FTFs we aim to get

 

P

[markandlynn]

We generally leave a signature item in any FTF that we get - a lizard! Not as a swap but as an extra, provided we can fit it in the cache.

 

Of course, if we happen to find a toy lizard in a cache we will always make a swap - it helps replenish our stock ready for all the future FTFs we aim to get

 

P

 

Asda bag of about 20 frogs and lizards for a few quid.

 

We leave a calling card occasionally these days when we remember, id love to know if someone out there has managed to collect all 20 yet plus the 2 special cards that are in two of our caches (one glows in the dark) (3 by the end of Feb )

 

We have a scrapbook full of calling cards and a box of signature items recovered from our caches would love to do some exchanges for our swapsies.

[+dino-irl]

I did used to leave a keyring but have since had little badges made up from eBay which I leave when I remember (which is usually 5 mins after I get back to the car!)

[+kennamatic]

I've never had a signature item before but I've just got a few badges together which I will "award" to caches that I find that I really like. I'm sure they'll be highly collectable!

[+Moote]

Some of these items are very nice indeed, but lots are just Geocache litter. It is a pain to see a cache filled with tatty calling cards.

[+Jonovich]

Some of these items are very nice indeed, but lots are just Geocache litter. It is a pain to see a cache filled with tatty calling cards.

 

I find it rather nice to see calling cards in caches, as it gives you a pretty quick indication of who has been there before - however, that's because it's not everyone that leaves them... If everyone did, then of course it would get a little overloaded. Any calling cards with nice pictures on my daughter generally likes to keep (especially those with pictures of Dogs on them) - so I usually will then consider the card a trade and leave something in it's place. I assume that this is ok?

 

Cheers,

 

J

[+The Wombles]

We still leave our Signature Item with a purpose.

[+Moote]

Some of these items are very nice indeed, but lots are just Geocache litter. It is a pain to see a cache filled with tatty calling cards.

 

I find it rather nice to see calling cards in caches, as it gives you a pretty quick indication of who has been there before - however, that's because it's not everyone that leaves them... If everyone did, then of course it would get a little overloaded. Any calling cards with nice pictures on my daughter generally likes to keep (especially those with pictures of Dogs on them) - so I usually will then consider the card a trade and leave something in it's place. I assume that this is ok?

 

Cheers,

 

J

I visited a cache in Scotland back in October, and it was full to the brim with calling cards, most had become tatty, and also printer ink was all over the place, probably due to the copious amounts of rain we have had i n the recent past. I cleaned up the cache as best as I could and put all the cards in the bin. If I want to know who has been to a cache, is that not what the site logs and the log book are about?

 

If everyone was to leave a card it would just create lots of similar caches; I must admit I will tidy and cache that is becoming cluttered by such rubbish.

[+drsolly]

I used to leave hard drives, but that needed a large waterproof cache box, and many caches aren't. I'm leaving a little keyring torch in caches now; that will even fit into a 35 mm.

[+Gralorn]

We have certainly noticed that more and more people are using their own printed sticky labels to put into the log book, we have always done it and it's as good as a signature as one gets to recognise the labels of regular caches. Long live the Avery Sticky Label!

[+The Other Stu]

I used to leave hard drives, but that needed a large waterproof cache box, and many caches aren't. I'm leaving a little keyring torch in caches now; that will even fit into a 35 mm.

 

Dr Solly, we're doing our best to put out larger caches around South Beds and Bucks, but if you do our most recent series, you'll understand why we could only fit a couple of the larger ones out!

 

I've got at least 1 huge ammo can and some 5 litre cliplocks ready to go.. just gotta find somewhere to put 'em!

Edited February 4, 2008 by The Other Stu

[+drsolly]

I used to leave hard drives, but that needed a large waterproof cache box, and many caches aren't. I'm leaving a little keyring torch in caches now; that will even fit into a 35 mm.

 

Dr Solly, we're doing our best to put out larger caches around South Beds and Bucks, but if you do our most recent series, you'll understand why we could only fit a couple of the larger ones out!

 

I've got at least 1 huge ammo can and some 5 litre cliplocks ready to go.. just gotta find somewhere to put 'em!

 

I will do that series, as soon as I get a day pass from ladysolly. I'll try to remember to carry a hard drive with me as I go round.

Ammo boxes seem to be the best waterproof containe. Cliplocks are very good, but I prefer to put hard drives in the best sort of container.

[+Dark_Faerie]

I've been considering making a signature item for a while. After reading this thread I've finally done something about it! I've got a load of blank keyrings lying around the spare room and I've just finished the designs and I'm about to print them.

[+microphonemark]

I've got a whole load of silver bees that can be used as beads. I put one of those out in every cache I visit. They're great because they fit in micros, don't take up much room at all and are quite pretty. They've got no marking on to say they're a sig item, they're just something I drop off.

Maybe there's more sig items out there that aren't marked?

[markandlynn]

I only know of a few UK ones.

 

Tizzies fridge magnets

 

Huga's carved monkey (very rare)

 

T and J bears Mk 5 or 6 at present again rare.

 

Big wombles you can get from finding N and W wombles.

 

A few geotags out there http://www.geotags.co.uk/ no longer available though.

 

Pathtags http://www.pathtags.com/

 

Pengy and tigger poker chips.

 

Our calling card set of 20.

 

Lots more calling cards.

 

and of course the personal coins.

 

Does anyone have a better list.

[SlytherinAlex]

I've been looking for some Victor Meldrew medallions to use as a sig item. I wonder if The Hornet knows where to buy those??

Edited February 5, 2008 by SlytherinAlex

[+Alibags]

... Alibags' fridge magnets

 

The Geckos geckos

 

Bones1 gloves

 

Sensei TSKC leaves packs of playing cards

 

DomHeKnows dominos (V rare as he's moved the the USA)

 

Philimore Clan - recently have been leaving weird shrunken head thingies!

 

I like to collect sig items. In fact, if I can find home made sig items, so much the better.

[Sparticus]

I've been looking for some Victor Meldrew medallions to use as a sig item. I wonder if The Hornet know where to buy those??

NICE.

[+Moote]

I've been looking for some Victor Meldrew medallions to use as a sig item. I wonder if The Hornet know where to buy those??

Alex you might need to cross post that comment here

 

[SlytherinAlex]

I've been looking for some Victor Meldrew medallions to use as a sig item. I wonder if The Hornet know where to buy those??

Alex you might need to cross post that comment here

 

Nope. The Hornet and Lactodorum aren't the same person.

 

One is a grumpy old git and the other is an even-handed, mild tempered forum moderator.

[+Amberel]

Does anyone have a better list.

I frequently leave a small (single AAA battery) anodised aluminium torch, I've distributed about 90 so far. But they aren't identified in any way, so I don't know if that counts as a signature item.

 

Rgds, Andy

[+Amberel]

Some of these items are very nice indeed, but lots are just Geocache litter. It is a pain to see a cache filled with tatty calling cards.

I'm afraid I have to agree on that one, I find calling cards a nuisance. They clag up the log book, blow about in the wind and some get messy when damp.

 

I was surprised to see comments in this thread that implied calling cards were trading items. Or maybe I just incorrectly inferred that. I regard calling cards as being the property of the cache owner and leave them as I found them even if they do get in the way. I would think it a pretty poor show if someone took a trading item and replaced it with a calling card!

 

Rgds, Andy

[+Gralorn]

Around here there are a team called 'The Dolphins' and they always leave a blue dolphin keyring, Red Tie is another group that always leaves a red electrical wire tue in the cache box as a signature as well. All good stuff and you get to recognise whos visited just by their signatures. The list over the country must be quite a large one to be honest. I do feel that they are fading out, well it seems that way. The Gecko's were brilliant, especially the colours and silky underside!. Gosh I'm starting to sound a sad person so I'll stop there.

[+Jonovich]

I was surprised to see comments in this thread that implied calling cards were trading items. Or maybe I just incorrectly inferred that. I regard calling cards as being the property of the cache owner and leave them as I found them even if they do get in the way. I would think it a pretty poor show if someone took a trading item and replaced it with a calling card!

 

Duh... It was absolutely the opposite... My daughter liked the picture of the cute doggie on a calling card, so I traded it out for a goodie... Something I would consider to be trading up! Hardly an offence, but if you object, I will of course ensure they are all returned and no further trading of them will occur... The cards will be left behind to get on your nerves...

 

J

[+L8HNB]

Jersey Royals leave a very nice wooden nickel with, er, Jersey Royals on........

 

Andre gets them from the States I think.

 

H

[+Rubarbb]

We still leave our Signature Item with a purpose.

 

Your Cache sounds Funs, been looking at your logs to see where you have left Wombles, hmm how Far it from Swansea to Newbury???

[+Amberel]

... Hardly an offence, but if you object, I will of course ensure they are all returned and no further trading of them will occur... The cards will be left behind to get on your nerves...

Please don't get so upset about my comment, it was merely expressing my opinion and wasn't intended to offend. I've seen messages from people who like them, and I fully respect that, but it would be silly if anyone who didn't like them was afraid to mention it for fear of causing offence.

 

I certainly didn't expect anyone to read it as me "laying down the law", still less that anyone would actually change their habits as the result of a single opinion.

 

Rgds, Andy

[+clotguy]

I leave a small car with my name on the side

[+Alibags]

...but it would be silly if anyone who didn't like them was afraid to mention it for fear of causing offence.

 

On THIS forum?!! Ha ha ha ha ha... I think you will find that the card haters are NOT fearful about expressing their opinions to that effect at all!

[+Team Sieni]

I'm beginning to like calling cards now, I never really paid any attention to them before. Next time I find some in a cache I'll imagine them all falling out and an irate cacher crying out "doh!" in frustration, and I'll have a good old chuckle.

 

It will bring me closer to you all - in a sprirtual sense. Awww.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Team Sieni

[+Midnight Ramblers]

We leave a badge (with the same picture as our forum avatar) whenever it fits into the cache.

Badge from UK Geocachers if you are interested ...

[+Dre Eames]

My teenagers are thinking of designing a series of trading cards so that rather than just calling cards in caches you get something that you may want to collect and keep and can trade at events. Is this worth them doing, would anybody be interested in finding them?

[+The Blorenges]

My teenagers are thinking of designing a series of trading cards so that rather than just calling cards in caches you get something that you may want to collect and keep and can trade at events. Is this worth them doing, would anybody be interested in finding them?

 

... maybe. Would it be country-wide? Or just in your local area? About 3 years ago Pengy&Tigger seeded a lot of "poker chips" into caches around the country. You had to collect 100 points worth to claim one of their personal geocoins. Perhaps your teenagers could create something similar with the first cacher to collect a full set of trading cards winning a small prize?

 

We usually leave a Blorenge Blattery case in caches we visit, but we've recently started leaving Blorenge Oranges too ... Coming to a cache near you, SOON!

 

MrsB

[+ClareLouise]

I've been looking into getting or making some sort of signature item, but haven't found the right thing yet! I have a calling card, but not hugely happy with the design, so once I've run out, I'll redesign them!

 

I found a fish bead from a US team called The Salmons, I think... it was really cute, and they have a way of tracking them on their own website, which I thought was kinda cool!

 

I've only ever knowingly found one other sig item, a keyring from The Hungry Caterpillers.

 

Clare xx

[+Bambography]

I've had a few things but I now have a wooden coin which I burn my little logo into and try and write on the back of. Not as neat as the wooden nickels but more personal. I like the idea of creating a series of them for people to try and collect with a view to a prize... will have a think in that one.

[+Cache U Nutter]

I was putting a new roof on my shed at the weekend and the messy asphalt reminded me that 'Bones' leaves a neoprene glove as a calling card. Was tempted to look up where he had left some locally as mine had split !!!

'sadexploration' started out leaving minature hand carved churches in his splended 'church micro' series which has done more for church visits than the missionaries have ever done.

[+AbiPhoto]

i just made a batch of my own miniture photography books to put in caches, i think they are cute, wrapped them in as waterproof bag each and waiting to place in caches...

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

Look forward to finding one.... *Ponders* You could get quite a selection of photos on one of those tiny CDRs....

[+AbiPhoto]

the next cache to find them in will be Carn Marth Colour Conundrum... gunna place one 2m and a TB have sitting around...

[+The Cache Hoppers]

I've noticed a drop off in calling cards in caches lately, which is quite sad, although admittedly I haven't left any for ages but I think that's got more to do with my increased caching activity then anything else. Tim and June are still leaving their lovely signature teddy bears in caches they visit.

[+Dre Eames]

I think having things to collect would be a good idea as it would give you reason to revisit caches you have been to before to pick up one of the collectable items. As far as doing trading card nationwide you would have to rely on cachers moving on trades that they already have.

[+Alice Band]

I leave either an aluminium hiking whistle or a wooden nickle with my stamp design on it. Sadly running out of whistles now.

 

Lately have mainly found teeny caches or micros that have been too small to leave anything in. For my caches I usually encourage people to leave their calling cards in the same bag as the log book and people seem happy to comply. No messy damp bits of paper and keeps them together. I've also noticed people love swapping them around. I have to be honest and say that I prefer calling cards that have been laminated so they last.

 

Collecting wise, I have a couple of bit and pieces including several different versions of the plastic laser engraved disks which are nice to find. Oh, and an Alibag magnet which is still on my fridge Locally to me keyrings with images of favourite caches are frequent finds.

 

*scuttles off back to work*

[RedShoesGirl]

i just made a batch of my own miniture photography books to put in caches, i think they are cute, wrapped them in as waterproof bag each and waiting to place in caches...

 

that's a great idea! i have just started caching again after laying off for a while and sig items are always appreciated. i was wondering if anyone was leaving them anymore.

 

on lady in the general area where i live would go around to caches where i left my sig items and pick them up, even when she had one kind — and i have made several different types.

 

right now i am making up mini-first aid kits which went over really big the last time i made them.

 

could have used one today as i took two nasty falls while climbing up another "small" hill to find a desert cache.

 

we are in an OWEEEE state of mind.

 

rsg

[Archangel_UK]

I made up a calling card then laminated them in an A3 pocket which cuts up.

makes them waterproof and if someone wants to collect ,who am I to argue

[+third generation]

We leave a small robin in any cache that one will fit into.

 

Its just a bit of fun as the youngest of our trio is called Robyn.

[+ClareLouise]

I've been thinking about making a signature item since I read this last week, and have just ordered the things I'll need to make 50 felt keyrings of the puppet in my avatar! If they work, they should be quite cool!

[+Jan and the Percey Boys]

I have a personal Sig Coin

 

but got fed up being asked what they were for so now I only put them out occasionally

 

the signature coin

Edited April 7, 2008 by Jan and the Percey Boys

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

Ponders leaving a small budgie maybe....

[+ClareLouise]

Ta da! Just finished making my first batch of 24, so keep your eyes peeled for them appearing in a cache near (or not so near) you, depending on where you are!