Geocoins....and more geocoins!

[Theotokos]

I've only been on the forum since last August so I'm not sure if this is normal or not but is it typical to see so many geocoin designs being produced? I have 3 coins along with a personal that are in various stages of production and I'm feeling kind of bad about it since there seems to be a couple of new coins coming out each day and I feel like adding to it will just overload things.

 

I was just wondering if the community can absorb all the new designs coming out and if it's a good or bad thing? I suppose it's always nice to have a variety to choose from since not all coins appeal to everyone. However, I can't help but think it's just too much... but maybe the market will just take care of itself and coins will sell as long as demand is there? I would be interested to hear what others thought or if this is just normal.

[+fairyhoney]

I think that as long as we are willing to keep buying them, they'll be there to buy. Some are just beginning this addiction and want to get in on the action. Where as some find it hard to come across the older coins

[+MommaLogan]

I am newbie to coins and geocaching, but I have to say that I love that all of these mew designs are coming out. It's easier for me to buy the coins outright since I don;t have to trade right now. But trust me, I am working on getting a trade list built up.

 

I also want to do my own coin. Just trying to figure out the how, who and the when :-)

 

Jenn

[+Eartha]

I've been here since the beginning when geocoins were split off from the TB forums, and yes, it's normal. I keep wondering if it will slow down, and it doesn't. I check new coin threads nearly every day, but definitely every week. We even had a thread a year or more ago about the possibilty of things slowing down and people losing interest (I think it was called "Have geocoins jumped the Shark?" or something like that), but it keeps going and going and going......

(And no there isn't an Energizer Bunny coin, and yes you'd need permission to use that trademark. )

[Theotokos]

I've been here since the beginning when geocoins were split off from the TB forums, and yes, it's normal. I keep wondering if it will slow down, and it doesn't. I check new coin threads nearly every day, but definitely every week. We even had a thread a year or more ago about the possibilty of things slowing down and people losing interest (I think it was called "Have geocoins jumped the Shark?" or something like that), but it keeps going and going and going......

(And no there isn't an Energizer Bunny coin, and yes you'd need permission to use that trademark. )

 

Thanks Eartha, I'm glad to hear that it's all normal and that there is room for all the cool coins.

[YemonYime]

Having been here for some time, I can say that there has never been more geocoins being offered here than right now...and there's good and bad that goes along with that.

 

Those that follow the belief that "variety is better" are happy about a larger selection. You can visit here or the various geocoin websites to find something that may interest you. Newbies can often jump right in to collecting and build themselves a nice collection much faster than previously. However, they may find trading possibilities to be limited if most collectors have the same coins.

 

On the other hand, those that follow the belief that "quality is better" are slowing down their purchases to only those occasional coins that are to their liking, or aren't just a repeat of something done previously. Discerning collectors grow weary of coins that are pumped out one right after another, because that practice implies that the hobby is becoming more about making money than making collectibles.

 

Personally, I am concerned about where the hobby is going. We've seen more and more individuals become direct clients of the mints, but is this really good for the hobby? The benefit is obviously that an individual can eliminate the "middle-man" and save some money, but how much has really been saved overall? When you consider the number of new clients the mints have taken on, you must consider the amount of problems that have sprung up as a result. Issues with miscommunication, increased material demands, increased design specifics, increased shipping demands. Whether you wish to believe it or not, these things have directly resulted in the continuing price increases placed specifically on the production of geocoins.

 

We are all paying more for geocoins now, so is variety really better?

 

My primary belief is that any geocoin being offered for sale will only be as successful as the consumer's willingness to pay for that which meets their acceptable level of attractiveness, redundancy and value.

 

Yime

[+LadyBee4T]

Having been here for some time, I can say that there has never been more geocoins being offered here than right now...and there's good and bad that goes along with that.

 

Those that follow the belief that "variety is better" are happy about a larger selection. You can visit here or the various geocoin websites to find something that may interest you. Newbies can often jump right in to collecting and build themselves a nice collection much faster than previously. However, they may find trading possibilities to be limited if most collectors have the same coins.

 

On the other hand, those that follow the belief that "quality is better" are slowing down their purchases to only those occasional coins that are to their liking, or aren't just a repeat of something done previously. Discerning collectors grow weary of coins that are pumped out one right after another, because that practice implies that the hobby is becoming more about making money than making collectibles.

 

Yime

 

I agree with much of what Yime says above. I think that there are a LOT more coins coming out now than when I started this addiction in late 2005. I have to be a lot more discerning in what I get because of the money situation. I have a hard time keeping track of them and never before did I feel the need to put the selling date and time on the calendar.

 

I think coins have become a LOT more commercialized also. As an old, old timer on these forums has often said before me, what does that coin have to do with geocaching? If its not directly geocaching related or a personalcoin, the design has to be such that I desire it for its attactiveness or its personal meaning to me.

 

I like to see what is coming out a bit ahead of time. That way I can plan a bit better. It seems this week several popular coins came out and I had to pick and choose.

[Theotokos]

snip..

However, they may find trading possibilities to be limited if most collectors have the same coins.

snip...

 

Yime

 

I'm already seeing this myself and I find it very difficult to trade and to me the most fun is the trading. I can't afford new coins (only on rare occasion) and since it's hard for me to get the latest coin everyone wants, it restricts my trade options and it isn't quite as fun anymore.

 

I admit that I'm adding to the influx of coin editions with what I've put out and will be putting out. Profit was never a desire, only to get myself some traders or gift coins. I guess my enthusiasm for building my collection and wanting a personal coin had got to me a bit. I also hate to see any kind of rift between the newbies and the "more experienced" collectors that any of this may contribute too.

Edited April 2, 2008 by Theotokos

[+Renegade Knight]

...I was just wondering if the community can absorb all the new designs coming out and if it's a good or bad thing? ...

 

Sales are down. My friends of caching coin (gave the first check to the Portneuf Greenway) sold about 1/2 of the pre-orders and it's still lagging.

 

It's good and bad depending. It's a great time to be a buyer on eBay. Prices are down to pick up older coins. It's a bad time to be selling new things unless you hit the magic "hot" button.

 

Limits are being hit. ICE no longer has to jump on a coin sale to get a coin.

Edited April 2, 2008 by Renegade Knight

[+Droo]

For every collector who gets more discerning there is a newbie ready to grab any and all the shiny coins they can afford; BTDT. But the design elements are becoming more standardized. Art Nouveau is everywhere and simple cartoonlike personals are nowhere. Trends change, people adapt and those who don't move on.

[+Kealia]

Yime summed things up well IMO.

 

I think "collecting" and "collectible" mean different things to different people.

 

Personally, I know that "collecting" something that everybody can get their hands on, is not attractive to me. "Collectible" to me means that they are scare and hard to find - thus, attractive to TRY and collect. The fun is is trying find one, arrange a trade, be up a certain time, etc.

 

Making mass coins available to everybody who wants one to me isn't "collecting" it's "buying". Semantics maybe, but different to me nonetheless.

 

Do I long for the "old times"? Sure.

Do I like some of the things that are being done with coins? Some. Some things don't even seem like coins anymore, but that's a whole separate thread .

 

I keep wondering when the bottom is going to fall out and I can say that I thought it was going to be a long time ago. This question comes up every 6 months or so when a newer group of people come in and start to see the changes occuring - not saying it's good or bad, it just "is".

 

I also hate to see any kind of rift between the newbies and the "more experienced" collectors that any of this may contribute too.

 

I don't see this causing and rufts between newbies and old-timers. The differences are mostly between old-timers and other old-timers and the issues go way back!

[+Frozen Buns]

I have to aee with Yime, I had been unable to get on the computer and into the forums for almost 2 months and was really worried about which coins I may have missed out on. Sad to say most that I found had nothing to do with caching and wasn't even personal to the individual minting it. Quality, meaning, quantity of total coin minted are some of the things I watch for in my purchases.

I like unique designs, simple and well detailed, shape is not at the top of the list. I especially like a quality personal coin that a forum contributor offers.

There will always be tose coins that get reduced down enough that it is fun just to send them out as travelers. Then that opens another topic, do we collect to keep or to send them out in the world....

[+forthferalz]

OverallI think it has been good in that

1. sale coins are frequent and back down or below 2005 prices due to the glut

2. really ambitious coin designs and the wonderful mystery coins are viable given the level of interest and previous backing of sales. I think it's taken some of the heat out of the 'chase and keep a moun10bike' syndrome when coins were too rarefor their own good.

[+mousekakat]

I sometimes wonder, myself, especially since I've been fortunate enough to be able to do a couple of coins.

 

Then I realized that it's all cyclical. The folks that are still around from the original Moun10bike days have seen it all and have huge collections, but then you've got the new addicts and to them it's all new and magical

 

Even though it seems like the market is saturated, the new blood that comes in keeps it from truly being so, that coin that might have a similar coin like it hasn't been seen by them, and they are forming their own judgements on what they like and don't, and helping the sport to evolve.

 

Naomi

[+the jesters]

At the beginning of the year, I had decided to limit my coin purchases to new and original coins. This was good in theory, but I had no clue how exciting the 2008 editions would be. This years navigational egg was absolutly beautiful! This years compass rose was out of this world! The coin designs just get better and better. I don't know about lack of demand. I was lucky and got in on some recent geocoin sell outs.

 

I also think that alot of coins come out in the Spring so that they will be available for the mega events.