Tips for geocoin release?

[emoodze]

I am relatively new to travel bugs and geocoins and am looking to send my first coins out into the world. With regards to releasing geocoins, I have seen a few different methods of doing this. These range from using the simple coin in the plastic sleeve to elaborate setups including index cards, tags, and zip loc bags.

 

Do you have any suggestions that you've found to be useful? I realize there is always the risk that coins will disappear, but I'd like to try to ensure as much travelling as possible.

 

Any thoughts! Thanks so much!

[nebukatneza]

drilling a hole in a coin is not beautiful but a lot of coin-muggels ignore those coins and

cachers let em travel and travel and travel...

that's the thing i know from experience.

[+usyoopers]

We drill a hole in them and add a small laminated mission statement.

[ATMouse]

Drill, drill, drill; tag, tag, tag.

 

They still might go missing, but at least you can say you were sure that the coins could not be confused with swag and that the mission statement was there.

[+dflye]

I drill a hole, add a "coin buddy" metal dog tag and a small laminated mission card, assemble the whole mess with 3/32" wire cable. Seems to work pretty well so far for the coins I've released!

[+Droo]

I don't release coins anymore but if I did I would drill a 1/8" hole in the coin and either crimp a cable as DFlye suggested or use a luggage padlock to attach all sundry tags to it. A key ring also works well. You can buy "Coin Buddies" or "Coin Companions"/"TB Helper" for a couple of bucks that explains how to treat 'em and log 'em.

 

And discard the flip case. It just keeps the coin looking pretty and shiny that only serves to tempt the magpies among us.

 

Better yet, take a pic of the coin and epoxy it to the coin. No one will steal a proxie camoed coin.... and those who hate proxies still have the heft of the real coin underneath!! jk.

Edited April 25, 2008 by Droo

[+Droo]

Oops... guess I double clicked when one was enough.

Edited April 25, 2008 by Droo

[+IBcrashen]

I`ve drilled, attached luggage tag with goal and drilled another hole and put a lock on em. They still get stolen. I am up to 6 stolen in the last 2 weeks. I am done releasing them.

Edited April 26, 2008 by IBcrashen

[+Hula Bum]

Another vote for drilling and using airplane cable, we've had great success this way.

[southpawaz]

If you haven't already, you might also take a look at this pinned thread from the travel bug forum, lots of good info there, much of it applicable to coins as well as bugs.

[emoodze]

Wow! Thanks for the tips. Apparently drill and tag takes the top vote. Thanks everyone for the feedback!

Edited April 26, 2008 by emoodze

[+forthferalz]

Have you checked out the international release register thread? NZ has some awesome caches and coins I'm watching seem to go well there. If you avoid central Sydney australia isn't bad either. Most of mine have made it to their first birthday in the wild. I'm not expecting them to live forever so i thought it might be nice to recall them now by post from finders and send out a new batch in their stead.

 

One made it home the other day hand delivered! it's really nice to have a coin in the collection with a little logbook of his adventures. He can come with me to events in his retirement to hand out icons for discoveries.

[+ECplus3]

Where would I find 'aircraft wire' or 1/32" cable? The local hardware stores only sell 1/16" or larger and I can't find ANY ferules small enough even for that. I like the lock idea, but I don't imagine Dollar Store locks offer too much resistance.

[+dflye]

Where would I find 'aircraft wire' or 1/32" cable? The local hardware stores only sell 1/16" or larger and I can't find ANY ferules small enough even for that. I like the lock idea, but I don't imagine Dollar Store locks offer too much resistance.

Hmm, should have read 3/32" not 1/32", about the diameter of fat spaghetti, no offense I hope FSM!

 

If you are planning to do large amounts of cabling, the cost of the ferrules adds up quick when purchased at the local hardware stores where I've only found them 2 to a baggie, but you should eventually be able to google a bulk supplier to save some money there (I know I did! )

 

Make sure you get the UN-coated wire, as the ferrules don't grip well unless you strip that off, so no sense paying the extra cost if you're going to remove it!