Giving Away Geocoins

[+fox-and-the-hound]

I've seen an amazing number of geocointests over the last year here in the forums and it leads me to a point of curiosity. Would you be more willing to give away a coin for free in a cointest or in a cache? Do we give away coins in cointests purely for fun or for a bit of notoriety as well? Do you think people would rather win one in a cointest or would they prefer to find a shiny, new, unactivated coin in a cache? Do you leave them in caches with the same frequency and good feeling as you give them away in cointests? What would make you more likely to give them away in a cache or cointest? It's an amazing phenomenon and I love to play along myself, but I'm curious as to all your opinions on generosity and the spirit of the geocoin gift.

[+The Moop Along]

I leave far more coins in caches than I do cointests. It's my favorite way to do it.

 

TMA

[+FluteFace]

I have never held a cointest, and seldom participate in them. However, I do leave coins in caches, frequently as FTF prizes.

[+Carbon Hunter]

I leave far more coins in caches than I do cointests. It's my favorite way to do it.

 

TMA

I have never won a cointest. But have been blessed by a few coins from far off cachers. Especially when I've released coins for them here in Africa. It is an absolute pleasure to be able to do this and get pleasure for a cacher who'd like to see their coins moving on a different continent.

 

It was through this that I actually got into coins at all. I am planning to give my first coin away to a "friend" in Cape Town later this week. And I hope they'll be getting into the craze too now.

 

So I guess I'd rather be blessed with a coin (although i've never seen or heard of a coin in an cache here in SA before) than win one.

[+BackBrakeBilly]

I leave them in caches.....

[+Jan and the Percey Boys]

I leave far more coins in caches than I do cointests. It's my favorite way to do it.

 

TMA

 

The More you Beg, the More Coins you Get. It's an Art.

 

Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg Beg - Im a cache honest

[+usyoopers]

We have only had one cointest ourselves, it was alot of fun to watch the responses come in. We gave out 3 coins. I don't really have a good idea for another cointest right now, if I come up with one I would do it again.

 

We have dropped coins in many caches! Christmas, New Years and Easter will be annual coin dropping events for us, we had lots of fun on those caching trips. Unactivated coins are always the FTF prize in our new caches. We have been doing spring checks on our caches, I've dropped coins in several of those. Why do we do it??? I guess its fun to read the logs! When someone has just stumbled on an unactivated coin it just seems to make their day, they in turn put a smile on your face....its just plain fun! Not all cachers come into these forums or even know what fun does go on in here so by dropping them in caches you can perhaps interest more people in geocoins.

 

When we put coins in caches to be taken I make sure to include a note that states it is meant to be kept.

[+Geo.Error]

I love to give cointest

[+PJPeters]

My collection was getting a bit bigger than I wanted it, so I dropped a bunch of coins into caches. Now, I'm back to a coin level that I'm pretty happy with.

[+icydove]

I leave them in caches.....

 

Where are you leaving the next one Billy?

 

I mostly give mine as FTF prizes, but have done cointests and given at local events.

 

Edited for spelling

Edited May 12, 2008 by icydove

[+Rockin Roddy]

While I enjoy watching the cointests and reading the comments, I don't participate much anymore. I feel I've been blessed with MORE than my fair share of gifted and such coins and would rather leave them for others to enjoy as well!!

 

I have given coins in cointests (and still am on the LHD II event info page...hint hint) AND as prizes, swag etc in caches. My biggest problem is that I can't afford to buy many coins, so extras to place in caches are few and far between (unless I have a coin minted, then LOOK OUT!! lol).

 

Anyone coming to the Lazy Hayes Days II event will have a good chance at finding a coin in one of our caches, you might have to work a bit to get some of those finds/coins, but hey, it's all fun...right??

 

Soon, I'll have another coin to give out, this one will be a trade only...face to face trade only...and of course as a gift!

[+Geo.Error]

While I enjoy watching the cointests and reading the comments, I don't participate much anymore. I feel I've been blessed with MORE than my fair share of gifted and such coins and would rather leave them for others to enjoy as well!!

 

I have given coins in cointests (and still am on the LHD II event info page...hint hint) AND as prizes, swag etc in caches. My biggest problem is that I can't afford to buy many coins, so extras to place in caches are few and far between (unless I have a coin minted, then LOOK OUT!! lol).

 

Anyone coming to the Lazy Hayes Days II event will have a good chance at finding a coin in one of our caches, you might have to work a bit to get some of those finds/coins, but hey, it's all fun...right??

 

Soon, I'll have another coin to give out, this one will be a trade only...face to face trade only...and of course as a gift!

 

Maybe a stupid question but what means face to face trade only

Edited May 12, 2008 by Geo.Error

[+SeabeckTribe]

I think placing unactivated or personal coins in caches is great. What a wonderful surprize for that next cacher. But some of us don't get out of our own area much. Once I have done local caches, there isn't much chance at finding coins dropped afterwards. So contest gives me the chance at a coin I might not ever have gotten other wise.

 

Happy Caching

[+LadyBee4T]

While I enjoy watching the cointests and reading the comments, I don't participate much anymore. I feel I've been blessed with MORE than my fair share of gifted and such coins and would rather leave them for others to enjoy as well!!

 

I have given coins in cointests (and still am on the LHD II event info page...hint hint) AND as prizes, swag etc in caches. My biggest problem is that I can't afford to buy many coins, so extras to place in caches are few and far between (unless I have a coin minted, then LOOK OUT!! lol).

 

Anyone coming to the Lazy Hayes Days II event will have a good chance at finding a coin in one of our caches, you might have to work a bit to get some of those finds/coins, but hey, it's all fun...right??

 

Soon, I'll have another coin to give out, this one will be a trade only...face to face trade only...and of course as a gift!

 

Maybe a stupid question but what means face to face trade only

 

No question is stupid except for the one that hasn't been asked!!!!

 

A face to face trade is one where you are actually meeting the person and handing the coin directly to them.

[+Geo.Error]

While I enjoy watching the cointests and reading the comments, I don't participate much anymore. I feel I've been blessed with MORE than my fair share of gifted and such coins and would rather leave them for others to enjoy as well!!

 

I have given coins in cointests (and still am on the LHD II event info page...hint hint) AND as prizes, swag etc in caches. My biggest problem is that I can't afford to buy many coins, so extras to place in caches are few and far between (unless I have a coin minted, then LOOK OUT!! lol).

 

Anyone coming to the Lazy Hayes Days II event will have a good chance at finding a coin in one of our caches, you might have to work a bit to get some of those finds/coins, but hey, it's all fun...right??

 

Soon, I'll have another coin to give out, this one will be a trade only...face to face trade only...and of course as a gift!

 

Thanks LadyBee4t, it is a pity you coiners life so far away

 

Maybe a stupid question but what means face to face trade only

 

No question is stupid except for the one that hasn't been asked!!!!

 

A face to face trade is one where you are actually meeting the person and handing the coin directly to them.

[+Geo.Error]

While I enjoy watching the cointests and reading the comments, I don't participate much anymore. I feel I've been blessed with MORE than my fair share of gifted and such coins and would rather leave them for others to enjoy as well!!

 

I have given coins in cointests (and still am on the LHD II event info page...hint hint) AND as prizes, swag etc in caches. My biggest problem is that I can't afford to buy many coins, so extras to place in caches are few and far between (unless I have a coin minted, then LOOK OUT!! lol).

 

Anyone coming to the Lazy Hayes Days II event will have a good chance at finding a coin in one of our caches, you might have to work a bit to get some of those finds/coins, but hey, it's all fun...right??

 

Soon, I'll have another coin to give out, this one will be a trade only...face to face trade only...and of course as a gift!

 

Thanks LadyBee4t, it is a pity you coiners life so far away

 

Maybe a stupid question but what means face to face trade only

 

No question is stupid except for the one that hasn't been asked!!!!

 

A face to face trade is one where you are actually meeting the person and handing the coin directly to them.

 

Thanks LadyBee4t, it is a pity you coiners life so far away

 

Sorry post goes wrong

[+coreynjoey]

I have never held a cointest, and seldom participate in them. However, I do leave coins in caches, frequently as FTF prizes.

 

 

Same here. I've never had a contest, but we do leave unactivated coins for FTF and sometimes we just drop one in a cache just becasue. I have won a few coins from contests though, so don't stop!

[Highland Geofairy]

I think placing unactivated or personal coins in caches is great. What a wonderful surprize for that next cacher. But some of us don't get out of our own area much. Once I have done local caches, there isn't much chance at finding coins dropped afterwards. So contest gives me the chance at a coin I might not ever have gotten other wise.

 

Happy Caching

 

It's great getting a nice surprise you were not expecting when visiting a cache, holding a cointest is also a nice way to receive a coin. And for those holding a cointest - sometimes it is just a good way of celebratring some special news or event, just a nice way to share it with everyone. Although some cointests do lack imagination, it is nevertheless very kind of the holder to give away a coin, whatever the reason.

[+tsunrisebey]

For me: I give from the heart, it doesn't matter if others feel I am running cointests for any other reasons. I know the truth.

 

I run cointests, leave coins in caches, give them as gifts/surprises, etc. It doesn't matter how you give, anyone can find an agenda for why you do something.

 

Cointests allow:

 

1. People to win something that they may not otherwise be able to buy or trade for.

 

2. Make new friends with people on the forums that you might otherwise not have contact with.

 

3. To do something fun within the geocoin community itself.

 

4. To support those that support you (for the most part).

 

5. Insert other reasons here.

[+UOTrackers]

I've seen an amazing number of geocointests over the last year here in the forums and it leads me to a point of curiosity. Would you be more willing to give away a coin for free in a cointest or in a cache? Do we give away coins in cointests purely for fun or for a bit of notoriety as well? Do you think people would rather win one in a cointest or would they prefer to find a shiny, new, unactivated coin in a cache? Do you leave them in caches with the same frequency and good feeling as you give them away in cointests? What would make you more likely to give them away in a cache or cointest? It's an amazing phenomenon and I love to play along myself, but I'm curious as to all your opinions on generosity and the spirit of the geocoin gift.

 

While I've done cointests and given away a good amount here in the forums, I think I tend to leave more in caches, as well as donate them to local events. I've found a keeper coin a couple times, usually FTF gifts. I've been contacted numerous times by those finding coins I've left behind, telling me I hadn't activated it, or logged it in the cache. It always makes me feel good when I tell them that it's theirs to keep! I used to enjoy giving them away in cointests, but have received negative comments, and experiences from it. I once gave away one of our Gold UOTrackers coins. There are only 20 of them, we still have 13 of those 20 that were minted in April 06. It was immediately put on ebay. Kinda sucked. I leave them in caches a lot more than cointests these days. (And give a couple away to friends too! )

[+Geo.Error]

For me: I give from the heart, it doesn't matter if others feel I am running cointests for any other reasons. I know the truth.

 

I run cointests, leave coins in caches, give them as gifts/surprises, etc. It doesn't matter how you give, anyone can find an agenda for why you do something.

 

Cointests allow:

 

1. People to win something that they may not otherwise be able to buy or trade for.

 

2. Make new friends with people on the forums that you might otherwise not have contact with.

 

3. To do something fun within the geocoin community itself.

 

4. To support those that support you (for the most part).

 

5. Insert other reasons here.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

For me: I give from the heart, it doesn't matter if others feel I am running cointests for any other reasons. I know the truth.

 

I run cointests, leave coins in caches, give them as gifts/surprises, etc. It doesn't matter how you give, anyone can find an agenda for why you do something.

 

Cointests allow:

 

1. People to win something that they may not otherwise be able to buy or trade for.

 

2. Make new friends with people on the forums that you might otherwise not have contact with.

 

3. To do something fun within the geocoin community itself.

 

4. To support those that support you (for the most part).

 

5. Insert other reasons here.

 

I like that! Just to clarify, I've done both myself and had a wonderful time in both experiences.

[+Kealia]

I have never held a cointest, and seldom participate in them. However, I do leave coins in caches, frequently as FTF prizes.

 

Ditto. I guess I just don't get the contests - although I recall a few in the past that were really cool. The one that comes to mind was for a Compass Rose (2006 maybe?) that required imaginative photos to be taken. I'm just not the "guess what I ate for dinner and win a free coin" type.

[RedShoesGirl]

i have just started dropping unactivated coins in caches and i love doing it!

 

i am really only interested in collecting a small genre of coins but have purchased a bunch to use as traders. at some point i will be content with what i have or no one will want to trade for what i have, so those coins will be dropped in caches as i can't figure out a fun cointest.

 

around here coins are few and far between so leaving one for someone to keep is unique. because they are not activated there is no icon that says "steal me" on the cache page.

 

rsg

[+Renegade Knight]

A Coin in a cache is more a reward for the fun of finding the cache.

A cointest is more direct. You get feedback from the cointest. It's more about the fun of the coin itself.

[+ThePetersTrio]

I've left unactivated coins as FTF prizes in caches. That is fun. Although we have an avid pack of FTFers here and I've noted some of them don't seem to be into coins. I always wonder if they hate getting coins as prizes or if they just pass them on themselves. I know it's the thought that counts.

 

I'm also looking forward to having my own coin so I can do some cointests to help pay it forward to the people here who have been so generous to this little community ahead of me.

[+Ble68]

I personally have only seen coins given away in cointests. I don't think I have yet found an unactivated coin in a cache. Looks like I'll have to start a new trend around here

[+Droo]

..... I once gave away one of our Gold UOTrackers coins. There are only 20 of them, we still have 13 of those 20 that were minted in April 06. It was immediately put on ebay. Kinda sucked. I leave them in caches a lot more than cointests these days. (And give a couple away to friends too! )

 

A valuable free coin is just as likely to end up on the Ebay block from a cointest as a cache, IMO. Look at the Mystery coins that end up on Ebay when their usual mode of dispersal was through caches. Yes, it sucks. But if you just give something away for nothing you really shouldn't expect much back.

 

I don't hold cointests and rarely play so the coins I give away are usually through caches or to cachers I know. I don't leave free coins in our local caches anymore because this area has it's known takers. And FTF prizes seem to go to the same person over and over again so I may as well write him a check and spread the gifted coins elsewhere. I'd rather drop free coins in areas I don't know so I'm not prejudiced against their local coin thieves or cache pirates. So it makes sense to me that someone might prefer to do their gifting through the forums where at least the gift is more than likely to go to a known cacher than an unknown one.

 

OT: TO those cachers who like leave unactivated coins in caches: PLEASE ADD A NOTE to the coin indicating that it is EITHER a gift OR unactivated and to be traded for so the cacher in the field is NOT stuck with the moral dilemma of having to trade for it or not or if it's a traveler.

Edited May 12, 2008 by Droo

[+LadyBee4T]

 

Cointests allow:

 

1. People to win something that they may not otherwise be able to buy or trade for.

 

2. Make new friends with people on the forums that you might otherwise not have contact with.

 

3. To do something fun within the geocoin community itself.

 

4. To support those that support you (for the most part).

 

5. Insert other reasons here.

 

Tsun has pretty much summed it up nicely here. I have dropped coins in caches, had a few cointests and won a few. I have a lot of fun with the cointests--reason #3-- and the last one I ran made me feel very good that the two top winners hadn't never won one before. I got so many good answers that I gave away more coins than I had originally planned to. I think in this way maybe the #2 reason that tsun gave worked for that cointest.

 

I have dropped coins in caches but not for awhile now. We have a coin thief in the area and after my last coin was stolen I chose not to enlarge their collection. Some cachers here no longer log that they have dropped coins as these thieves have been known to shadow the finds and then take the dropped coins. Now I would rather donate to the event raffle tables instead.

[+chancerider]

I still so vividly remember the first unactivated coin I found in a cache as a FTF. I was pretty new to coining and didn't even realize it was meant as a FTF prize. I emailed the cache owner asking what their intent with the coin was.... I was elated to find out I could keep it! It was probably what got me addicted to coins .

 

So, I usually just drop my unactivated extras in caches, and quite often don't even post online that I've left a coin so it's a surprise to the next finder. It's fun going back to the cache logs and reading comments about the found coins.

[+joranda]

I think at this point with my personal coin that I am 50/50. I also have given them to events for door prizes too.

[+slowdownracer]

I leave them in caches among with my other swag items.

 

I trade them whenever possible.

 

And I give some away in cointests.

 

So here we go -

 

Be the first person to e-mail me, thru my profile, with the picture entitled "Group Photo" from the WWFM III event I went to Saturday, and I will send you one of our non-trackable geocoins I leave in caches.

 

If you already have one, and I know who you are, you are ineligible to win. Only someone who doesn't have one.

 

[+slowdownracer]

Congrats to LadyBee4T for sending the correct picture. Some cointests are hard, some are easy. I made her dig a little for the right picture, but she found it. Now that was easy, wasn't it?

 

I don't sell my coins, and don't expect anything in return unless it's an agreed trade.

 

All I ask is that anyone who gets or finds one appreciates it as much as I do receiving or finding someone else's.

 

Happiness

[+Cheesy pigs]

I have only ever held one contest. I did it merely because I wanted to see what it was like to hold one rather than just participate. For the record - it was a blast

 

I always leave an unactivated gift coin in a cache whenever I set one.

 

And I give away coins to people I meet who seem to like them...and even to some people who dont

 

I love watching people's faces as they go through my collection and fall in love with a particular coin - it just makes me feel great to be able to gift it to them. I always enjoy making myself and other people happy at the same time.

[+LadyBee4T]

Congrats to LadyBee4T for sending the correct picture. Some cointests are hard, some are easy. I made her dig a little for the right picture, but she found it. Now that was easy, wasn't it?

 

I don't sell my coins, and don't expect anything in return unless it's an agreed trade.

 

All I ask is that anyone who gets or finds one appreciates it as much as I do receiving or finding someone else's.

 

Happiness

 

Thanks for the little cointest here! I really enjoy looking at gallery photos too!

[+Rockin Roddy]

 

I always leave an unactivated gift coin in a cache whenever I set one.

 

And I give away coins to people I meet who seem to like them...and even to some people who dont

 

 

This is me as well!! In fact, I put soooo many of our personal coins out in new caches, people would simply leave them. I'd bet the majority of our coins went into caches (unactivated and as gifts), but I also gave them away at events or while caching! I think people were happy to see I finally got some new coins when I had the first Lazy Hayes Days event coin made...and then the frog/prince coins. I sure wish I had more personals to hand out and put in caches, that's the most fun!! The surprise and happiness from those coins makes having coins made well worth the cost IMHO!

 

When I had my personal, people would put their hands in their pockets when approaching me...a sure sign I was forcing my coin on too many people lol But it was fun!!

[+Six Little Spookies]

 

I always leave an unactivated gift coin in a cache whenever I set one.

 

And I give away coins to people I meet who seem to like them...and even to some people who dont

 

 

This is me as well!! In fact, I put soooo many of our personal coins out in new caches, people would simply leave them. I'd bet the majority of our coins went into caches (unactivated and as gifts), but I also gave them away at events or while caching! I think people were happy to see I finally got some new coins when I had the first Lazy Hayes Days event coin made...and then the frog/prince coins. I sure wish I had more personals to hand out and put in caches, that's the most fun!! The surprise and happiness from those coins makes having coins made well worth the cost IMHO!

 

When I had my personal, people would put their hands in their pockets when approaching me...a sure sign I was forcing my coin on too many people lol But it was fun!!

 

That's too bad! They should have just taken them and passed them along! They could put them in a box and mail it to Six Little Spookies...

 

The closest personal coin dropper we have to us lives about 50 miles away, but we've managed to find 2 of his (activated) and we moved them along. For now we drop the large Australian kangaroo pennies into caches, and even though they aren't trackable (or even unique) people still put in the logs that they enjoy finding them.

[+forthferalz]

I now prefer cointests because the target audience really appreciates them - and ok so there is an ulterior motive i get heaps more than just one measley log

 

although I think i have given more away in caches ( tracked and untracked ) - they are sometimes quite anti climactic - is it just aussies? Not everyone or even the majority collect geocoins. they sit there for ages and then if someone takes them and if it's not activated they coinfuse it with a traveller and swap TB for it or leave it somewhere anyway and can't remember where ..... There's several still sittting around australia. Leaving a travelling coin in a cache is better.

 

Giving them away at events is also good - bit of both worlds and the kids really like them! Which should remind me to stock up again when a certain store has its customary sales ...... am i allowed to say who?

[+mousekakat]

I just simply don't have many coins to give away, and since I don't, I'd rather they go in cointests where I can have fun with them and see the end results, than to set them in a cache and take a chance on them disappearing, never to be heard from or know where they ended up, again. I like "seeing" the smiles on people's faces when they win here, it warms my heart a lot!

 

Otherwise, Steph really summed it up well!!

 

 

Cointests allow:

 

1. People to win something that they may not otherwise be able to buy or trade for.

 

2. Make new friends with people on the forums that you might otherwise not have contact with.

 

3. To do something fun within the geocoin community itself.

 

4. To support those that support you (for the most part).

 

5. Insert other reasons here.

 

 

Naomi

[avroair]

Depends if you want the instant gratification of people paying attention to your thread or can wait some time before a coin is found in a cache.

 

Initially, I put my personal coins into caches, then people started trading them on the forums. At first I could not understand why a person across the country I had never met wanted to trade coins with me. But over time I have come to enjoy trading. The cointests are a way to interact in the forums, I run a cointest here or there to try and be generous, I also leave coins in caches. Some coin collectors don't cache so I guess cointests are the only way for them to win prizes.

[+forthferalz]

there is a real problem of newbies not knowing what to do with an unactivated trackable coin if there isn't a very BIG sheet of instructions ( apparently it's not that intuitive The cachington dragon mystery coin has just been actiavted and dropped to go find its owner......