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Lost coin, what is the appropriate remedy


hayndog

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I know this topic has been discussed but I can't find it anywhere. I put out about 9 or 10 coins in Australia while I was on vacation about one year ago. I have since lost track of at least 4 of those coins. I recently did some tracking and found the people who last had possession and two of them responded confirming that they had lost my coins. One of the two offered two give me an unactivated coin from his collection, the other offered me nothing.

 

1. Should I take the unactivated coin?

2. If that is appropriate should I suggest the same thing from the other person?

3. Should I forget the whole thing and consider it one of the hazards of the game?

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated

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If it was me that lost the geocoin (hasn't happened yet, knock on wood) I would definitely offer to replace it without having to be asked by the owner, and hope that the offer would be accepted.

 

If it was my geocoin that was lost, I would accept an offer of a replacement, but would not ask for one if no offer was made. Depending on the coin offered, I would probably ask them to activate, adopt and release it rather than messing around with having them ship it.

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1. Should I take the unactivated coin?

 

If you want to....it's up to you to accept or decline a generous offer. I would ask them to activate it, adopt it to you online, and then let it continue its journey from a similiar location. Saves on postage costs/issues and allows the everyone to track/log it. (which is what was happening with the other one). Either that or politely decline. :D

 

2. If that is appropriate should I suggest the same thing from the other person?

 

Nope IMO. I would never ask someone to give me another coin in exchange. It just doesnt feel right.....

 

3. Should I forget the whole thing and consider it one of the hazards of the game?

 

You dont have to forget about it, however i have found that entering into a dialogue with the other cacher ends up with some positive outcomes for all.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

Just my thoughts

 

mm

Edited by Map Monkey
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I send coins into the world and it is my own risk when they get lost.

 

The only thing i hope is when a cacher lose my geocoin that he tells me so, i know then the truth.

 

I want to know the truth because i watch my coins very carefull and i know then it is lost.

 

I won't get angry if somebody lose my geocoins.

 

It is a coin you lose not somebody's live.

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I wouldn't ask the person who didn't offer a replacement for a coin, though I would thank them for their honesty. As geo.error said "The only thing I hope is when a cacher loses my geocoin that he tells me so, I know then the truth." I would however give consideration to the generous offer made by the other cacher. By accepting his/her offer don't forget that you are also helping them to alleviate their bit of guilt. If you just tell them to forget about replacing the coin, it's a generous gesture on your part, but if I were the person who lost someone elses coin, it would make me feel much better to give them another one.

 

What I would have them do though is to give me the tracking number and I would activate it myself, have them place it in a local cache (and forward me the cache number) and it would look like that was where I first released the coin. Why have someone pay shipping charges in this situation?

 

I also think Map Monkey hit the nail right on the head when he said "I have found that entering into a dialogue with the other cacher ends up with some positive outcomes for all." How often would open communication solve problems in our every day lives?

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Hmmm, 4 out of 9 coins lost is a very high rate even by US standards.

 

I have to agree with all the prior responses about the cacher who won't offer you any compensation for losing your coin(s). If they don't feel they've done anything wrong there's no way you can convince them by email!!

 

As for the offer from the cacher who does feel they've done you wrong and want to make up for it I agree with Nashuan, let them atone for their mistake. You'll feel better, they'll feel better and nobody loses.

 

Letting you activate the coin that the giver will release in a cache near them is also attractive in it's simplicity.

 

Don't forget that placing valuables in the woods does not make them safe. EXPECT them to be lost and you'll be constantly surprised as you receive tracking emails of their travels. :D

Edited by Droo
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I agree with nashuan and Droo---let the person who offered to replace your coin do so. I know that if I lost someone's coin I would feel horrible about it and would definitely want to make it up to that person. I would feel even worse if they wouldn't let me make up for my mistake.

The person who didn't offer is best forgotten about. If they didn't offer then nothing you say will affect them, and I wouldn't ask them to replace the coin.

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If someone offers to replace your coin that's great! They will feel better about being able to fix the problem and hopefully you will feel better about sending coins out to travel. I don't think I would ask someone to replace a lost coin, I think it's a risk of the game. It may just take a little patience. I have had several coins turn up after more than 1 year of being inactive. Usually they are found in the bottom of a cache bag, but also have been know to reappear from under a seat in the car. I also attach a tag that tells what the coin is and has my e-mail address on it. That way if it is found by a muggle they have a way to contact me. That being said, I still have plenty of coins that are "missing" at this point in time.

Edited by WI_Robin
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If it was me that lost the geocoin (hasn't happened yet, knock on wood) I would definitely offer to replace it without having to be asked by the owner, and hope that the offer would be accepted.

 

If it was my geocoin that was lost, I would accept an offer of a replacement, but would not ask for one if no offer was made. Depending on the coin offered, I would probably ask them to activate, adopt and release it rather than messing around with having them ship it.

 

Ditto!

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I send coins into the world and it is my own risk when they get lost.

 

The only thing i hope is when a cacher lose my geocoin that he tells me so, i know then the truth.

 

I want to know the truth because i watch my coins very carefull and i know then it is lost.

 

I won't get angry if somebody lose my geocoins.

 

It is a coin you lose not somebody's live.

 

Ditto to all of the above!! It's the chance that you take when you release a coin and I certainly wouldn't expect or want them to replace it...just to let me know that it was lost so that I could "close the book" on that one.

 

Ali

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