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Do you think its lame to put out paper geocoin versions?


AU96Alum

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I disagree. The topic question is "Do you think its lame to put out paper geocoin versions?" and this cache appears to be a direct response to people putting out paper facsimiles of geocoins. Obviously some people think they're lame and this is an example of their response is to go out of their way to stop paper geocoins or alter their travel patterns to their own ends. Seems OT to me.

 

My reference was to the attacks, claims and counterclaims. The comments were not addressing the "lameness" of paper coins, but rather the approach of a particular cacher to those paper coins.

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My Vote: LAME

Nuff said.

 

I will not berate you for your opinion, you are entitled to it, but I find it totally hypocritical when you only have three activated coins and only one of those is travelling, if you feel so strongly send out some coins yourself and allow others to play the way they want to.

 

In my opinion the only lame copies are copies that are done poorly, done well they can look just as good as the real thing in an airtight capsule.

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When they go to find the cache, the only paper will be the log book... I can only think of one other use for paper in the woods ;)

 

LOL

 

I've released hundreds of geocoins and some do go missing - as do regular TBs. Generally, the missing coins have not been "stolen." They are more typically picked up by noobs who quit caching before dropping them again or are lost when a cache is muggled.

 

I don't care to move replicoins, I will do them no harm (they belong to someone else) and have fixed one up that was in poor condition (I've been called sour for that attitude, but I don't plan to change it).

 

I do enjoy geting the icon for coins that I've moved. A copy just doesn't seem like a coin to me. It is a traveler - and legit from Groundspeak's POV. I'm cool with that, but finding one is a bit hollow to me, so I choose to leave them be for someone more inclined to shuffle paper. If you do put out a replicoin, please make a quality fake and not just a piece of paper with an enlarged picture of the coin on it.

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My Vote: LAME

Nuff said.

 

I will not berate you for your opinion, you are entitled to it, but I find it totally hypocritical when you only have three activated coins and only one of those is travelling, if you feel so strongly send out some coins yourself and allow others to play the way they want to.

 

In my opinion the only lame copies are copies that are done poorly, done well they can look just as good as the real thing in an airtight capsule.

So hypcocrasy is determined by how much money I am willing to spend on a game? I cannot have an opinion without spending as much as who? You? You say you will not berate me, and in the same breath call my actions hypocritical.

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...Is a little HONESTY too much to ask from Geocachers? ...

 

Nope. Neither is it too much for you to recognize that a tracking web page and the code that is used to add logs to it are not the coin, have never been the coin, and never will be the coin. You can track anything. Just because some folks have an expectation and find that reality is different doesn't give them any more right than to be dissapointed.

 

It's a courtesy to note in the cache page that the tracking number is on a replicant. However it could be tracking one of the million gumby army soldiers that's coming to a cache near you. That's not even a replicant.

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Nope. Neither is it too much for you to recognize that a tracking web page and the code that is used to add logs to it are not the coin, have never been the coin, and never will be the coin.

Exactly. That's why a piece of paper with a code on it isn't the same as finding a real coin. Nothing but a COIN is a coin and replicoins (I love that term) just aren't the same. What fun is showing off a copy?

 

You can track anything. Just because some folks have an expectation and find that reality is different doesn't give them any more right than to be dissapointed.

 

It's a courtesy to note in the cache page that the tracking number is on a replicant. However it could be tracking one of the million gumby army soldiers that's coming to a cache near you. That's not even a replicant.

At that point, it should be a TB then.

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There are alot of things I find in Ammo cans that I think are pretty Lame, that used golf baal, or wet buisness card for example. However this game is flexible to allow a great amount of creativity both in the cache and that which is or is not put into it. The game has a freedom of choice built right into it so that I can determine what to take and what to leave. What I think is lame might be the wet buisness card then next guy has been waiting for all their life. Thus that paper coin may be the Icon someone has been searching for to add to their discovery list. The less amount of rules the better and more creative it will be my view is simply

Leave and let Leave or Take and let Take, in any combination you like.

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Well, it is not the same as the real thing but, some one puts work into making them. I will treat them just the same. Allthough I would really like for them to be smaller. At least the ones I seen were toooo big. About the size of a peanut butter jar lid. Smaller is good! The Real deal is nicer.

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I am a firm believer that the only things worth holding on to aren't things and just as I use good China to eat from at every meal (it was intended for this use), I believe Geocoins are meant to travel. I have purchased several coins to date and have placed an order for some TBs as well so we can personalize them with their little hitch hiker buddies. I figure that in general people will do the right thing with them when they are discovered; if by chance someone keeps one they found, I can only hope they got as much joy out of it as I intended to share and experience myself. I have seen the joy on my kids faces when they open a cache they have worked hard to find and discover a shiny coin inside that they can move along and I have seen the joy quickly leave when a "fake" coin is all they find. We have not moved a "fake" coin as they just aren't interested.

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I have come across several "Paper Version" geocoins since people do not want their coins to get lost or stolen after spending $5-$15. I usually roll my eyes when I come across these and just move it on after logging it. Now I just got one of the coolest coins I have had in the mail last night (Tengwar Geocoin). I am now actually considering keeping this one in hand and putting a paper version out. I am not letting this one go, so do you think I should just keep it and don't put out a paper version, or go ahead and put a laminated paper version out? hmmm....

 

As someone who loves the various geocoins, I have often gone out of my way to visit a cache simply to view a coin it has listed in it's inventory. I have come across a couple of these paper substitutes and frankly been irritated by them. I don't mind that people send them out to protect the loss of their actual coin. I currently have two geocoins that are missing. If you do send out paper, please list on the coins page that it is a substitute travelling the world in place of the coin. This way, we can make informed decisions as to if we want to hunt the coin down. I hope this was helpful. Happy Caching!!!

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After reading this thread I felt challenged to make a paper coin that would not be lame. I bought a coin and it cost $8.00 + shipping The paper copy cost roughly $6.00 to produce not including labor. I love this coin and I love the message. the coin is roughly 1/2" x 1-3/8" The Proxy is a lot larger. I was challenged to attempt to make something that might be worth traveling because of this thread but I will let you be the judge if it is lame or not. I will mail it to you to look at and if you like it place it in a cache. Are you Game? what constitutes a quality reproduction? I will send it only to someone who has put out a lot of coins and has as such experience in these things preferably someone who has this particular coin. Send email if your interested.

Edited by BrierPatch
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I found a paper coin today described as "ersatz" (an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation). The listing said that the original coin had been stolen and this paper proxy was being sent out as a replacement.

I grabbed the paper coin and logged my find. In a few days I will release it to continue its travels. Why should the coin's owner lose the fun of watching the coin travel because of a poor sport who has picked up the original and not moved it along for others to enjoy?

This paper copy obviously can't compete with the original, but I believe that by continuing to move the copy along I am thwarting the coin thief if the coin is truly stolen and not just neglected.

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Fake coins and TBs are generally not permitted in my caches. That's not a big deal, because i don't have many hides, but nevertheless.

 

The exception is for a replacement for an item that is stolen. A paper or other representation of a coin/TB that has been stolen is permitted in my caches provided it is clearly named as such so that visitors are not misled.

 

If you're afraid to lose your coin/TB, don't send it out.

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Fake coins and TBs are generally not permitted in my caches. That's not a big deal, because i don't have many hides, but nevertheless.

 

The exception is for a replacement for an item that is stolen. A paper or other representation of a coin/TB that has been stolen is permitted in my caches provided it is clearly named as such so that visitors are not misled.

 

If you're afraid to lose your coin/TB, don't send it out.

Looking at your cache pages, there does not seem to be any mention of this "requirement". How are cachers meant to comply? ;)

 

mm

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I have about 75+ travelers released. A fair amout perhaps 20% have gone lost. About 3 weeks ago I had one come back alive after 1 year after entering a event, later found in somones truck floor while cleaning. If I had released a copy of this lost coin I would have now 2 coins traveling one real and one copy. hence I would never re-release a stolen/lost coin as one day down the road I may have a pleasent surprise.

 

I will continue to release real coins, never a copy so all may enjoy this hobby / sport while they enjoy and get to move along my coins.

 

I would have to agree with geosquid ::

 

If you're afraid to lose your coin/TB, don't send it out.
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Alright "wigoweb" Will be sent my coin and My proxy and they will report back here as to the lameness of the proxy as compared to the coin, I sent both to them as part of the challenge. While the coin cost $8.00 and the Proxy $6.00 due to all the additional time involved in producing the proxy it is not economical unless you want to have additional information or a game on the proxy. But we will see what they decide as to the worthiness of the proxy to travel. Thank you guys for participating in the challenge. I will state that the proxy could be produced cheaper and could also be produced at a greater expense.

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After much thought here's my two cents:

 

Are proxies lame? Nah, not really. As a courtesy I think they should say in their title that they are a replicoin (I love that term too!) . Many coins do go missing, for whatever reason, and when one does it feels like you've just flushed a $10 bill down the toilet. Are people wrong because they don't like that feeling? No.

 

So they compromise. They send out proxies instead and keep their collection in a box, binder, coffee can or just in a tottering pile on their computer desk. They get to experience the excitement of watching travelers. They can still take them to events for discoveries or just keep them at home to enjoy their little pile of shiney. Someone might get a chance to pick up an icon that maybe they wouldn't get to otherwise. It may be just a piece of paper, but you can still go look it up and see where it's been before it got to you (kind of like wheresgeorge). It may only be paper, but it's still been traveling!

 

We'd all like to find real coins all the time, but we'd also like there to not be coins thieves or muggles. We'd like new cachers to log them properly. Unfortunately, all these are part of the game.

 

I've released 25 trackables. 14 are missing. Hopefully they are only forgotten and will surface again in the months ahead.

 

I've been sorely tempted, but I've not sent out any proxies myself...yet.

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Spookies and a few others seem to have the right idea, in general. I kind of think that most replicoins (I think we've got a winner, here, BTW; can we officially add this to the geo-lexicon? :)) are, in fact, kind of lame, but usually because they aren't well done. I've seen a few that were nice photos of the coins, laminated, with a nice goal-card attached; these are *almost* as good as real geocoins. And ultimately, as has been pointed out by several others, it's your coin; you can keep it or not. If you send out a proxy, all I would ask is that you be honest in the writeup on the coin's web-page; if it's a proxy, tell us up front, then it's our choice if we want to grab it or not. Of course, if we don't have that icon, we'll grab it, as should be obvious from our slogan: It's all about the icons :)

 

For the record, we have no replicoins out there. We have 749 activated geocoins and Travel Bugs (and several hundred unactivated, with more coming in all the time :lol:), so there should be no doubt that we are seriously infected with the "Traveler Virus" B) In almost every case, we buy two or more of each geocoin that we buy. One (sometimes two, if Sharon wants one for herself) stays in our collection, which is up to six binders; the rest go into circulation, or into our "trading bag". We've bought some geocoins from other cachers, and traded as well; these almost always go into the collection. I realized very soon after I got into this that the only way to be sure to keep at least one of each geocoin from being stolen was to buy at least two and keep one of them. I've never drilled a hole in a geocoin and, as I said, never done a proxy. I just can't bring myself to doing either of those things, but if you do a good job on a proxy, and are honest about it with the rest of us, I won't complain if I find that proxy in a cache :huh: But I won't ever call it a "geocoin".

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We just returned from a trip to Maine and New Brunswick, Canada that took us through several New England states. We found and moved a replicoin on this trip, too.

 

Our mail box was overflowing with coins from trades, but we also had a really nice package from BrierPatch with his "professional" proxy for an Inept Geocoin. Here is a link so you can view the coin/replicoin page: TB2GK6G, a well done replicoin.

 

We would say that this one is definitely not "lame," but we doubt that most cachers would go to quite this much effort. When we place the replicoin, we will post some photos here and on the coin's page.

 

Nice work, BrierPatch

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After loosing a few coins I started to send out copies of the ones I lost. I do put the word COPY in the title of the coin when it is released though. That way if someone does not wants to discover a copy coin they have a choice. All of my copies are photocopied between 2 pieces of plexiglass that have been silconed together then cut out on a scroll saw.

 

The funny thing about the copies is that I have had a few of them stolen. Guess I make good copies of my coins. :(

Edited by ratandjmt
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After loosing a few coins I started to send out copies of the ones I lost. I do put the word COPY in the title of the coin when it is released though. That way if someone does not wants to discover a copy coin they have a choice. All of my copies are photocopied between 2 pieces of plexiglass that have been silconed together then cut out on a scroll saw.

Rather than go to all that time, effort, and cost, I would personally just buy and release a new geocoin.

 

Putting COPY in the name is a nice gesture, but this non-coin will still have the icon, which will fool people when they search by scanning for icons.

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Having released the one Replicoin I do not intend to release any more it is simply cheaper and easier to buy a coin and release it. However I bought the materials for this experiment in producing a quality proxy in units of ten. So I offer a trade in which I will send a proxy of the Replicoin that has been released. (copy of a proxy now that is lame.)

It is almost an exact copy without the tracking Numbers. But it would give you the opportunity to handle and judge for yourself. Along with the proxy I experimented with a cheaper replicoin production cost is $1.00 to produce to leave as swag, with intention of maybe highlighting coins that are humorous to me. However it just seems much simpler for me to but Pathtags and leave them.

 

The replicoin released is the inept Geocoin

The swag Replicoin is It's not all about the numbers

 

I have nine of each and will send them out together, you can decide what you want to trade for them after you receive them. Thus if you feel their worth nothing send that if you feel their worth trash send that. I thing you may find they are more a signature item than a replicoin. But you will find it is a pretty good quality for a paper representation.

 

If interested email me your address through my profile.

 

Thanks this has been a fun experience I work in a fabrication shop and if we ever get a laser burner...........

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I have a lot of coins in my collection that I have no intention of ever placing in a cache. I plan to keep them.

 

However, it seems like a waste of perfectly good tracking numbers.

 

To me, a released geocoin is just a TB with a different icon. I move TBs, coins, and replicas the same way.

 

I've been considering creating home-made tags - not paper coin replicas, but something resembling a regular TB tag - and attaching objects like I would to a regular TB tag.

 

If I decide to do this, I'll include the word COPY in the TB name.

 

Comments?

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We finally had a chance to do some caching where we located a regular sized container so that we could drop off BrierPatch's geocoin proxy. It is now awaiting a cacher in Hoyt's Quarry near Saratoga Springs, NY.

GC141TZ

 

If you're in the area, maybe you can pick it up, see the quality of this proxy, move it along to another cache.

 

We've enjoyed this thread and taking part in moving the new proxy geocoin.

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I have a lot of coins in my collection that I have no intention of ever placing in a cache. I plan to keep them.

 

However, it seems like a waste of perfectly good tracking numbers.

 

To me, a released geocoin is just a TB with a different icon. I move TBs, coins, and replicas the same way.

 

I've been considering creating home-made tags - not paper coin replicas, but something resembling a regular TB tag - and attaching objects like I would to a regular TB tag.

 

If I decide to do this, I'll include the word COPY in the TB name.

 

Comments?

 

Hey Web-ling:

 

I'm not a big fan of paper copies as has been stated in this thread previously, but am not as turned off if a "copy" of a geocoin is done well or something creative has been done with a tracking number. I have moved plain paper copies of coins, but hold my nose when doing so. I actually came to this thread today to submit a post about a paper copy of a coin I passed over last night because I just wasn't in the mood to move it. Had it been a real coin or something of quality, I would have picked it up. As this copy was pretty far into the woods, I suspect it will linger there for a long time to come.

 

I enjoy the game of geocaching and try to help things along when I can and after I got home last night I started thinking abut the whole copy thing again. I really hate not moving trackables along because I want to participate, but I have this whole other side of me saying just leave the paper behind and move onto another cache. I suspect many people have the same feelings to one degree or another. I understand the reasons why people don't want to release their originals into the wild, but I cringe a little when I see paper.

 

If I saw that you put some real effort into submitting your own "tag" that was attached to something, I'd move it as if it were a first generation coin and think many others would as well. Anyone else?

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OK, I am ready to put my $.02 in the pot. After all this is America where we all can have a say. Plain paper sometimes laminated coin proxys are lame. I am sure most agree. A proxy that has had a little time invested make it a bit better are totally within reason to be acceped as a fair replacement of the original. As for why the proxy was made, I believe if you made a proxy to replace a missing coin good for you, if you made a proxy to keep from releasing the original shame on you. If you don't want it lost don't release it. If you released it and it came up missing do a good copy and let it free again. In all cases if it is not marked as a copy in the listing it is a poor decision to do so. I applaud all those that release and all those that collect. But in the end it is your reputation on the line when I find a good or bad proxy and decide to move it or not.

 

I could even make a decent one for you and re release it into the game before putting out a laminated paper copy.

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