FTF prizes

[+Kixersl]

I am getting ready to place my first cache. I was wondering what are some of the most memorable, unique, or favorite FTF prizes?

[+fox-and-the-hound]

I am getting ready to place my first cache. I was wondering what are some of the most memorable, unique, or favorite FTF prizes?

 

I've never had an FTF personally, but we've left a few items that went over very well from the replies including geocoins, rare coins and a high-powered LED flashlight. All ranged about $10 plus or minus so they weren't too hard on the wallet. For easier caches we've left PathTags, Silver Quarters and gold Sacagawea dollars.

[+eigengott]

favorite FTF prizes?

 

Simply nothing.

[Decoski]

The best FTF prize I have found was a new T-shirt from a local brewery.

[+Durango633]

Gas Card from your local convenience store is always a good find.

A scratch off lottery ticket (unscratched of course LOL).

An unactivated geocoin.

Now, if I am around your area..I would prefer free Outback Steakhouse Dinners for life.

[+Team Three Boys]

An unactivated geocoin is the best Ive gotten. In my caches i just put a card that means they were ftf.

[AZcachemeister]

An unactivated geocoin is the best Ive gotten.

 

That's the ticket!

If it's the owner's personal coin, so much the better.

[+TeamCatalpa]

I actually got my favorite FTF prize today. And yes, I like it when there's a finder's prize, just icing on the cake for the FTF. Today's cache was a very well done multi, and when I found the final stage I was rewarded with one of those 'survival in a bottle' things. It's a large plastic drinking bottle, like for camping, with a flashlight, emergency blanket, whistle/compass, things like that stuffed inside. Very cool.

[+wapahani]

I actually got my favorite FTF prize today. And yes, I like it when there's a finder's prize, just icing on the cake for the FTF. Today's cache was a very well done multi, and when I found the final stage I was rewarded with one of those 'survival in a bottle' things. It's a large plastic drinking bottle, like for camping, with a flashlight, emergency blanket, whistle/compass, things like that stuffed inside. Very cool.

 

I've got one right now that is a 5 star hide, with a nice terrain rating.

Its got a $10 bill for the FTF. The longer it goes not being found, the higher the bill might go. Its an evil cache in the manner its hidden. No, not a needle in a hay stack!

[+Parabola]

I will sometimes toss in a unactivated TB for a FTF prize. I've never gotten a prize for being FTF though. Well, I should say that I was a FTF on one cache that the owner left 2 dollars so someone could go and buy a lottery ticket but I left it for the next person.

 

Really I get a FTF every now and then but I don't really care much about that. Just not my thing I guess. I did get two the other day though but they just happened to pop up and I was headed nearby anyways. So I though I'd give them a peak.

 

I do care about a FTF when it's gone like two months without a finder though. Cause everything around here is usually found within 10 to 24 hours.

[+TotemLake]

I recently started placing this in new caches I place.

[+Snoogans]

I am getting ready to place my first cache. I was wondering what are some of the most memorable, unique, or favorite FTF prizes?

 

I haven't had too many FTFs since FTF is not my drug of choice. I think the FTF prize I remember most was my snake bite kit because I still carry it everywhere.

 

I always provide extra swag for the FTF chasers. This is what I like to leave for them usually together in an envelope with FTF written on it:

 

This one I'm saving for a real special cache if I don't trade or sell it first:

 

On thing I've noticed is that folks really appreciate a little extra thought beyond FTF, so I have started placing extra envelopes with different coins (I have 12 designs) for finders beyond FTF and I mark them 2TF, 3TF, 4TF, 5TF, etc.

[+DnA!]

I recently got a "First To Find" card game as a FTF prize

Edited September 3, 2008 by akb123

[+linuxonthebrain]

In my first cache I loaded up a 1G USB stick with Ubuntu, my next few I did $5 gas cards. So now I found this video on YouTube how to make lock picks from carbon-steel hack saw blades and I'm thinking this would be a unique FTF prize. Learning to pick is fun (nearly addictive!) & educational, the technology in a tumbler lock is like 4000 years old so it's hardly forbidden knowledge or anything. Plus it means never again having to take a hammer to a file cabinet or desk drawer when you've lost the key! The set includes (from top to bottom) a tension wrench, hook pick, sawtooth rake & a random rake. About $5 in materials and ~45 minutes to grind them.

I should note that in Iowa where I live pick sets are perfectly legal as long as you don't possess them with -the intent to commit a crime- just like a hammer or a crowbar. (Which would include picking a locked cache when you can't find the key!!)

Geocachers are curious by their nature and I think this is something they would genuinely enjoy.

Edited September 3, 2008 by linuxonthebrain

[+Sparticus06]

I have left a variety of stuff. From lotto tickets, to Geocaching stuff, to themed stuff for that cache. There is a local cacher that leaves $2 bills. Since I collect these, when they place a new cache, I try my hardest to be FTF.

[+MarshMonsters]

An envelope of crisp twenties...

 

Sorry, I was dreaming there! I haven't been a FTF, but prizes that get me to go out are unactivated coins, or TB's or really cool signature items. Usually those are left in the hard to find caches.

[+OzzieSan]

I am getting ready to place my first cache. I was wondering what are some of the most memorable, unique, or favorite FTF prizes?

 

A virgin logbook.

[+Printess Caroline]

I've been FTF several times but have only been rewarded once with a prize. It was a generous $25 gift card for Duncan Donuts. Now that was a taste-full surprize!

 

I, personally, like to leave a FTF prize that relates in some way to the cache I've hidden. Some of the prizes I've left are an admission ticket to a museum, an unactivated coin, a $5 gift card, a carved beaver, and a $10 bill. And sometimes, I leave nothing but the thrill of signing a clean logbook for the FTF.

[+PotomacSprings]

I've never gotten FTF but I would place diffrent things for diffrent caches.

 

Micro- Small Geocoin.

Small- A Travel Bug.

Regular- A gift card of some sort.

Large- Stuffed animal.

 

They all seam reasonable.

 

See ya,

PotomacSprings

[+StarBrand]

The vast majority of caches where I was FTF had no prize. Of my 130+ hides - only 3 had a FTF prize.

They are certainly not required or expected.

My favorite however was a lottery ticket.

[+The NVG]

I had a cache dedicated to prohibition. FTF prize was a bottle of Templeton Rye.

[+Kabuthunk]

I've only gotten FTF twice, and both times there was no FTF prize. I got a FTF certificate from both... but that's it.

 

What I've LEFT as a FTF prize in my own geocaches are handmade chainmail bracelets. Usually out of titanium, but I used stainless steel when I ran out for the last cache I made. If I were to sell 'em in a store or something, the titanium ones would go for a minimum $50... stainless probably $30. Which is strange, since the cost of materials isn't THAT much different... and it's actually easier to work with the titanium... but titanium is like drinking coffee at Starbucks to many people. They get it for the name, not knowing in the slightest the other benefits of it.

 

That in itself is quite unique, but to kinda "wrap" it, I take a self-designed FTF page, which I fold down into an envelope of sorts. I put the chainmail bracelet inside, and seal it with wax, pressed with a self-made wax seal. If THAT doesn't spell unique, I don't know what does

Edited September 4, 2008 by Kabuthunk

[+Kixersl]

Thanks for all of the ideas!

[+Guinness70]

for the last testrunner i left a mini Jaegermeister bottle, which he forgot to take

dont leave anything for the FTF, they get first pick of the swag.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Guinness70

[+Silfron Mandotheneset]

I've only gotten FTF twice, and both times there was no FTF prize. I got a FTF certificate from both... but that's it.

 

What I've LEFT as a FTF prize in my own geocaches are handmade chainmail bracelets. Usually out of titanium, but I used stainless steel when I ran out for the last cache I made. If I were to sell 'em in a store or something, the titanium ones would go for a minimum $50... stainless probably $30. Which is strange, since the cost of materials isn't THAT much different... and it's actually easier to work with the titanium... but titanium is like drinking coffee at Starbucks to many people. They get it for the name, not knowing in the slightest the other benefits of it.

 

That in itself is quite unique, but to kinda "wrap" it, I take a self-designed FTF page, which I fold down into an envelope of sorts. I put the chainmail bracelet inside, and seal it with wax, pressed with a self-made wax seal. If THAT doesn't spell unique, I don't know what does

 

As funny as it sounds, I was thinking of doing the same thing! But with anodized aluminum rather than titanium (I like the pretty colors ), and with regular (but small) envelopes. Still a wax seal though. Still need to find a place to PUT a cache though

 

I'm guessing you have a box full of Renaissance style garb in your basement as well?

[+flask]

$100.