Do people still want multiple versions of coins?

[+Kealia]

A recent coin sale thread listed coins like:

X amount of X metal = LE

Y amount of Y metal = XLE

Z amount of Z metal = XLE

and a mention of an XXLE version, too.

 

I have no issues with that coin but ir made me wonder if we as a group have gone away from these since it made me realize that I haven't seen them in a while. Most recently it was AE, XAE, (referring to Artist Editions) but it's been a while.

 

The majority of coins lately I think have had two versions, but not the "limited quantity and versions" of this recent one.

 

Are you still interested in paying more for an XLE version or has this become an exception?

 

Just curious.

[+Vanelle]

I can't possibly keep up with collecting every version of each coin, so I usually pick the finish that I like best and keep that one (*most* of the time! []). Sometimes it is the regular edition and sometimes, a special edition.

 

That said, I do very much like to trade for artist editions (or whatever you want to call it, xxle, xxxle, basically made for the artist only) for my favorites. Making that personal connection and having a copy of the artists own version makes a coin that I admired to begin with even more meaningful.

[+DJ.J.ROCK]

I can't possibly keep up with collecting every version of each coin, so I usually pick the finish that I like best and keep that one (*most* of the time! []). Sometimes it is the regular edition and sometimes, a special edition.

 

That said, I do very much like to trade for artist editions (or whatever you want to call it, xxle, xxxle, basically made for the artist only) for my favorites. Making that personal connection and having a copy of the artists own version makes a coin that I admired to begin with even more meaningful.

 

for some reason the fewer that are made of an ae or xle, the specialer they are to me, esp. if I really like the coin i have 1 that only 10 were made and i love the coin design,,its one of my favs.!!

[+MustangJoni]

I'm not really interested in having "one of each metal". If the metal is the only difference, then I usually just get the one I like best. I don't make a special effort to get AEs or LEs or whatever...

 

But, I do like the way tsun does hers. Each coin is very different from the other, so I find it very hard to resist the next version!

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Didn't like it then.

Don't like it now.

 

 

I'm sure I've written a book or two on why open-minting and non-exclusive coins are better (especially for organization coins - personals are really up to the individual)

[+Mar-elendili]

I'm not after collecting whole sets, but I do like different versions. This way, I can pick the one I like best!

[+Jackalgirl]

I'm afraid I'm in the same boat. It doesn't even matter if the extra finishes aren't LE/XLE/whatever. I can't afford to buy sets at a time, so I have to narrow it down to the coin -- possibly two coins, if I can swing it -- I like best.

 

The one exception I've made is for the Year of the Ox coin. This is going to be either the first or second coin I've designed that's actually going to be made into a geocoin, so I want extra sets to be able to trade/gift/release/enter into missions (plus I need a set for my portfolio).

[+AtlantaGal]

Not anymore.

[+DresselDragons]

Not anymore.

What she said...

[+ECplus3]

If we are talking about the same coin here, I think the artist did intend to produce multiple finishes so that people could choose the one they liked the best. The difference in the number minted between RE and LE versions was only about 10 coins. He also minted the XXLE (or however many Xs were in there) for those few who DO want sets -- but he only made 5 sets available, so he wasn't really expecting a lot of people to go for the whole set.

[+AtwellFamily]

Are you still interested in paying more for an XLE version or has this become an exception?

I pick one version that is a LE. Which I usually produce 100 coins for. Will not make that version again. And I usually sell them for the same price and let the collecting market determine the value after that.

 

Funny thing is there are ofter times where others metals sell less than 100. The Mood coin had that happen. Less than 100 AG were sold so really that is more limited than the posted LE. The difference is I could produce any of the regular version again.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Do I want multiple versions of coins? Yes. Do want to buy or trade for them? No. I want multiple metals because some designs simply look better in a different metals. If I can trade equally for a RE or an XXXXXXXXLE and I like the regular edition better, then that's what I want to collect. Without multiple versions of coins we never get to see all the possibilities a design might have to offer.

 

I don't mind paying a small amount (10% or so above the RE price) more for an LE, but that's about the limit of my tolerance for price gouging. I like seeing that a LE is available first come, first served or to people ordering a minimum number or REs, etc. I don't like seeing an LE available for half again or twice as much as an RE. They cost the same amount to produce initially in most cases so I'm just not going to play into it.

 

While I'm ranting, I take exception to the new trend of people creating an LE of their personal to keep for themselves and calling it an AE or even making a small number of LEs, labeling them AEs and then only giving a small portion of those pseudo-AEs to the artist. If they're not being made specifically for the artist then they're not really Artist's Editions are they? They're just LEs and a few are being shared with the designer.

[ATMouse]

I really want the version that looks the best. I do understand having a special version for an event's committee or some such, but if it looks a bunch better, why not go for it for everyone?

 

The last event coins we did for the ASPGB event, I wanted to do a glitter sky, but the mint would not do a full production run on it. I asked if it would be willing to do 15 or so. And they did and I had them made as gifts for the committee with one to sell as a fund-raiser.

 

But if I could have had it done, the coin on the right would have been the coin we sold.

 

[+fox-and-the-hound]

I really want the version that looks the best. I do understand having a special version for an event's committee or some such, but if it looks a bunch better, why not go for it for everyone?

 

The last event coins we did for the ASPGB event, I wanted to do a glitter sky, but the mint would not do a full production run on it. I asked if it would be willing to do 15 or so. And they did and I had them made as gifts for the committee with one to sell as a fund-raiser.

 

But if I could have had it done, the coin on the right would have been the coin we sold.

 

 

It's a great looking coin, but I see what you mean and I agree. Why wouldn't the mint do a full run?

[+Mama Cache]

I really want the version that looks the best. I do understand having a special version for an event's committee or some such, but if it looks a bunch better, why not go for it for everyone?

 

The last event coins we did for the ASPGB event, I wanted to do a glitter sky, but the mint would not do a full production run on it. I asked if it would be willing to do 15 or so. And they did and I had them made as gifts for the committee with one to sell as a fund-raiser.

 

But if I could have had it done, the coin on the right would have been the coin we sold.

 

 

It's a great looking coin, but I see what you mean and I agree. Why wouldn't the mint do a full run?

 

I was thinking the same thing...If you can do 20 which is more work, I would think they could do 500.

[+RifleMan81]

I never pay attention to the LE XLE variations. I just pick the coin I like the best. Hopefully, it's a RE so it's cheaper. The higher prices for LE and XLE are a rip off too.

[+scavok]

I think its all relative. Saying its LE XLE AE (to me anyway) is just a classification, not saying its better than any other finish. In my head I have a little algorithm for naming: basically if finish A is run with 200 coins, finish B is 150 and C is 100, then A=RE, B=LE, C=XLE but no LE's can be reminted. Even if finish D only had 50 minted, if it can be minted again then it is not a LE version.

 

The likelyhood is that the RE is the best looking since it was the most popular. For my tengwars, the only thing that designated LE or XLE was at what quantity I ran out of money to mint any more of that particular finish

 

IMHO

 

edit to add: Just an answer to Rifleman's comment (and I don't know the case for every other coiner out there) but for mine, as I ordered coins from the mint that were designated LE or XLE they cost more becuase they cost more to me, the less I minted at a time the more per coin they cost to make.

Edited December 17, 2008 by scavok

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Maybe I will rant a little.

 

What are geocoins intention?

Are they collectibles or are they signature items?

 

Before someone answers "both" - let me clarify by refining my question to ask - what is the "primary" intention?

 

My hope, dream, personal opinion is that they are signature items that are created to represent a cacher or organization.

 

The collecting of these coins then becomes a collection related to an activity - geocaching. This stands in opposition to the collecting of an arbitrary object - the coin itself. As an analogy - I don't understand why someone would want to collect commemorative plates. I *can* understand why someone would collect plates that are historically significant (like plates from old Railroads, Luxury ships). Not my thing, but I would take a Titanic Plate over an Elvis plate any day!)

 

So... what does this have to do with this post?

 

I'm a collector. I collect comics, stamps, little 1:400 airplanes, and other odds and ends. Can't explain it, drives my wife crazy, I even worked in a museum I like old historical artifacts so much.

 

What I see when I see limited editions is - poison.

 

Yup.

 

It poisons the hobby because it creates a false scarcity (okay - it's real, but manufactured). This, in turn, reduces enthusiasm for collecting. (people like to complete). The first sign of this is that people become very "topical" in their collecting. Given enough material, this can be fun and evolves the hobby. For example, very few folks collect every stamp in the world today (they used to). Now, people collect one country, or one "theme", or just try for one representative sample from each country.

 

A good example of where this has gone wrong are the "postage stamp" countries that release a stamp for everything under the sun (Tonga!). No serious collector wants these. There is limited mass-market appeal, but the cost of production is so low that we continue to see "Star Wars" postage stamps and "Obama" official silver dollars.

 

We see this in geocoins. How many geocoin sales can we have? We now see sell-offs and specials all the time as people realize their "collection" has become "inventory". We see coins made for a purpose that I don't comprehend. (maybe my mind is feable?). I won't name coins, but there are coins that I think are absolute junk. Their connection to the hobby, any aspect of the hobby, or anyone IN the hobby is marginal at best.

 

LE's, XLE's and so forth seek to exploit this. They create exclusion and diminish enthusiasm (okay...some folks like to "chase" them). An example of this are what they actually call "chaser" cards and action figures. For example, they come out with a new set of Star Wars figures and load 24 in a box. They create one figure that is rare and place this in every 4th box - it's called a "chaser" figure. Then, the Walmart employees pull the figures and sell them on eBay (to the point where they will fire anyone caught doing this).

 

Star Wars, Matchbox, Upper Deck - they all have done this.

It benefits the manufacturer as folks "chase" the item

It "poisons the hobby as collectors "give-up" trying and this becomes and epidemic of people leaving

 

whew.... let me tell you how I *really* feel!

 

End of the rant for me is the conclusion that I think folks (individuals and organizations) should mint coins as signature items. Mint as many as you can afford/members want.

 

Manufacturers should concentrate not on many new designs, but very good designs that they can mint again and again and again and again. The cream will rise to the top and the best designs would become "hits". We'd also see less thieving as there would be less "collectors" value and more people buying them for caches (plus for their collections). I buy stamps to send mail, I buy one of every new stamp for my collection. It's fun!

 

Could you imagine if there were only 100 copies of each Beatles or Pink Floyd CD in the world?

Edited December 17, 2008 by Lemon Fresh Dog

[+PengoFamily]

Not anymore.

What she said...

 

what they said.....

[ATMouse]

I really want the version that looks the best. I do understand having a special version for an event's committee or some such, but if it looks a bunch better, why not go for it for everyone?

 

The last event coins we did for the ASPGB event, I wanted to do a glitter sky, but the mint would not do a full production run on it. I asked if it would be willing to do 15 or so. And they did and I had them made as gifts for the committee with one to sell as a fund-raiser.

 

But if I could have had it done, the coin on the right would have been the coin we sold.

 

<snipped picture>

 

It's a great looking coin, but I see what you mean and I agree. Why wouldn't the mint do a full run?

 

I was thinking the same thing...If you can do 20 which is more work, I would think they could do 500.

 

The moon (and the eyes of the owl - this was one cool coin!) was glow in the dark - it seems that the production of coins with enamels that glow in the dark right next to glitter enamels creates an unacceptable reject rate and the factory won't do them.

[+tokencollector]

 

What are geocoins intention?

Are they collectibles or are they signature items?

 

 

Neither? I like to release them as TBs. (OK, I collect them too, but I enjoy following their travels more than knowing I have some stashed in a box.)

 

In general, I won't pay any extra for any "special" version unless it looks way better than the "regular" version and only costs a little extra. I think it s*cks when a seller makes the best looking version the (really) high dollar one. But then, more often than not, I'll blow off the RE too.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

 

What are geocoins intention?

Are they collectibles or are they signature items?

 

 

Neither? I like to release them as TBs. (OK, I collect them too, but I enjoy following their travels more than knowing I have some stashed in a box.)

 

In general, I won't pay any extra for any "special" version unless it looks way better than the "regular" version and only costs a little extra. I think it s*cks when a seller makes the best looking version the (really) high dollar one. But then, more often than not, I'll blow off the RE too.

 

Opps... I forgot to mention Coins as Travel Bugs. They are, indeed, a trackable item.

 

Sadly, as I ranted, the scarcity (perceived or real, manufactured or not) drives the "value" upwards.

 

Short story. Don't spend too much time enjoying them moving around. They get stolen. There are ...oh...300 or so threads on how to prevent this.

 

To the topic at hand, I wonder if anyone has ever found a limted metal coin in a cache and if so, how well did it travel? I suspect they would be even more short-lived.

[avroair]

My hope, dream, personal opinion is that they are signature items that are created to represent a cacher or organization.

 

Time bubble back to 2005.

 

In 2008 coins are mostly made for profit.

I have never been interested in XLE etc, just get the metal I like most. Except XLE's can sometimes fetch more money.

[+Ladybug Kids]

I'll glady purchase and/or pay more if the different metal is truely a different metal and not just a different metal plating over the same cast zinc or bronze core. Otherwise, I purchase two or three copies of the finish I like best with an emphasis on supporting local geocaching organizations...one for my collection, one to trade, and, sometimes, the third to release to the wild.

 

I prefer to trade rather than buy personal geocoins...seems to make the transaction, well, more personal.

Edited December 17, 2008 by Ladybug Kids

[+Renegade Knight]

...Are you still interested in paying more for an XLE version or has this become an exception?...

 

It's just more crap to track.

Invariably one looks the best overall. Why not just make the good looking version and call it good?

 

Do we need a Mona List With eyebrows, and without, a white one a black one, a brown one, with and without a mole and all of that in every variation? Or is it enough to know there is one?

 

ICE itself has a "heavy metal" variation of membership. Those members want one of everthing. ICE started out with half of us wanting them all. The vast amounts of money spent doing that quickly whittled those members down to 1 out of the group.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

To the topic at hand, I wonder if anyone has ever found a limted metal coin in a cache and if so, how well did it travel? I suspect they would be even more short-lived.

 

Yes, surprisingly they seem to last exactly the same amount of time for some reason I can't fathom.

[+UncleJimbo]

To the topic at hand, I wonder if anyone has ever found a limted metal coin in a cache and if so, how well did it travel? I suspect they would be even more short-lived.

 

Yes, surprisingly they seem to last exactly the same amount of time for some reason I can't fathom.

If I buy multiple versions of a coin, the one I release into the wild is the one that looks the worst, thinking it might have a longer lifetime. Maybe I am fooling myself.

[+ECplus3]

...Are you still interested in paying more for an XLE version or has this become an exception?...

 

It's just more crap to track.

Invariably one looks the best overall. Why not just make the good looking version and call it good?

 

Do we need a Mona List With eyebrows, and without, a white one a black one, a brown one, with and without a mole and all of that in every variation? Or is it enough to know there is one?

 

ICE itself has a "heavy metal" variation of membership. Those members want one of everthing. ICE started out with half of us wanting them all. The vast amounts of money spent doing that quickly whittled those members down to 1 out of the group.

 

The 'best' or 'worst' looking coin from a bunch of finishes is very subjective. Personally, I can't stand antique copper, even though this seems to be a lot of people's favourite finish. I won't buy a coin in that finish unless I plan to trade it right away.

 

Another example is Tsun's Dragonfly Talisman. The favourite of the original four versions seemed to be the Ocean Mist when they first came out. My favourite was the Steel Viking. If only the OM version had been available, I probably wouldn't have bought one to keep.

 

Making multiple finishes/variations may not encourage people to buy one of each, but it allows more people to find one that they like and would be willing to buy. From the vendor's point of view, I would think this would be desirable because it increases the likelihood of recouping the coin's cost.

[+Kealia]

Thanks for the thoughts so far. Work is crazy busy right now so I'll be back in 24 hours or so to comment more myself.

[+Frozen Buns]

Not anymore.

What she said...

What they both said, I seem to get to the "Pay Now" button and freeeze up, then I go back and change it to what I just have to have and not the extra traders I used to purchase,

Now I am going for the metal that looks best, but "Special" designs that tug at me such as Tsun "Portrait" coin, I do want it in every metal avail.

This economy really is &^@#$**#^, how dare it mess with my fun......

Edited December 18, 2008 by Frozen Buns

[+scavok]

This economy really is &^@#$**#^, how dare it mess with my fun......

 

What he said

[+DJ.J.ROCK]

I like to have a choice regardless of what its called, and the numbers minted i like to know too,, ,, the le xle xxle kinda makes it hard to know "what version of coin you may have.

[+Cheesy pigs]

 

But if I could have had it done, the coin on the right would have been the coin we sold.

 

...and if it had been the general coin, and the one on the left the XLE coin? I still would have gone for the glitter. Aaah that coin is sooooo beyootiful

 

But back on topic...I used to collect every single coin variety I liked the look of, and keep the ones I loved and trade the rest. I now try to be more discriminating due to the horrendous difference between the Aussie and US dollars

 

It is so hard to choose a coin you love from photos, but it's 'needs must'! If I see a whole slew of XXXXXXXLE, AE, VSLE, Extroardinarily-rare-as-all-get-out coins, I go for the one that I think is the prettiest. It may be the regular edition, or the XXXXXXXXXXLE. I generally ignore the LE-ishness of coins these days, as it doesn't mean what it once did.

 

None of that made sense. Ah well, I'm going to post it anyway

[+Cheesy pigs]

This economy really is &^@#$**#^, how dare it mess with my fun......

 

What he she said

 

*Edited to say I apologise that my pedantic-ness has come to the fore

Edited December 18, 2008 by Cheesy pigs

[ELTADA]

I am glad that there are multiple versions of coins...as E&CPlus3 said, a "favourite finish" is so subjective. If I see a design I like and I think might be popular with others, I buy one in each finish with the intent to keep only the one I like the best and trade the rest for other designs I like. I always lean towards silver/nickel platings...in fact, when I asked my husband which coin I should keep in a recent situation, he pointed to a gold one and said, if you keep the silver one then your whole collection will be silver! Not quite, but I got his point (I still kept the silver one tho! )

 

In contrast to LFD, I actually think that a LE isn't so bad (I think having an LE, XLE, XXLE, AE, XAE, etc all in one minting is a bit strange, but whatever). The point of collecting is to acquire things that you like. Many people focus their collecting to make it manageable (I would think) -- ie: the themed postage stamp example. Part of the fun I would think is to acquire rare items to place in your collection. The research, the networking and the trading that goes into the process of acquiring a rare specimen is fun don't you think? If all you had to do was log onto different sites and buy a geocoin that is continuously in stock to complete your collection...well, where is the fun in that? You would be acquiring coins in a very systematic way that would lack all the personal interaction with other people.

 

I do agree that if there are limited mintings, and people collecting geocoins, there will be theft out in the caches...but I don't think mass mintings will prevent that. If everyone (from this point on) minted 1000s of each design, the price would drop, cachers would buy them to travel, they would get stolen by muggles, new cachers would keep them by accident and unethical cachers would target them (even as inexpensive swag, they are pretty -- who knows how much swag gets stolen??). The collectors would switch to collecting the coins that had limited mintings and the number of collectors would drop...only those that had a lot of money, lots of contacts, etc. could continue to collect the pre-2008 coins. Not too many would be doing it for a fun, affordable hobby.

 

That would be too bad imo.

 

But as I reread the OP, I realize I didn't really answer the question. Yes, I am willing to pay slightly more for an LE but not TOO much more. And only if I like it. If it is the same price, I would probably buy it even if I didn't like the finish with the hopes to trade if for another LE I do like.

[+BrierPatch]

Yes virginia,

People still like to have choices when purchasing coins.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

<snip>

 

In contrast to LFD, I actually think that a LE isn't so bad (I think having an LE, XLE, XXLE, AE, XAE, etc all in one minting is a bit strange, but whatever). The point of collecting is to acquire things that you like. Many people focus their collecting to make it manageable (I would think) -- ie: the themed postage stamp example. Part of the fun I would think is to acquire rare items to place in your collection. The research, the networking and the trading that goes into the process of acquiring a rare specimen is fun don't you think? If all you had to do was log onto different sites and buy a geocoin that is continuously in stock to complete your collection...well, where is the fun in that? You would be acquiring coins in a very systematic way that would lack all the personal interaction with other people.

 

I do agree that if there are limited mintings, and people collecting geocoins, there will be theft out in the caches...but I don't think mass mintings will prevent that. If everyone (from this point on) minted 1000s of each design, the price would drop, cachers would buy them to travel, they would get stolen by muggles, new cachers would keep them by accident and unethical cachers would target them (even as inexpensive swag, they are pretty -- who knows how much swag gets stolen??). The collectors would switch to collecting the coins that had limited mintings and the number of collectors would drop...only those that had a lot of money, lots of contacts, etc. could continue to collect the pre-2008 coins. Not too many would be doing it for a fun, affordable hobby.

 

That would be too bad imo.

 

<snip>

 

I would agree - if the purpose of geocoins was solely to collect them. Which would give me much less enjoyment - as they are then not a product of a process (geocaching), but just an item to collect.

 

For example, if the Post Office made stamps invalid for sending a letter and only allowed meter mail. Then, continued to mint stamps, but only for the collectors....it wouldn't mean much to me. (personally).

 

In fact, I collect "USED" stamps. I want stamps that were actually used to move a letter. I want geocoins from people I have actually met, or "know" through a common interest in the outdoors, caching, etc.

 

Limted editions (to my way of thinking) are not "real" geocoins, because they have no intention of purpose to be in a cache - they are simply an item created for the purpose of collecting. They are commemortive items and not functional items.

 

That's okay! Many people collect commemortive items. Obama plates, Moon Landing coins, stamps from Tonga. That's a whole "type" of collecting that many enjoy. I don't. Therefore I don't enjoy LE coins and/or coins manufactured for commercial scarcity. Everyone is different, but I don't like "commercial collectables". I like collectibles that represent an actual activity beyond the act of collecting itself. (or person - I really, really like personal coins and.... dare I say it here ... even NON-trackable ones! - yipes!)

 

Open-ended mintings will not dimish the fun of collecting coins. By their nature, Personal coins will be limited and often not open-minted. I'm thinking open-minting for the commercial, trackable coins that are really well designed. This would give those seeking coins for caches the choice of better quality designs to place in caches - and, yes. they would be stolen, but maybe not as much as the LE materials. Travel Bugs get stolen, but not as much as geocoins.

 

The added benefit of having some of the better designs in continuous production (or at least repeated production for the time they are selling) is that it would make it harder for lower quality designs to sell out.

 

It's changing, but at one point, you could have put a tracking number on a blank piece of metal, called it the "minimist geocoin" and sold-out a 200 coin edition in 2 hours. Ha! At one point, someone would have minted the design just because I mentioned it in this post!

 

Anyhow.

I shouldn't stray too far from the original question.

As most can guess, my answer is "NO! - I do not pay more for limited edition metals" and I suppose I've ranted about why that is. Sorry to all the little pixels on your computer that I have caused a decrease in life-span to.

 

EDIT TO ADD:

I shoudl also mention that I find "Commercial Collectables" markets to be volitile and dangerous to the prolonged health of a hobby. Many examples exist. The Branford Exchange and collector plates, the comic industry of the late 1990's, stamp collecting in the 70's (Tonga!), Beanie Babies, Action Figures.

Except for comics and stamps, all the above have little external purpose (you can read a comic, you can use a stamp to mail a letter) - so there is an argument that you can't "flood" a market with toys or plates. You simply create what the market will bear.

 

In geocoins, we are about to experience a "fall" (if we haven't already) - or, in popular terms an "adjustment". We see it already. There are actually surpluses and discounts now happening.

Edited December 18, 2008 by Lemon Fresh Dog

[+ThePetersTrio]

I am glad that there are multiple versions of coins...as E&CPlus3 said, a "favourite finish" is so subjective. If I see a design I like and I think might be popular with others, I buy one in each finish with the intent to keep only the one I like the best and trade the rest for other designs I like.

 

I do things almost exactly the same way as Eltada - I typically buy one of each finish, keep my favorite plating, release my least favorite plating and then put the other one or two on my trader list.

 

Although to be quite honest - lately I've limited myself to buying 2 instead of 3 or more. Once I have the coins in hand I decide whether to keep, release or trade them accordingly.

 

I do like to see the various platings that are offered. I don't mind paying more for the LE as this plating is more limited and will not be reminted, even though I don't always like that finish the best. I'd never release a LE but I'd definitely put it on my trader list.

 

One thing that I really don't like is making a purchase of a set of coins the only way to get the LE. I'd rather have the option of spending a little more to get the coin I want then spending more to get a bunch of coins I may not want at all.

 

[edit] spelling

Edited December 18, 2008 by ThePetersTrio

[+geocachingdragon]

I am not a must have every kind I usually like le but if its a coin i really like would just pick the finish i like the best. The whole le lexx aelx ..... has really got out of hand in my opinion. The last couple of coins i have done usually have two finishes so people get a choose Chocolate or vanilla senerio, And then i will get some coin in a different finish for me. I usually try to avoid calling they le incase i want to make more for me or even Ae even thought i am the artist I will refer to then as my personalcoin Gives me something to offer for trade that people wont have so i can do some trading. There was one coin in the last year with i think 37 different versions and i think alot were le type versions ,it was a very niice coin. But you have to wonder the motive behind 37 ddifferent versions. When it first came out i think it had 6 version and i thought that was alot man did i call that wrong. There are a lot of great hard to get coins that are not le they are just good coins. If i put coins on ebay if its a re or a le of my own coins they both start at the same price.

[+tom4props]

I like the coins I like. Sometimes, it's the limited or artist editions that I prefer while other times it turns out to be the regular editions that suit my fancy.

It is nice to give people a choice but my pick of metal and finish, etc., when choosing a version is always based on the merits of what best states the theme or message of the coin and what looks best... to me

I do find it dissappointing when the version that I like turns out to be sold out or limited (and often, priced higher for no reason other than its being limited).

It would be a perfect world if the nicer versions were the only ones minted at all or at least... minted in higher numbers, since those are the ones people are going to want.

[+Renegade Knight]

...The 'best' or 'worst' looking coin from a bunch of finishes is very subjective. ...

 

True. Personally I would have had painted the Mona Lisa with eyebrows but Leonardo had other ideas about that. My thought was that the the coin maker would have a their own personal favorite and would make that one before we as buyers ever saw the coin.

[+tom4props]

PS (to my previous post) - As far as LE, XLE, AE, etc., getting out of hand goes, I recently came across a coin that was offered in LE and XLE versions only. There were three choices of metal: Antique Gold LE, Antique Silver LE and Antique Copper XLE.

Edited December 18, 2008 by tom4props

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

PS (to my previous post) - As far as LE, XLE, AE, etc., getting out of hand goes, I recently came across a coin that was offered in LE and XLE versions only. There were three choices of metal: Antique Gold LE, Antique Silver LE and Antique Copper XLE.

 

Actually, I know the coin you are refering to.

 

There's also a super-secret Platimum edition and the Ultra-super-secret eBay-only edition that is so rare that even the person minting the coin doesn't know about it and the metal is said to be not of this earth.

 

If you don't have it, then your collection is junk.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

PS (to my previous post) - As far as LE, XLE, AE, etc., getting out of hand goes, I recently came across a coin that was offered in LE and XLE versions only. There were three choices of metal: Antique Gold LE, Antique Silver LE and Antique Copper XLE.

 

Actually, I know the coin you are refering to.

 

There's also a super-secret Platimum edition and the Ultra-super-secret eBay-only edition that is so rare that even the person minting the coin doesn't know about it and the metal is said to be not of this earth.

 

If you don't have it, then your collection is junk.

 

I'll never whole without it! I do wonder if this was done because of pre-existing concepts of numbers equaling the titling (ie: LE = 100 or less, etc.)

Edited December 18, 2008 by fox-and-the-hound

[+tom4props]

PS (to my previous post) - As far as LE, XLE, AE, etc., getting out of hand goes, I recently came across a coin that was offered in LE and XLE versions only. There were three choices of metal: Antique Gold LE, Antique Silver LE and Antique Copper XLE.

I'll never whole without it! I do wonder if this was done because of pre-existing concepts of numbers equaling the titling (ie: LE = 100 or less, etc.)

Ahhhhhh... therein lies the answer: AG (100), AS (100) and AC (50)

[+ECplus3]

PS (to my previous post) - As far as LE, XLE, AE, etc., getting out of hand goes, I recently came across a coin that was offered in LE and XLE versions only. There were three choices of metal: Antique Gold LE, Antique Silver LE and Antique Copper XLE.

I'll never whole without it! I do wonder if this was done because of pre-existing concepts of numbers equaling the titling (ie: LE = 100 or less, etc.)

Ahhhhhh... therein lies the answer: AG (100), AS (100) and AC (50)

 

Didn't know there was a set number (official or otherwise) for LE/XLE levels.

 

When I did my coin, I did 125 of both AG and AN, but called the AN my LE version because I would never remint it, whereas I specifically stated that if sales warranted it, I would possibly remint the AG. Since I never sold out (or even break even), I guess both finishes are REs, and the only XLE is the AB I made for myself.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

PS (to my previous post) - As far as LE, XLE, AE, etc., getting out of hand goes, I recently came across a coin that was offered in LE and XLE versions only. There were three choices of metal: Antique Gold LE, Antique Silver LE and Antique Copper XLE.

I'll never whole without it! I do wonder if this was done because of pre-existing concepts of numbers equaling the titling (ie: LE = 100 or less, etc.)

Ahhhhhh... therein lies the answer: AG (100), AS (100) and AC (50)

 

Didn't know there was a set number (official or otherwise) for LE/XLE levels.

 

When I did my coin, I did 125 of both AG and AN, but called the AN my LE version because I would never remint it, whereas I specifically stated that if sales warranted it, I would possibly remint the AG. Since I never sold out (or even break even), I guess both finishes are REs, and the only XLE is the AB I made for myself.

 

There were some previous threads where numbers were quoted, but I think they were being quoted in context to a run of 500 or 1000 coins which seemed to be the trend at the time.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

The whole LE, LE and XLE wouldn't even bother me much if it's at least stated somewhere that these are the maximum number of coins that would ever be produced. At least then the term "limited" refers to a set limit of coins produced, but then does everyone who made a RE and not produce again now have a "Limited Edition" coin on their hands?

[+Kealia]

I do find it dissappointing when the version that I like turns out to be sold out or limited (and often, priced higher for no reason other than its being limited).

 

After reading everybody's posts (thank you), this quote really hits it home for me. When I did my personal coin, I had two extra coins done in antique copper for Hula Bum and I to keep so we would have something unique to keep.

 

When I was involved in the GBA Coin Club and we produced coins, we did a LE run that was for members only, but were never sold. I guess I still have a problem with creating false scarcity based on a limited number of coins IF the only reason to do so is to raise the prices on that version.

 

I understand doing an artist edition, local edition, etc. so that there is a distinction and I do like limited runs of things because as somebody else stated, the fun is trying to acquire the version you want. If it's available all the time to everybody there is nothing special about them.

 

 

Edit to add: I think there are exceptions like the Alaska coins that are minted in silver or have gold inlays, etc.

Edited December 19, 2008 by Kealia

[ELTADA]

<snip>

 

In contrast to LFD, I actually think that a LE isn't so bad (I think having an LE, XLE, XXLE, AE, XAE, etc all in one minting is a bit strange, but whatever). The point of collecting is to acquire things that you like. Many people focus their collecting to make it manageable (I would think) -- ie: the themed postage stamp example. Part of the fun I would think is to acquire rare items to place in your collection. The research, the networking and the trading that goes into the process of acquiring a rare specimen is fun don't you think? If all you had to do was log onto different sites and buy a geocoin that is continuously in stock to complete your collection...well, where is the fun in that? You would be acquiring coins in a very systematic way that would lack all the personal interaction with other people.

 

I do agree that if there are limited mintings, and people collecting geocoins, there will be theft out in the caches...but I don't think mass mintings will prevent that. If everyone (from this point on) minted 1000s of each design, the price would drop, cachers would buy them to travel, they would get stolen by muggles, new cachers would keep them by accident and unethical cachers would target them (even as inexpensive swag, they are pretty -- who knows how much swag gets stolen??). The collectors would switch to collecting the coins that had limited mintings and the number of collectors would drop...only those that had a lot of money, lots of contacts, etc. could continue to collect the pre-2008 coins. Not too many would be doing it for a fun, affordable hobby.

 

That would be too bad imo.

 

<snip>

 

I would agree - if the purpose of geocoins was solely to collect them. Which would give me much less enjoyment - as they are then not a product of a process (geocaching), but just an item to collect.

 

For example, if the Post Office made stamps invalid for sending a letter and only allowed meter mail. Then, continued to mint stamps, but only for the collectors....it wouldn't mean much to me. (personally).

 

In fact, I collect "USED" stamps. I want stamps that were actually used to move a letter. I want geocoins from people I have actually met, or "know" through a common interest in the outdoors, caching, etc.

 

Interesting perspective - a nice way to collect...