Geocoin Reviews

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

There are a lot of great coins.

There are many opinionated people!

 

So I thought a review thread would be fun. The only rule is that on personal coins - love only. No negative reviews. If you don't like a personal, please keep it to yourself. Why? Well....because they are personal and it could hurt someones feelings. For example, I happen to be very handsome and smart and it makes me feel awkward when people point this out.

 

Commercial coins *could* be more critically reviewed, but with respect.

 

Anyhow. Here's how the thread would work - and it might be fun.

 

1) State the name of the coin at the very TOP of the post in CAPS. This is to make searching reviews easier.

2) Post a picture of the coin (both sides)

3) List the features of the coin you like and why

4) Please only leave YOUR review - do not comment on others reviews

 

#4 is especially important. For example, if I write a review on the fact I enjoy the YemonYime becuase of it's refreshing taste and the ability to cleanse the palet between courses - please don't warn me of the dangers of lead - just write your own review.

 

Again - this is a happy, happy, thread of peace and love. So if you hate a coin - don't post - we'll let the silence speak for itself.

 

Let's see if this one has wings.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Lemon Fresh Dog

[+Just a Trifle]

NUDE CACHING GEOCOIN

 

 

 

Well where do we start with listing the features we like and why?

 

1. Just the bare necessities - reminds us of what we enjoy most about caching - getting out there with nature, taking in the sights and sounds, stripping away the stress of the world and just getting out there and enjoying life

 

2. The oval shape is something we have not found before and it complements the scene on the coin.

 

3. It reminds us of our youth, a time when we could be carefree exploring the world before us.

 

4. It feels good to hold.

 

5. It makes us want to go out and continue to explore looking after our natural places, and being thankful that we and our loved ones continue to have good health and live in a country that is free and safe.

[+TNgeopals]

SUNBURST SERIES FAMILY GEOCOIN

 

 

I have always enjoyed suncatchers and this particular coin has nice colors that give a warm feeling when held up to the light. Because the subject of the coin is family the saying was very fitting. "It's not always the find that brings the smiley. Sometimes it's just who you are with." The coin promotes family togetherness which is a value I believe in.

 

I bought this coin in honor of my family and the precious times we spend together and hope that others who see the coin will be reminded of their own family times together. Overall I feel this was a well thought out and designed coin that I am proud to own and show off.

[+Jackalgirl]

EUREKA GEOCOIN (BY THUEML + SIMONE)

 

 

When I first saw this coin I thought it was pretty cool. "Spinner", it said, and for some reason I was thinking that it rotated (as in the central section spins within a frame, sort of like a ROT13 spinner or something). And I did not look closely at the picture in the store, so it looked as if the center of the coin was framed in a black outline with stylized satellites. I actually liked this a lot and thought it was a bold, simple graphic element that really made the silver center of the coin stand out.

 

Imagine my surprise when -- after finally buckling down and ordering one -- I got it and discovered that it was a standard spinner, and that the satellites that I thought were stylized in thick black line were actually cutouts:

 

 

Wow! Now that is a really clever use of negative space. I love it -- what a great idea! And the rest of the coin is very clean and striking. It's easily made my "favorite geocoins" list and one that I use for reference when thinking about other designs of my own, and is also in the portfolio of coins I show to people for whom I'm designing challenge coins as examples of things you can do that are different and interesting. Good job, Thueml & Simone!

Edited January 26, 2009 by Flying Spaghetti Monster

[+Jackalgirl]

G-FILES GEOCOIN - BLACK NICKEL

 

 

Sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go. I know that when I'm sketching, I have a real temptation to fill every nook & cranny with detail, and often that works very well (if the artists know what they're doing). But this coin goes to show you that you can keep the design very simple and still have a really cool, really visually-arresting coin. The design is very well in keeping with the design of the show which it is parodying, right down to the choice of fonts. It is one of those coins that makes me kick myself and say, "idiot, why didn't you think of that?" The answer, of course, being that the designers are a lot more clever than I am.

 

Edited to add: I apologize for the dirty quality of my photo of the back of the coin. That is not stray enamel; it's dust -- the coin itself is super-clean when it comes to enamel placement. When I get the chance, I'll take another photo or photoshop all the crud out.

Edited January 26, 2009 by Flying Spaghetti Monster

[+Jackalgirl]

GEOCLUB.DE - 5 JAHRE JUBILEE GEOCOIN

 

 

This is a coin I purchased from Sepp & Berta's shop. The only problem I have with their shop is that the coins ship from Germany and take longer to get to me than coins from US vendors. So the problem is really with my patience!

 

But their coins are worth waiting for. Above is the "shop edition" of Geoclub.de's 5-year Jubilee coin. It is in antique silver with translucent green on the back. I was drawn to this coin -- and I am fond of this coin -- because its front resembles the German 5 Mark coin; when I lived in Germany as an exchange student (a long, looooong time ago), it was my favorite coin. Now this is one of my favorites -- for its size (it's approximately 1.75" in size) and for the design motif of icons of people surrounding Germany under the enamel.

 

There's a Forum edition that has red enamel, but as I'm fond of green, I'm perfectly happy with it. It's yet another example of a coin with a relatively simple design, and yet one that is very effective: it is visually very striking and a pleasure to hold and examine.

Edited January 26, 2009 by Flying Spaghetti Monster

[+Jackalgirl]

RATISBONA GEOCOIN

 

 

Lest you think that all I like are simple coins.... This is a hefty square coin (a little over 1.75" to a side) and it is beautiful. It is one of those coins that ties into history -- "Ratisbona" is an historical name for Regensburg -- and which features some of the centuries-old architecture which has earned Regensburg its title as a Unesco World Heritage City. I love everything about the front of this coin -- from the offset rounded diamondish shape for the frame of the 3D picture of Regensburg to the points that suggest a compass to the leafy motif.

 

This is the antique silver version of the coin; the coin also comes in antique bronze and antique copper. The back lists Regensburg's historical sights and buildings and features the city's "keys" as well as a very elegantly-executed design of stylized leaves. It comes in a velvet or velveteen pouch which is a nice touch, because it adds to the sense of richness that the coin already has -- the sense that a treasure like this deserves more than just a plastic flip.

 

Oh, the the coin makes use of Charlemange, one of my favorite fonts. More points scored by this lovely coin!

Edited January 26, 2009 by Flying Spaghetti Monster

[+fox-and-the-hound]

G-FILES GEOCOIN - BLACK NICKEL

 

 

Sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go. I know that when I'm sketching, I have a real temptation to fill every nook & cranny with detail, and often that works very well (if the artists know what they're doing). But this coin goes to show you that you can keep the design very simple and still have a really cool, really visually-arresting coin. The design is very well in keeping with the design of the show which it is parodying, right down to the choice of fonts. It is one of those coins that makes me kick myself and say, "idiot, why didn't you think of that?" The answer, of course, being that the designers are a lot more clever than I am.

 

Edited to add: I apologize for the dirty quality of my photo of the back of the coin. That is not stray enamel; it's dust -- the coin itself is super-clean when it comes to enamel placement. When I get the chance, I'll take another photo or photoshop all the crud out.

 

That's freakin' genious! I love it

Edited January 26, 2009 by Flying Spaghetti Monster

[+Jackalgirl]

 

That's freakin' genious! I love it

 

If you think that's cool, you should see the glow version! (Which I don't have. Yet.)

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Edited previous posts to remove links to stores.

 

Let's keep this thread free of advertisements, ok? Write ups are great, but there's no need to link or advertise for companies - just share the designs that you like.

 

Thanks.

[+Jackalgirl]

SCAVOK'S JOURNEY GEOCOIN

 

 

You only need to do a quick search of the Forum to find this coin's thread, and it's well worth looking at, because it's great to watch a coin go through its development with the community watching on. And there are pictures of the various finishes in which this coin was available. This is the antique bronze version, one of my favorites.

 

Look at one closely and you'll see that there are at least three different levels of detail -- the coin is packed with design elements. I have the very shiny chrome version and the satin silver version too, and it's harder to see the detail all at once with those, which is why I prefer the antique finishes for this design.

 

But what really tickled me about the design & production of these coins is the attention to what I'll call the "slumpiness" of enamel. Enamel, being a liquid, wants to settle. Typically, it will sink into an area of a coin but adhere to the sides of the channel it's in, as if the center of the enamel has "slumped" into the center of the channel.

 

With imitation hard enamel, the enamel is hard enough to polish down, so the mint will overfill the area and then polish it down so that it's flush with the raised metal of the channel. And that's typically the way to go if you want a nice solidly-colored looking coin (or you coat the coin with epoxy if you have to use the softer enamels).

 

In the Journey geocoin, the slumpiness of the transparent enamel is integrated into the design of the coin. In fact, if you look closely, you'll see that the coin was produced by filling every other ovoid, allowing the enamel to harden, then turning the coin over so that the other ovoids could be filled from the other side. So four opposite ovoids are slumpy on one side, and the other four are slumpy on the other.

 

This may not make sense, so just look closely at the pictures above. It is a masterful touch and really brings the coin to another level in my mind. Good work!

 

Edited to add: read through the Journey thread carefully; what I didn't say before is that the community not only watched, but also gave suggestions, some of which were incorporated into the final design and changed the design substantially. It's a fascinating read.

Edited February 1, 2009 by Jackalgirl

[+opalsns]

I first want to say that I am in love with our personal Cachin' Crow Coin and the story it tellin each one of the series. But ....

 

I just recieved a 1st Edition Birka Geocoin as a cointest prize .

What a beautiful coin and so well designed, The intricate pattern reminds me of Cloisinee - spelling - The colors are not bright, but they are Rich and show well next to each other. It's a large, heavy coin and feels good to the touch.

The story that goes along with this coin teaches a history as well.

I am excited about having This Birka coin in my collection, Kudos!!!!!

 

Opalsns