Geocoins in the wild

[+The Blorenges]

Nearly all my geocoins are released into caches and over the last 3 years quite a lot have gone M.I.A. As it was a warm Friday afternoon here in Wales, and having nothing more urgent to do, I thought I'd work out the "average mileage" that my geocoins have managed to travel before "disappearing".

 

Since May '06, I've lost 27 geocoins. I totalled up their mileages, divided by 27 and it worked out to

 

an average of 3774 miles before disappearing.

 

3 coins disappeared from the first caches they were dropped into.

The one that travelled furthest was (surprsingly) my micro geocoin Sequoia National Park 2007 "Hug a tree today!" which managed just over 17,000 miles.

 

So... what do you think? Have I been lucky, or unlucky, with my coins' "average mileage"?

 

Anyone else want to work out their m.p.c. stats?

 

MrsB

[+nefesh]

I have no idea. I'm rather new and have just recently released a coin this month. It has a little over 500 mi. on it and almost a month in the wild. But check out the thread on page 2, "your geocoin mileage." There's some coins there that have been going strong. Also, you can see coins' mileage from PGR III.

[+Shilo]

Thats an interesting idea. I have nearly 80 geocoins in the wild so it would take me awhile.

 

Its hard to say a coin is 'lost' unless you know for sure if it got buried or mowed over. Just the other day I had a 'lost' coin from over 2 years ago show up and its moving again. It makes you feel good when that happens. This has happened a few times to me.

 

A couple years ago I had a cache owner e-mail me and tell me my coin was in his cache floating down a river. Another cacher miles and months away found the cache and my coin was still in it!!!

 

So maybe yours will turn up. It could make your m.p.c. stats go up

[+The Blorenges]

Oh, yeah... "nil desperandum" and all that!

 

To create my average 'm.p.c. before disappearing' I only used those coins which have been MIA for quite a while, where the cache has been muggled, or I've tried the usual email to the last holder, without getting any responses.

 

I would be interesting to see how my figure compares with those geocoins released in USA, in mainland Europe, other parts of the world...

 

I get an impression from reading the forums that geocoins disappear after managing fewer miles when released in U.S.A. than in some other places, but I wonder if that is correct? We'll only get indicators if more folks can be bothered to work out the figures from their "gone missing" coins.

 

MrsB

[+Mauison]

My 89 missing geocoins traveled a total of 205,274 miles so that averages out to about 2,306 miles each before they went missing.

 

My most traveled missing geocoin was a Team Sand Dollar geocoin that traveled a little over 25,600 miles. My least traveled geocoins have been a few that went missing in the cache I first placed it in.

[+OverTheEdge]

I currently have 28 geocoins missing (although I think I am being overly optimistic that a few that I haven't marked missing are still traveling)...

 

 

They averaged 2306 miles before going missing

 

 

Of the missing coins, 14 of them did not log any miles

 

I guess it's time for me to start dropping more coins in caches!!

Edited May 29, 2009 by OverTheEdge

[+ModelCitizen]

I just figured the miles and caches for 17 of my missing coins. I have a lot more missing coins but got tired of doing the analysis at 17 coins.

 

Average miles: 2301

Average caches visited before going missing: 8

 

Blue skies and happy caching!

Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

[+The Blorenges]

Thanks to those who've replied and did the required maths for this topic.

 

Anybody else done the adding up and dividing?

 

Looks like my coins have done pretty well, considering the m.p.c. numbers from others.

 

MrsB

[+Fiery Searcher]

I only have six that have gone missing: 4 that are probably "for sure" gone and two "maybe" gone.

 

The average mileage travelled for all six of these coins is 3928 miles per coin.

 

Perhaps of interest: 3 of these coins were drilled and had a geocoin "Buddy" with them, and the other 3 were not otherwise altered.

Avg miles travelled for drilled coins = 2734 (Range: 111 to 5458)

Avg miles travelled for undrilled coins = 5121 (Range: 343 to 12366)

 

IF I calculate the average miles travelled per month in the wild, the findings are:

Avg miles per month of travel for drilled coins = 415 miles per month

Avg miles per month of travel for undrilled coins = 346 miles per month

 

It is important to keep in mind that with only SIX missing coins, this is not much of a sample. HOwever, the jury is still out as to whether or not coin "buddies" or drilling holes or whatever will ensure safe passage for your travelling coins. (I will still drill mine!)