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Trading up?


brslk

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I, and I think most of us understand that when we take something from a cache, we should leave something better than we have taken (almost typed "took").

 

This is what got me to thinking about this

personally I've seen more 1000 for a buck erasers in the caches. something happened to the trade equal or up. really, if that were the case I'd have found a ferrari in a cache by now.

 

^unkle fester.

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

Most times I don't take or leave anything but when I do, I ALWAYS leave something of equal or better value.

 

Most times, I leave things for children. The stash isn't as important to me as the cache so, swag isn't my focus. so I leave things that the kids would like to find with the parents.

 

I have also left things for the adults in the group (no, not adult "things") but stuff like batteries in a frequently visited cache or a rain poncho... stuff that might come in handy when caching.

 

If indeed we all left better things than we have removed (avoiding took again) then shouldn't most of the caches we visit be full of magnificent things?

 

I like to think that as a group, us cachers are pretty good and honest people that would never steal good stuff and leave crap but... hmmm...

 

Anyway... just curious about others thoughts on why caches aren't filled with amazing stuff?

 

Bruce.

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I, and I think most of us understand that when we take something from a cache, we should leave something better than we have taken (almost typed "took").

 

This is what got me to thinking about this

personally I've seen more 1000 for a buck erasers in the caches. something happened to the trade equal or up. really, if that were the case I'd have found a ferrari in a cache by now.

 

^unkle fester.

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

Most times I don't take or leave anything but when I do, I ALWAYS leave something of equal or better value.

 

Most times, I leave things for children. The stash isn't as important to me as the cache so, swag isn't my focus. so I leave things that the kids would like to find with the parents.

 

I have also left things for the adults in the group (no, not adult "things") but stuff like batteries in a frequently visited cache or a rain poncho... stuff that might come in handy when caching.

 

If indeed we all left better things than we have removed (avoiding took again) then shouldn't most of the caches we visit be full of magnificent things?

 

I like to think that as a group, us cachers are pretty good and honest people that would never steal good stuff and leave crap but... hmmm...

 

Anyway... just curious about others thoughts on why caches aren't filled with amazing stuff?

 

Bruce.

 

Personally, I have taken to leaving things in caches whether or not I take anything. I feel the least i could do is put a smile on someones face who caches after me.

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I, and I think most of us understand that when we take something from a cache, we should leave something better than we have taken (almost typed "took").

 

This is what got me to thinking about this

personally I've seen more 1000 for a buck erasers in the caches. something happened to the trade equal or up. really, if that were the case I'd have found a ferrari in a cache by now.

 

^unkle fester.

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

Most times I don't take or leave anything but when I do, I ALWAYS leave something of equal or better value.

 

Most times, I leave things for children. The stash isn't as important to me as the cache so, swag isn't my focus. so I leave things that the kids would like to find with the parents.

 

I have also left things for the adults in the group (no, not adult "things") but stuff like batteries in a frequently visited cache or a rain poncho... stuff that might come in handy when caching.

 

If indeed we all left better things than we have removed (avoiding took again) then shouldn't most of the caches we visit be full of magnificent things?

 

I like to think that as a group, us cachers are pretty good and honest people that would never steal good stuff and leave crap but... hmmm...

 

Anyway... just curious about others thoughts on why caches aren't filled with amazing stuff?

 

Bruce.

Highlighted portion<> Geocachers are people and as such each sets his/her own rules, limitations and sensibilities.

It is true that on a whole geocachers are good, honest people but, one cannot assume that they are really any different than the rest of humanity that occupy this Good Earth!

 

Before I ramble further -- I will simply remind you that cache degradation is inevitable. Hence you do not win the Ferrari. B):rolleyes::anicute:

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I, and I think most of us understand that when we take something from a cache, we should leave something better than we have taken (almost typed "took").

 

This is what got me to thinking about this

personally I've seen more 1000 for a buck erasers in the caches. something happened to the trade equal or up. really, if that were the case I'd have found a ferrari in a cache by now.

 

^unkle fester.

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

Most times I don't take or leave anything but when I do, I ALWAYS leave something of equal or better value.

 

Most times, I leave things for children. The stash isn't as important to me as the cache so, swag isn't my focus. so I leave things that the kids would like to find with the parents.

 

I have also left things for the adults in the group (no, not adult "things") but stuff like batteries in a frequently visited cache or a rain poncho... stuff that might come in handy when caching.

 

If indeed we all left better things than we have removed (avoiding took again) then shouldn't most of the caches we visit be full of magnificent things?

 

I like to think that as a group, us cachers are pretty good and honest people that would never steal good stuff and leave crap but... hmmm...

 

Anyway... just curious about others thoughts on why caches aren't filled with amazing stuff?

 

Bruce.

Highlighted portion<> Geocachers are people and as such each sets his/her own rules, limitations and sensibilities.

It is true that on a whole geocachers are good, honest people but, one cannot assume that they are really any different than the rest of humanity that occupy this Good Earth!

 

Before I ramble further -- I will simply remind you that cache degradation is inevitable. Hence you do not win the Ferrari. B):rolleyes::anicute:

 

Dammit! This was my only chance to ever own a Ferrari! Not even an Enzo?

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In the spring I discovered some small spring-propelled toy cars, about $0.35/each. I bought a bunch, put them in ziplocs (about $0.01/bag), and left them in caches I found. I haven't found any bagged swag yet (only trackables in ziplocs).

Sometimes the value of an object is higher than its price. Putting the swag in its own ziploc not only protects it, but also raises its value, and makes it stand out among the rest of the swag. The toy cars are very popular, usually the next finder grabs them.

You don't have to spend a fortune on swag to leave; cheap swag can be great swag, if the presentation is good. An action figure, a McToy, an old coin or a handmade beads bracelet, will degrade if left on the bottom of the container, but put it in a bag and suddenly you have dramatically increased its value.

 

To answer your question, why we don't find great swag in caches, is because many cachers don't plan ahead. They start thinking about swag to trade when they are about to leave the house (or worse, when they find the container), and then trade something they have in their pockets for something they like.

Edited by Dj Storm
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... Putting the swag in its own ziploc not only protects it, but also raises its value, and makes it stand out among the rest of the swag. ...

The bolded bit makes no sense.

 

Think of it this way: if you found 2 t-shirts rolled up in a damp cache, and 1 of them was in a ziploc bag - which one of those shirts is worth more? Which one would you take? The bag provides protection, and worth. Same as a coin collector will value an uncirculated coin more than a circulated... It's been sealed up, it's worth more!

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... Putting the swag in its own ziploc not only protects it, but also raises its value, and makes it stand out among the rest of the swag. ...

The bolded bit makes no sense.

 

Think of it this way: if you found 2 t-shirts rolled up in a damp cache, and 1 of them was in a ziploc bag - which one of those shirts is worth more? Which one would you take? The bag provides protection, and worth. Same as a coin collector will value an uncirculated coin more than a circulated... It's been sealed up, it's worth more!

 

No. It does not increase its value, it merely strives to maintain its current value.

 

Back on topic. I find myself getting more into the fun of leaving stuff that I think people would like to find than I do looking for stuff that I'd like to take.

 

Unless it's a carabiner. I hoard those. I'm not really sure why.

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I'm the same with carabiners. I always trade for em, don't really use em, and am very reluctant to get rid of them. Weird.

 

It's the corvid gene. Those of us lucky enough to share this trait with crows and other birds find it hard to resist those shiny colorful objects.

Ah, that explains my disdain for swag, get that log book, sign the sucker, drop a piece of cache pollution sig item, close it up and move on.

Edited by jholly
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We are 2 adults caching by ourselves most of the time, so while we usually leave swag in any container large enough for it (there are mostly micro caches where we live), we don't take items out very often.

 

As many others do, we like to leave something of interest for children to find, although I'm not a find of the fast food toys, since they are usually too big and bulky to fit in most cache containers. I like to leave small plastic animals or insects or tiny finger puppets, which you can buy cheaply from some of the on-line party supply stores.

 

What I really do like to find are pins, to put on my geocaching bag, and cachers' signature items. I would love to see it become the norm for most cachers to leave their own signature pieces as swag. Those are often very creative, and especially when left by a cacher whose name you've seen before, it makes you feel a real connection to your fellow cachers.

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If the cache is dry, I'll leave a sig item. When caching alone I rarely take anything. If eagle eyes and scout are with me they generally will trade. I always carry swag for this purpose, often swapped out from previous finds. Once we found a LARGE cache that had a gameboy color. Eagle eyes coveted that, so I had no option but to tip my entire swag collection into the cache. Even trade in my opinion, but I can see where the next finder may see degredation as there was no longer a "big" item in the container.

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I am setting up several larger caches right now, and in the listing I will put that the items inside are for children (got a ton of little toys at Goodwill that are in great shape for under $5!) and then making another one for adult items (like the OP stated....items like flashlights, ponchos, bug spray etc.) If you don't want to trade for McToys, then don't hunt for the cache, or if you know you won't have kids with you....don't hunt for the "adult" one. More often than not, caches start out with all sorts of goodies, then people don't adhere to the trade up technique. I know, you don't want to spend a ton of cash on caches, but you can pick up all sorts of old toys, doo-dads, swag anywhere very cheaply. Or make your own signature items. We mostly just place one or two of our signature items in caches regardless whether we trade for anything or not. I have had these two particular caches in mind for a little while, so if I see an item I can use in one of my themed caches, I will trade 3-4 of my sig items for that item. Example: we have a military themed cache and an USA themed cache and have found items to place into these two caches while we were caching ourselves. Nothing too big, once it was a flag pin, and the other was a sticker.

As always...you have the option NOT to trade for anything.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the GOOD items I put into caches are always in baggies. All of our sig items are in tiny baggies and the nicer items for trade are usually in small baggies as well. Helps on the off chance your container fails and contents get wet.

Edited by JasNBex
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Sometimes I take, usually i leave. i definently leave something if I take something, but I don't always take when i leave. The best thing i ever left in a cache was a lovely opal ring I got from a man I loved a while back. I left a note that whoever took it should give it to someone they love, too. That there was still room for him in my heart bu it was tome to move on, and that I had promised to never pawn the ring. In keeping with that promise, i'd placed the ring in the cache so it could bring someone else joy.

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What I really do like to find are pins, to put on my geocaching bag, and cachers' signature items. I would love to see it become the norm for most cachers to leave their own signature pieces as swag. Those are often very creative, and especially when left by a cacher whose name you've seen before, it makes you feel a real connection to your fellow cachers.

 

Wouldn't that be great? I often ask myself why is leaving some form of a signature item in the visited cache is not more of a norm than a fairly rare chance (at least in my, rather humble so far, experience). Of course it is best if these are custom made by the owner or at least for the owner. I wonder if there is any way this concept can be actively promoted to become a bigger part of the game??

 

After my first 25 caches and using some dollar store swag, I switched to a laminated trading card (one of my landscape photos, name and home town location on a heavy stock) by itself or with some form of a handmade item if I have them at the moment. I typically don't take anything except other sig items and leave something from the dollar store for kids to find if there is room in the cache.

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