How to get my own coin series.

[+HeliDood]

Im sure this has been asked numerous times before (sorry, the search feature sucks).

 

What I want, is a series of coins for distribution. Well, not a series, but 52 identical coins. (that number is significant)

 

What I want, is something thats very personal to me. I'm a former Navy submariner.

I've looked for submarine specific geocoins havent found anything of interest.

The front of the coin would feature the Submarine Dolphin breast insignia (whats on my avatar)

The back would feature some submariner's motto of some sort (havent decided that part yet)

The significance of the 52 coins, is that each coin would represent one each of the 52 US Submarines that were lost in WWII.

 

Ive done some searching and I've found a number of coin manufactures, many of whom offer services to design the coin for you.

I don't need that, I've got my own graphic design capabilities.

 

The part thats turned me away, is I've come across packages with OUTRAGEOUS prices. I'm talking like $1000 or more.

I don't have $1000 to produce coins. Even if I DID have $1000 to produce a bunch of coins, I wouldn't know what do with them after that to get a return on my investment, or to break even (Im not interested in making money, I just want a coin)

 

So whats the standard operating procedure here?

What are the steps that someone needs to take to go from an idea to coin without one person spending a fortune?

 

Any links or FAQ page would be helpful.

[+Eartha]

Start with the pinned threads in these forums.

Groundspeak Current Coin Tracking Policy, Coin Tracking Requirements

Geocoin and Trackable Minting, Geocoin Reference, Shipping, Activating, Adopting, Shopping, Courtesy, Do's & Don't Guide To Geocoins & FAQs!, START YOUR JOURNEY HERE: The Reference Guide for Geocoins and Trackabl

And the geocoin guidelines, in case you want to sell them in here.

 

The pinned threads give you the Groundspeak approved vendor list, that is where you start, you can ask them what it takes to do what you want.

Unfortunately, these types of threads always lead to temptation for advertising for vendors, so we don' t leave them open. What you want to accomplish is going to cost money. Coin making isn't cheap. See this thread.

Please refer to those threads, and do not be offended that this thread is closed. It happens to all of these threads.

[+Eartha]

After re-reading this thread, and talking to myself further, I think I should re-open this thread, so that people may discuss your design idea with you. Your post is very much about your design idea. As long as it doesn't become VendorFest, discuss the geocoin itself. All the other information in my post above still pertains. You can find the vendors there, and discuss prices and the coin process with them, through their contact information. Negotiations would not take place in the forums.

[+HeliDood]

Thanks Eartha.

I can see what you mean about the vendors thing. I've already received messages via PM and Email from what appear to be vendors. I'm not replying to them. I'm not interested in talking to vendor at this time.

If someone sent me a message, and you're not a vendor, I'm sorry if I didnt reply.

 

A Submarine geocoin is something I've wanted since I first started caching back in 2005.

------------------

 

Here's my goal:

I want to produce 52 coins coins in memorial of the 52 US Submarines that were lost in WWII.

 

There are various submarine veterans memorials placed throughout the United States, but one in particular in Groton, CT honors all 52 of the boats lost and all those "On Eternal Patrol" that gave their lives.

 

If there was any money to be made by the distribution of such coins, 100% of it would go to non-profit Sub Vet organisations such as USSVI or go towards the preservation and maintenance costs of Submarine Memorials.

 

One of my goals is to increase awareness about the role Submarines played in WWII.

 

Facts:

 

“...273 U.S. submarines patrolled against the enemy during

world war II. Although they comprised less than 1.6% of the total

U.S. Navy strength, they caused more than half of Japan’s sea

losses (54.6%).

 

One out of every seven American submariners died for a total 3,505 officers and

enlissted men. The service lost one out of every five submarines: 52

sunk or “missing presumed lost.””

 

Submarines Lost:

12/10/1941 Sealion SS-195 Sunk by aerial bombs 4 men lost

1/20/1942 S-36 SS-141 Ran aground 0 men lost

1/24/1942 S-26 SS-131 Rammed by escort 46 men lost, 2 survivors

2/11/1942 Shark I SS-174 Sunk by surface craft 58 men lost

3/03/1942 Perch SS-176 Sunk by surface craft 11 men lost. All taken prisoner

8 died in prisoner of war camp.

6/19/1942 S-27 SS-132 Ran aground 0 men lost

7/30/1942 Grunion SS-216 Sunk cause unknown 70 men lost

8/16/1942 S-39 SS-144 Ran aground 0 men lost

1/10/1943 Argonaut SS-166 Sunk by surface craft 105 men lost

2/16/1943 Amberjack SS-219 Sunk by surface craft 74 men lost

and aerial bombs

3/05/1943 Grampus SS-207 Sunk by surface craft 71 men lost

3/15/1943 Triton SS-201 Sunk by surface craft 74 men lost

4/03/1943 Pickerel SS-177 Sunk by surface craft 74 men lost

4/22/1943 Grenadier SS-210 Sunk by aerial bombs 4 men lost. All taken prisoner

4 died in prisoner of war camp.

5/28/1943 Runner SS-275 Sunk by enemy mines 78 men lost

6/12/1943 R-12 SS-89 Sunk cause unknown 42 men lost, 3 survivors

8/29/1943 Pompano SS-181 Sunk by enemy mines 76 men lost

9/12/1943 Grayling SS-209 Sunk cause unknown 76 men lost

9/28/1943 Cisco SS-290 Sunk by surface craft 76 men lost

and aerial bombs

10/07/1943 S-44 SS-155 Sunk by surface craft 55 men lost, 2 survivors

taken prisoner

10/11/1943 Wahoo SS-238 Sunk by aerial bombs 80 men lost

10/12/1943 Dorado SS-248 Sunk by friendly aircraft 76 men lost

11/16/1943 Corvina SS-226 Sunk by enemy sub 82 men lost

11/19/1943 Sculpin SS-191 Sunk by surface craft 63 men lost, 21 survivors

taken prisoner

11/23/1043 Capelin SS-289 Sunk by surface craft 78 men lost

1/05/1944 Scorpion SS-278 Sunk by enemy mines 76 men lost

2/26/1944 Grayback SS-208 Sunk by surface craft 80 men lost

and aerial bombs

2/29/1944 Trout SS-202 Sunk by surface craft 81 men lost

3/26/1944 Tullibee SS-284 Sunk by own torpedo 79 men lost, 1 survivor

taken prisoner

4/07/1944 Gudgeon SS-211 Sunk by surface craft 78 men lost

and aerial bombs

6/01/1944 Herring SS-233 Sunk by surface craft 84 men lost

6/14/1944 Golet SS-361 Sunk by surface craft 82 men lost

7/04/1944 S-28 SS-133 Sunk cause unknown 52 men lost

7/26/1944 Robalo SS-273 Sunk by enemy mines 77 men lost, 4 survivors

none survived prison camp

8/13/1944 Flier SS-250 Sunk by enemy mines 78 men lost, 8 survivors

8/24/1944 Harder SS-257 Sunk by surface craft 79 men lost

10/03/1944 Seawolf SS-197 Sunk by friendly 79 men lost plus

destroyers 17 Army personnel

10/17/1944 Escolar SS-294 Sunk by enemy mines 80 men lost

10/24/1944 Darter SS-227 Ran aground 0 men lost

10/24/1944 Shark II SS-314 Sunk by surface craft 87 men lost

10/25/1944 Tang SS-306 Sunk by own torpedo 78 men lost, 9 survivors

taken prisoner

11/07/1944 Albacore SS-218 Sunk by enemy mines 86 men lost

11/08/1944 Growler SS-215 Sunk cause unknown 85 men lost

11/09/1944 Scamp SS-277 Sunk by surface craft 83 men lost

and aerial bombs

1/12/1945 Swordfish SS-193 Sunk cause unknown 85 men lost

2/04/1945 Barbel SS-316 Sunk by aerial bombs 81 men lost

3/20/1945 Kete SS-369 Sunk cause unknown 87 men lost

3/26/1945 Trigger SS-237 Sunk by surface craft 89 men lost

and aerial bombs

4/08/1945 Snook SS-279 Sunk cause unknown 84 men lost

5/03/1945 Lagarto SS-371 Sunk by surface craft 85 men lost

6/18/1945 Bonefish SS-223 Sunk by surface craft 85 men lost

8/06/1945 Bullhead SS-332 Sunk by aerial bombs 84 men lost

Edited January 6, 2010 by HeliDood

[+fox-and-the-hound]

What do you hope to accomplish with the geocoins once they're produced? Do they need to be trackable with a custom icon, etc? Coins can be very expensive or very inexpensive depending on what you want to accomplish with them so let's start with your goals for these coins and maybe we can offer more specific advice

[+HeliDood]

What do you hope to accomplish with the geocoins once they're produced?

 

To educate people about the important role American Submarines played in WWII, and to memorialize the 52 submarines and 3505 men lost aboard. (see post above)

 

---And if there was money to be made, 100% of it would go towards a non-profit organization.

 

Do they need to be trackable with a custom icon, etc?

 

Trackable, yes. Custom Icon? Perhaps, although probably not necessary. It would be nice, though.

 

Of course people who own the coins can do what they want, but My coin or coins would be set out with the objective that they travel to the vicinity of WWII Submarine memorials, and I'd like to see pictures of cachers visiting such memorials with the coins.

 

Coins can be very expensive or very inexpensive depending on what you want to accomplish with them so let's start with your goals for these coins and maybe we can offer more specific advice

 

I'm aware of their expense. Since I don't have disposable money to produce such coins, (I imagine not many people do) I was wondering what the norm was to get such an item produced.

For example, are these things typically financed by organizations or individuals.

Edited January 6, 2010 by HeliDood

[+teamhaynes]

Is there any way you could do more than 52 but make the message of each coin focus on the 52 that were lost... Something with the number 52 on the coin itself?

 

I am asking because you state the goal is education yet only 52 coins wouldn't really get around to many people.

 

It would lower expenses if the run was higher and give more opportunity to people to participate in this kind of memorial.

 

Thanks

[+HeliDood]

Is there any way you could do more than 52 but make the message of each coin focus on the 52 that were lost... Something with the number 52 on the coin itself?

 

I am asking because you state the goal is education yet only 52 coins wouldn't really get around to many people.

 

It would lower expenses if the run was higher and give more opportunity to people to participate in this kind of memorial.

 

Thanks

 

I didn't realize 52 would be considered such a low number. I could work around that, I suppose.

Remember, Im relatively new at this game.

 

Heres what I was originally thinking:

By having unique (tracking) numbers, I was thinking each coin would have it's own page, 1 of 52, 2 of 52... 52 of 52. Each coin would be dedicated to it's own submarine. On the coins page would be general information about the submarine service, and also unique information about the submarine it was dedicated to, including the boats achievements in battle and commendations & all that.

 

Now, certainly it could expand much further than just those 52 that were lost. There could be hundreds.

More modern submarines could easily be included such as the USS Triton (SSRN-586) which was the first submarine to circumnavigate the globe submerged in 1960, or the USS Nautilus (SSN-575) which was the Navy's first nuclear-powered warship.

 

The USS Thresher (SSN-593) and the USS Scorpion (SSN-589) Both lost during peacetime. The Thresher was lost in 1963 off the coast of Portsmouth, NH during post-overhaul sea trials, killing everyone onboard including several civilian employees of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

 

The Scorpions loss (1968) is believed to have been possibly caused by a Torpedo fired from a Russian submarine during the Cold War.

 

There are SO MANY possibilities. Modern day, active submarines could even be included. There is so much history involved with this engineering marvels.

Edited January 6, 2010 by HeliDood

[+teamhaynes]

Just a thought... If you made each coin identical you could do something like they do with the fallen hero's geocoin. Each coin is preactivated and dedicated to a certain fallen hero. When you buy one, you essentially take possession, but it still is owned by a fallen heros account, allowing it to always remain as memorial to the specific fallen hero.

 

Here is s link to one of the coins http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=1716159

 

If you did something like this each coin could be identical which would keep the cost down, each icon would be the same (again keeping cost down) but you could continue to customize each page as a unique memorial. You could even adopt them to the purchasers

 

BTW... I haven't designed or minted any coins so my experience is limited... I just like the idea of this project and would like to see a way that as many cachers as possible could obtain one of these coins, especially since so many have a tie to the military in some way or another

 

I am sure many others will have great ideas to add, but I do look forward to seeing your coin produced