Where are all the TBs and Coins?

[+Georgiathunder]

I'm a Newbie to Geocaching but noticed that a lot of caches I visited so far say online that they contain a TB or Geocoin. When I get to the cache the TB or Coin is not there. Where are they? Is this normal?

[GermanSailor]

I'm a Newbie to Geocaching but noticed that a lot of caches I visited so far say online that they contain a TB or Geocoin. When I get to the cache the TB or Coin is not there. Where are they? Is this normal?

It's more or less normal. Geocacher retrieve trackables and log later.

 

GermanSailor

[+BlueDeuce]

Some have just been picked, some have been missing for quite some time. Try to mention in your cache log whenever you notice a listed bug was not in the cache. This allows the cache and bug owners to determine if they need to mark it as missing.

[+StarBrand]

My personal experiences is that trackables are logged at a much slower rate than caches. Also, trackables have about a 40% rate of disappearance - meaning somebody took it but never logged taking it. Such situations may take some time before the cache owner or TB owner uptes the information to shopw it being lost.

[+Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem]

what's the acceptable turnaround on a TB or GC? i picked up one a week or so ago and plan on moving it 500 miles closer to its destination in 2 more weeks, but am i holding on to it to long? i dont want to agitate some of the pissy posters here.

[+BlueDeuce]

what's the acceptable turnaround on a TB or GC? i picked up one a week or so ago and plan on moving it 500 miles closer to its destination in 2 more weeks, but am i holding on to it to long? i dont want to agitate some of the pissy posters here.

 

That kind of poster is far and few between.

 

Try to move a bug within two-three weeks. If you think you'll have to hold it longer or want to take it on a long trip check with the owner, most are pretty cool about it as long as they know their bug hasn't been forgotten.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

what's the acceptable turnaround on a TB or GC? i picked up one a week or so ago and plan on moving it 500 miles closer to its destination in 2 more weeks, but am i holding on to it to long? i dont want to agitate some of the pissy posters here.

 

That kind of poster is far and few between.

 

 

That kind of poster used to be far more common but now 40% of them are missing.

[+BlueDeuce]

My personal experiences is that trackables are logged at a much slower rate than caches. Also, trackables have about a 40% rate of disappearance - meaning somebody took it but never logged taking it. Such situations may take some time before the cache owner or TB owner uptes the information to shopw it being lost.

 

I don't know if I agree with 40%. Are we talking about the total number built up in an area that need to be removed?

 

If we are talking about lifespan, I'd say most go for a good two years. You know, 6 cache hops.

[+BlueDeuce]

what's the acceptable turnaround on a TB or GC? i picked up one a week or so ago and plan on moving it 500 miles closer to its destination in 2 more weeks, but am i holding on to it to long? i dont want to agitate some of the pissy posters here.

 

That kind of poster is far and few between.

 

 

That kind of poster used to be far more common but now 40% of them are missing.

 

Now that is funny.

[KG6EAR]

what's the acceptable turnaround on a TB or GC? i picked up one a week or so ago and plan on moving it 500 miles closer to its destination in 2 more weeks, but am i holding on to it to long? i dont want to agitate some of the pissy posters here.

 

It's lame, but I've had cachers hold onto some of my TBs for over a year before FINALLY putting them back into another cache.. THAT pisses me off for sure. 3 months even is excessive. 3 weeks is not a big deal IMHO.

[+BCSasquatch]

On the flip side of the uh, er, coin - I have picked up 5 track-able items in just 29 caches. I generally log my finds for the day the minute I get home - TBs and GCs included.

 

There seems to be a lot of them in my area right now. I generally move them along within a week. I will also put them on my watch list once I place them to make sure they get picked up and moved along after I have dealt with them.

[RedShoesGirl]

check out the geocoin forum. one of the biggest gripes is coins are simply stolen. the solution, don't put out coins if you can't afford to take the hit and don't expect them to travel very far. there are some great exceptions of course.

 

i figured if the coin was going to get stolen, i may as well put out a coin that is unactivated so it is a gift and not something to be ripped off. made it nicer in my mind that way.

 

rsg

[+bittsen]

check out the geocoin forum. one of the biggest gripes is coins are simply stolen. the solution, don't put out coins if you can't afford to take the hit and don't expect them to travel very far. there are some great exceptions of course.

 

i figured if the coin was going to get stolen, i may as well put out a coin that is unactivated so it is a gift and not something to be ripped off. made it nicer in my mind that way.

 

rsg

 

A lot of geocoins are really interesting and beautiful. They would look great on a mantle, in a display case, even on a Christmas tree.

To put something so attractive in the hands of strangers, to be honest and courteous, is asking a little too much from humanity.

 

Basically, geocoins have a better chance of being "kept" the more attractive the coin is.

I don't know that TBs would have the same penchant for being deliberately "kept".

[+Castle Mischief]

Basically, geocoins have a better chance of being "kept" the more attractive the coin is.

I don't know that TBs would have the same penchant for being deliberately "kept".

 

Kind of depends on what's attached to the dog tag. Check out Snoogan's Longevity Clinic thread in the TB forum (stickied at the top.) Nothing is 100% foolproof, but there are some ways to make a TB less attractive to a thief and still viable as a Travel Bug.

[+BlueDeuce]

As I've been known to say - Coins are cool, which does not make for a good traveler.

 

The first rule of TB longevity is don't release anything that is likely to be lost.

[+Castle Mischief]

As I've been known to say - Coins are cool, which does not make for a good traveler.

 

The first rule of TB longevity is don't release anything that is likely to be lost.

 

It's been a while since I looked, but I think rule #2 is something like "drill a giant hole through it".

[RedShoesGirl]

...

 

Basically, geocoins have a better chance of being "kept" the more attractive the coin is.

I don't know that TBs would have the same penchant for being deliberately "kept".

 

re geocoins: kept really isn't the right word is it? i think stolen is how it is being referred to on the other forum. the uglier the travel bug, the further it will get in its travels!

[+bittsen]

...

 

Basically, geocoins have a better chance of being "kept" the more attractive the coin is.

I don't know that TBs would have the same penchant for being deliberately "kept".

 

re geocoins: kept really isn't the right word is it? i think stolen is how it is being referred to on the other forum. the uglier the travel bug, the further it will get in its travels!

 

Yeah, "kept" is the right word. Since they are meant to be taken, you can't really steal them. Since they are meant to be "not kept" then "kept" is the right word.

 

Kept.... just looks like a funny word if you look at it long enough.

[+Crow-T-Robot]

Yeah, "kept" is the right word. Since they are meant to be taken, you can't really steal them. Since they are meant to be "not kept" then "kept" is the right word.

 

Does not compute. Trackables are meant to be TAKEN from a cache and PLACED in a new/different cache. In other words, moved. Not kept. If you keep an activated trackable, you've stolen it.

[+bittsen]

Yeah, "kept" is the right word. Since they are meant to be taken, you can't really steal them. Since they are meant to be "not kept" then "kept" is the right word.

 

Does not compute. Trackables are meant to be TAKEN from a cache and PLACED in a new/different cache. In other words, moved. Not kept. If you keep an activated trackable, you've stolen it.

 

Computes. The trackable is "kept" because it could be returned to a cache 10 years later, thus performing it's mission.

Stolen is "taken without permission" but all trackables, placed in caches, have expressed permission to be taken, thus not stolen.

 

[+narcissa]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

[4wheelin_fool]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

 

If you see any on E-Bay that are activated and owned, please report them and the listing will be taken down.

[+Opalblade]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

 

[+narcissa]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

 

If you see any on E-Bay that are activated and owned, please report them and the listing will be taken down.

 

No, no. The vigilante justice league will track these people down and take the trackables by force.

[+power69]

As I've been known to say - Coins are cool, which does not make for a good traveler.

 

The first rule of TB longevity is don't release anything that is likely to be lost.

 

It's been a while since I looked, but I think rule #2 is something like "drill a giant hole through it".

proxy cards are up there too. no worry of theft there[most people wont move a proxy card]

[+DragonsWest]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

 

If you see any on E-Bay that are activated and owned, please report them and the listing will be taken down.

 

No, no. The vigilante justice league will track these people down and take the trackables by force.

 

They can start with some of mine. I can understand the one in Kansas not moving, it must be under a foot of snow, but there are several which haven't left the State of California and haven't budged in months.

 

I'm normally loathe to pester people to move my trackables, but I just might start writing some friendly reminders these were Made to Move.

 

I've been picking up and moving quite a lot of trackables in the past two months. Some, with specific requests may take a little longer to find suitable caches or for me to move in that particular direction, but I try not to hold them for long. Some go out the next day and most go back out within a week.

[+Castle Mischief]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

 

If you see any on E-Bay that are activated and owned, please report them and the listing will be taken down.

 

No, no. The vigilante justice league will track these people down and take the trackables by force.

 

Would a member of the Vigilante Justice League get to wear mask and tights...? I mean hypothetically? I'm not saying that I already have these things. Not at all. Nope. No way.

 

And would there be a Hall of Vigilante Justice and if like half of the League were hanging out getting a hamburger and somebody said, "hey I wonder what's going on back at HQ" and then somebody could say in Announcer Guy voice "meanwhile, at the Hall of Vigilante Justice."

 

Cause that would so rock.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

i dont want to agitate some of the pissy posters here.

too late that done done it

Edited February 9, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+DragonsWest]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

 

If you see any on E-Bay that are activated and owned, please report them and the listing will be taken down.

 

No, no. The vigilante justice league will track these people down and take the trackables by force.

 

Would a member of the Vigilante Justice League get to wear mask and tights...? I mean hypothetically? I'm not saying that I already have these things. Not at all. Nope. No way.

 

And would there be a Hall of Vigilante Justice and if like half of the League were hanging out getting a hamburger and somebody said, "hey I wonder what's going on back at HQ" and then somebody could say in Announcer Guy voice "meanwhile, at the Hall of Vigilante Justice."

 

Cause that would so rock.

We could always contract that work out to Evil, Inc. .. I think they have an alignment of Lawful Evil...

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

check out the geocoin forum. one of the biggest gripes is coins are simply stolen. the solution, don't put out coins if you can't afford to take the hit and don't expect them to travel very far. there are some great exceptions of course.

 

i figured if the coin was going to get stolen, i may as well put out a coin that is unactivated so it is a gift and not something to be ripped off. made it nicer in my mind that way.

 

rsg

 

A lot of geocoins are really interesting and beautiful. They would look great on a mantle, in a display case, even on a Christmas tree.

To put something so attractive in the hands of strangers, to be honest and courteous, is asking a little too much from humanity.

 

Basically, geocoins have a better chance of being "kept" the more attractive the coin is.

I don't know that TBs would have the same penchant for being deliberately "kept".

That's why I make mine so ugly.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

As I've been known to say - Coins are cool, which does not make for a good traveler.

 

The first rule of TB longevity is don't release anything that is likely to be lost.

 

It's been a while since I looked, but I think rule #2 is something like "drill a giant hole through it".

proxy cards are up there too. no worry of theft there[most people wont move a proxy card]

Where do people get quantities like "Most". Has there been a survey, or a study?? What's the definition of "Most" anyway?

 

I had that discussion with a friend once, and he felt that a simple Majority(50% +1) was

"Most"...I think to use the word "Most" you would need More than 2/3.

So is it 2/3 of people won't move a Proxy, or is it Half Plus?? Or do we just say Most when we want to shore up our opinion?

[+Claystalker]

If your worried about your coins getting stolen I saw this idea a while back that I really liked. Take a picture of your coin then have it laminated. Activate your coin and keep it, send the laminate out in the world. Also saw one that someone added a key ring and TB and you could add your laminated coin to it and send it on. Thought it was a good idea, so now on I'll probably keep my coins at home and send out the clones.

[+Castle Mischief]

If your worried about your coins getting stolen I saw this idea a while back that I really liked. Take a picture of your coin then have it laminated. Activate your coin and keep it, send the laminate out in the world. Also saw one that someone added a key ring and TB and you could add your laminated coin to it and send it on. Thought it was a good idea, so now on I'll probably keep my coins at home and send out the clones.

 

That's what previous posters have meant by "proxy" coins. I've seen more than a few and I've moved them all on. They often don't have the pleasant heft of the real thing, but I completely understand the reluctance to send out the actual article.

 

There are some heftier (and more durable) alternatives to a simple laminated picture- placing the picture in a hard plastic coin case (with optional washers for added weight) or attaching the picture to a piece of wood and covering with a waterproof sealant or varnish.

[+SunWeasels]

I'd venture to say the disappearance rate of the Jeep travel bugs was about 110%. None of mine moved more than a few hops. For some reason mine all went to collectors in Germany.

 

Jeff

[+power69]

As I've been known to say - Coins are cool, which does not make for a good traveler.

 

The first rule of TB longevity is don't release anything that is likely to be lost.

 

It's been a while since I looked, but I think rule #2 is something like "drill a giant hole through it".

proxy cards are up there too. no worry of theft there[most people wont move a proxy card]

Where do people get quantities like "Most". Has there been a survey, or a study?? What's the definition of "Most" anyway?

 

I had that discussion with a friend once, and he felt that a simple Majority(50% +1) was

"Most"...I think to use the word "Most" you would need More than 2/3.

So is it 2/3 of people won't move a Proxy, or is it Half Plus?? Or do we just say Most when we want to shore up our opinion?

look at the logs for a proxy coin. there usually are more discoveries than retrieves.

ive even seen logs that say "i just discovered it because i don't move paper"

[+LandStar]

look at the logs for a proxy coin. there usually are more discoveries than retrieves.

ive even seen logs that say "i just discovered it because i don't move paper"

 

Has not been too bad for mine and I move them along with the other trackables. After having put some nice ones out there that end up missing (that covers both kept and stolen) . I think a quality color pic, front and back, properly laminated is the way to go. If they are lost, kept, stolen or muggled, the owner can generate another 'proxy' coin and keep it going. I mean, if the shiny metal ones are just too much of a temptation for humanity.....then paper or plastic is a great option.

 

Knowing this is a real issue for many trackables I wonder if someone with some creative business sense might devise another type of trackable (or process) that would help improve their longevity?

Edited February 12, 2010 by LandStar

[+Castle Mischief]

Knowing this is a real issue for many trackables I wonder if someone with some creative business sense might devise another type of trackable (or process) that would help improve their longevity?

 

It would be a real challenge to create a trackable item that was durable, small and lightweight while being attractive enough that cachers would want to use them at the same time as being unattractive enough that other people wouldn't want to keep them.

 

I'll release Travel Bugs, but I'm very, very hesitant about sending out some of my nicer coins. I'm trying to develop a nice-looking, cheap proxy that has some heft to it using a process that I can repeat over and over again.

[Clan Riffster]

So is it 2/3 of people won't move a Proxy?

My experience would put that number much higher than 2/3rds, but I have no data to support my belief other than long term observations. I know I certainly won't touch a fake coin. If the owner won't release the real thing, their plastic fake can sit and gather mold. For me, the beauty of a coin is in its heft, its feel, its craftsmanship. None of that is apparent in a picture. Not even a laminated picture. My answer to coin theft is to be selective in what I release, as opposed to spitting out fakes. If I buy a coin and it just wows me, it'll likely go in my personal collection, which I carry to events to show off. The same applies to coins that have some sentimental value, such as those made by friends. Coins which don't quite make it to "Wow", get turned loose to travel the world.

[+LandStar]

So is it 2/3 of people won't move a Proxy?

My experience would put that number much higher than 2/3rds, but I have no data to support my belief other than long term observations. I know I certainly won't touch a fake coin. If the owner won't release the real thing, their plastic fake can sit and gather mold. For me, the beauty of a coin is in its heft, its feel, its craftsmanship. None of that is apparent in a picture. Not even a laminated picture. My answer to coin theft is to be selective in what I release, as opposed to spitting out fakes. If I buy a coin and it just wows me, it'll likely go in my personal collection, which I carry to events to show off. The same applies to coins that have some sentimental value, such as those made by friends. Coins which don't quite make it to "Wow", get turned loose to travel the world.

 

I only purchase coins that I like, so using that criteria I wouldn't 'release' any of them. A coin that is sitting on a shelf or in my pocket is not really doing much in the way of traveling anyway. I would like to have the cool factor of geocoins stay at a high standard and yet diminish the loss of them in the field. Having the icons for them is a real nice touch, but how about when you log it you get some custom graphic bling? The owner still gets to keep the real deal, but you get a highy quality res or special graphic bling as you move it along.

May not matter to some cachers and it may not work well enough as an incentive to keep it moving....or lessen theft.

 

Another idea would be to make/sell a geocoin that the owner keeps (just like we have today), but also offer

a number of duplicates (lesser cost or size) that could be used in the event the Master coin in the series is lost.

 

Just tossing out some ideas. That is what I was fishing for, ideas on how we might reduce the loss of geocoins in the field. Not putting 'good ones' out there is an idea, but that autmatically lessens the number of the geocoins in play.

[+NeecesandNephews]

I'm planning to start a vigilante justice league to avenge all the stolen trackables.

 

Give me five more minutes please??? My cape is in the dryer... seems it was "soiled" in the last encounter!!

[Clan Riffster]

I only purchase coins that I like, so using that criteria I wouldn't 'release' any of them.

For me, there's a vast difference betwixt "Like" and "Wow".

I'll buy both, gladly, but I'll hang onto "Wow".

"Like" is free to wander from cache to cache till someone steals it.

"Wow" goes with me to events, where the icon ho's can log it.

 

The highest quality camera, combined with the best laminate, won't replicate the feel of a real coin.

Just say "No" to fakes!

[+LandStar]

I only purchase coins that I like, so using that criteria I wouldn't 'release' any of them.

For me, there's a vast difference betwixt "Like" and "Wow".

I'll buy both, gladly, but I'll hang onto "Wow".

"Like" is free to wander from cache to cache till someone steals it.

"Wow" goes with me to events, where the icon ho's can log it.

 

The highest quality camera, combined with the best laminate, won't replicate the feel of a real coin.

Just say "No" to fakes!

 

Like Wow! That is totally awesome. Still can't see how that helps us keep more geocoins in play and less walking away.......

 

Obviously you have discovered something that works with your "personal WOW " geocoins.....which you will let some people, some times, maybe touch or put their eyes on. Oh, uh....hmmm....well... don't know that it would work for everyone but glad it works for you.

 

I guess a trackable geocoin can be many things to many people. For me it is meant to be placed in a cache and travel about with a particular mission (or no misson). Shouldn't we should be open to exploring ways in which we could sustain the longevity of geocoins (in any ranking of blingdom) in order that they might provide both the coin owners and geocachers a more active and sustained period of enjoyment?

[+NeecesandNephews]

I guess a trackable geocoin can be many things to many people. For me it is meant to be placed in a cache and travel about with a particular mission (or no misson). Shouldn't we should be open to exploring ways in which we could sustain the longevity of geocoins (in any ranking of blingdom) in order that they might provide both the coin owners and geocachers a more active and sustained period of enjoyment?

 

I am with that!!!! And I don't even own one. I just think it sucks that people steal them.

[+geodarts]

A good percentage of the coins I released have ended up missing. It is one of the more unfortunate aspects of the game, regardless of whether they ended up forgotten in the bottom of a backpack or in a private collection (cacher or otherwise). I never expect to see a coin after it is released but some never made it very far in the wild, so I started a geocoin memorial cache where people can discover the missing coins and the icons live on.

 

I tried to minimize the loss by asking that some coins be kept within the county where I live, but this is not always followed. I have lately left certain coins in specific caches where they seem to fit and ask that they be discovered or not moved from there. And if I really like the coin, I won't release it unless I have a personal backup (so if I buy a coin I usually get two).

[4wheelin_fool]

If your worried about your coins getting stolen I saw this idea a while back that I really liked. Take a picture of your coin then have it laminated. Activate your coin and keep it, send the laminate out in the world. Also saw one that someone added a key ring and TB and you could add your laminated coin to it and send it on. Thought it was a good idea, so now on I'll probably keep my coins at home and send out the clones.

 

And that is the best thing to do. Use a life size plastic coin holder with a picture of the coin in it. If enough people did that then the coin thieves would get discouraged rushing out not knowing if it's real or not.

 

I don't know why someone would not move one, as paper money is supposed to represent the same thing(or at least it used to) Those old silver certificates were all backed up with the real thing at one point.

[RedShoesGirl]

i decided a long while back i wasn't going to release coins to travel and then probably have them stolen. if i don't like a coin and i don't think it is a good trader, i put it in a cache as a gift for the next cacher.

 

then when the coin belongs to someone else it is because i have GIVEN it away and not had it stolen. i activate some of my coins and take them to events in case someone wants to discover them. my collection is so small now i just hang on to them or trade one here and there.

 

rsg

[Clan Riffster]

I guess a trackable geocoin can be many things to many people. For me it is meant to be placed in a cache and travel about

Like, totally gnarly, dude! As far as geocoins go, I couldn't agree more. Scraps of laminated paper, on the other hand, not so much. If plopping out fakes is your cup of Earl Grey, by all means, have at it! I'm not knocking your preferences. I'm simply stating mine. I recognize that my preferences are entirely biased, and are meant for me, and only me. You keep on spitting out your fakes. I'll keep ignoring them. We'll both walk away happy. No?

[+LandStar]

Shouldn't we should be open to exploring ways in which we could sustain the longevity of geocoins (in any ranking of blingdom) in order that they might provide both the coin owners and geocachers a more active and sustained period of enjoyment?

 

To explore or not to explore.....that is the question. Whether tis nobler for the coin to suffer the loss and agony of outrageous muggling, or seek ideas against a sea of thefts, and by oppossing end them?

[Clan Riffster]

Sounds like one of my cache pages!

To Hint, or Not To Hint...

[+deb3day]

The only geocoin I've ever released into the wild lasted all of a month and a half. I released it at the end of June in 2009 and it traveled 300+ miles in one jump, was placed in a cache and was never seen again. The only reason I was able to risk this one is that it had been a FTF prize, so no money was invested. When I find geocoins in caches, I'm am always thrilled because you see them so rarely anymore. I don't blame people for not releasing them and even tho the faux coins are rather lame, I think that's about as close to coins in the wild as we're going to see. Who has the $ to send out coins to share when they know it will disappear very shortly.

 

As for TB's, they don't last long either. I had one taken out of my cache by a family. It was a little Disney toy. The finder was listed as a young child and his dad took a pic of him with the TB. It was never placed anywhere. I even emailed him about it and he sent a quick apology and said he'd place it, but he never did. Likely his kid has that TB stuck in a toybox somewhere. Heck, it was probably a McDonalds giveaway. Why wouldn't you put it back out in the world? If you don't wanna play, then don't!