Boilerplate "Don't Steal Me" Verbiage

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

We have lost several geocoins. When we first released them, we were new to trackables, and made the leap that everyone knew what to do with one. WRONG! Just recently, we found a TB that had a note attached to it and we meant to photocopy it to use for our next coins and TBs, but we were out one day and found the perfect cache for it, so we dropped it without copying the note. In general it talked about the following:

 

This is NOT a trade item

Told what a TB (coin) is

Told that if you take this, here is what you MUST do with it

If you don't feel that you can or want to do this with it, then DON'T TAKE ME! Leave me here for someone else.

 

In speaking with another cacher who has sent off a lot of coins, she said that she thought that this verbiage was available to be copied from the Groundspeak website somewhere.

 

Does anyone know anything about this, and if so, where we can get a good message to include with our future coins/TBs? We have a friend going to China, and would like to send some coins with him to release, but are reluctant to do so without attaching a message like this. I think so many people don't really know what geocoins are, and they think they are just a cool "prize" they have found, and keep them!

 

Thanks for any help! []

[+Team_Romeo]

Yes, I do attach something like this to my traveling coins and bugs.

 

Go to your trackable items and select one. On the right-hand side under the "Trackable Options" section, you'll see something called Print Info Sheet. Click that link.

 

I copy this info sheet, shrink it down just a bit, print it, and then laminate it. I then attach it to my traveling item in the hopes it will help limit missing coins or TBs. It may not prevent theft, but it may help deter it. Hope that helps!

 

Edit to Add: Be sure to upload a pic of your coin or TB. This pic will show up on the info sheet.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Team_Romeo

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

Yes, I do attach something like this to my traveling coins and bugs.

 

Go to your trackable items and select one. On the right-hand side under the "Trackable Options" section, you'll see something called Print Info Sheet. Click that link.

 

I copy this info sheet, shrink it down just a bit, print it, and then laminate it. I then attach it to my traveling item in the hopes it will help limit missing coins or TBs. It may not prevent theft, but it may help deter it. Hope that helps!

 

Edit to Add: Be sure to upload a pic of your coin or TB. This pic will show up on the info sheet.

 

Okay, I'll try that now! I was planning on making it small enough to be laminated, and put on the chain, and then even put all of that in a small ziplock. This may limit how much it travels perhaps, because it will require a larger container, but I'd rather risk that than losing it!

 

Thanks for the help!

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

Yes, I do attach something like this to my traveling coins and bugs.

 

Go to your trackable items and select one. On the right-hand side under the "Trackable Options" section, you'll see something called Print Info Sheet. Click that link.

 

I copy this info sheet, shrink it down just a bit, print it, and then laminate it. I then attach it to my traveling item in the hopes it will help limit missing coins or TBs. It may not prevent theft, but it may help deter it. Hope that helps!

 

Edit to Add: Be sure to upload a pic of your coin or TB. This pic will show up on the info sheet.

 

WOW! That's perfect, and so easy! I only wish I had known about this before we released our other trackables! Thanks so much!

[+GeocoinGuy]

A good rule of thumb about releasing geocoins into the wild: "If you want to ensure you retain ownership, don't release it. If you can't afford the risk, or expect dishonest persons to turn over a new leaf and move your trackables as they were intended, don't release it."

 

I'm just sayin'.

 

On that note... I dropped 2 unactivated coins into caches today!

 

~J

[+carpix]

We have lost several geocoins. When we first released them, we were new to trackables, and made the leap that everyone knew what to do with one. WRONG! Just recently, we found a TB that had a note attached to it and we meant to photocopy it to use for our next coins and TBs, but we were out one day and found the perfect cache for it, so we dropped it without copying the note. In general it talked about the following:

 

This is NOT a trade item

Told what a TB (coin) is

Told that if you take this, here is what you MUST do with it

If you don't feel that you can or want to do this with it, then DON'T TAKE ME! Leave me here for someone else.

 

In speaking with another cacher who has sent off a lot of coins, she said that she thought that this verbiage was available to be copied from the Groundspeak website somewhere.

 

Does anyone know anything about this, and if so, where we can get a good message to include with our future coins/TBs? We have a friend going to China, and would like to send some coins with him to release, but are reluctant to do so without attaching a message like this. I think so many people don't really know what geocoins are, and they think they are just a cool "prize" they have found, and keep them!

 

Thanks for any help! []

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

A good rule of thumb about releasing geocoins into the wild: "If you want to ensure you retain ownership, don't release it. If you can't afford the risk, or expect dishonest persons to turn over a new leaf and move your trackables as they were intended, don't release it."

 

I'm just sayin'.

 

On that note... I dropped 2 unactivated coins into caches today!

 

~J

 

I know what you are saying. We sent out a particularly nice coin awhile back, and when another cacher found it, he wrote what a beautiful coin it is, and that he will put it someplace "safe" and hope that it doesn't go missing. (Again, this is before we knew about attaching the note.)

 

We now have a couple of really nice coins that we bought, and one of them is especially beautiful, and I'm sure it wouldn't last two months out in "the wild." But, then again, it has a sentiment on it that we would like to share. That's why we bought it... to share it... to release it in honor of something important to us. I guess it's all a roll of the dice. I have been hanging onto it, hanging onto it, hanging on to it.... just scared to death to release it!

 

The thing is, we don't "collect" anything really. So we don't have a strong sense of wanting to keep it just to own it. I guess like you said, you just have to weigh the risk against the possibility that it might be okay... I don't know. Sometimes I wonder what the point of trackables are, with all the risk associated with them. It's such a wonderful idea. I'm convinced that some cachers are just truly clueless about finding coins. But it's the ones who know exactly what they have found, and keep it that is such a shame.

 

(And you mentioned that you put out two unactivated coins. That's nice if you want to share these as trade items, but if they aren't activated, that's just what they are! A gift! There's no real emotional attachment to the coin if it is placed with the intent of just letting some lucky person find it, and get a great piece of swag! )

[+Zelanzy]

Send a message to WRITESHOPROBERT. He has a super system for attaching a laminated card to a coin using a crimp wire tool. His tag is also well worded in my opinion. DON'T KEEP ME is how it starts

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

Send a message to WRITESHOPROBERT. He has a super system for attaching a laminated card to a coin using a crimp wire tool. His tag is also well worded in my opinion. DON'T KEEP ME is how it starts

 

Will do! Getting some good suggestions Thanks one and all!

[+hollora]

Even with things attached they sometimes go missing. But have faith - sometimes they do get found. My list of traveling trackables proves it.

 

When mine go missing I do change the Name to "STOLEN - (whatever)" and that alerts any responsible logger to the fact there is an issue with the coin. I usually reward folks who find my missing stuff with a little something in the mail.

 

Thanks to folks like Geocoinguy and other companies who offer sales on trackables which I am willing to purchase and gift.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Send a message to WRITESHOPROBERT. He has a super system for attaching a laminated card to a coin using a crimp wire tool. His tag is also well worded in my opinion. DON'T KEEP ME is how it starts

 

Will do! Getting some good suggestions Thanks one and all!

Haha, You couldn't find me!! There are spaces in my name...WRITE SHOP ROBERT.

 

Interestingly, there don't seem to be any other of me in the world, so if you google that (in quotes) or even the one with no spaces, almost every single thing that comes up will be about me.

 

I'm ulpoading pics from my camera right now, I'll post them soon.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

OK, Here are my Pics. The tags are very somple, hopefully just enough to make people realize they are not to keep. They are 1x2 inches and laminated. I attach them with a small piece of "nylon coated leader wire" from the fishing section.

 

Front

 

Back

 

Ready to travel

 

Crimp

 

The tags are small enough that they will fit with the medium sized coin inside one of the standard 2x3 crafting baggies.

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

OK, Here are my Pics. The tags are very somple, hopefully just enough to make people realize they are not to keep. They are 1x2 inches and laminated. I attach them with a small piece of "nylon coated leader wire" from the fishing section.

 

Front

 

Back

 

Ready to travel

 

Crimp

 

The tags are small enough that they will fit with the medium sized coin inside one of the standard 2x3 crafting baggies.

 

Hey, that looks really cool but doesn't punching a hole in the coin degrade the integrity of the coin? If not, how do you punch the hole in the coin? And just to be completely thorough here, (as I don't fish!) does that little black "connector" piece come as a set with the wire, or is it made separately?

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Hey, that looks really cool but doesn't punching a hole in the coin degrade the integrity of the coin? If not, how do you punch the hole in the coin? And just to be completely thorough here, (as I don't fish!) does that little black "connector" piece come as a set with the wire, or is it made separately?

The Wire comes on a spool, and the Crimping tubes are seperate. I also had to buy the crimping tool. I do lots of these so the investment way worth it. My coins are mase with a hole already in them. for coins that have no hole, I can include the same tag, but it will be 2x2 inches, and not laminated. That gets slipped into the coin flip with the coin. I've seen some where they added a little grommet to the laminated tag, but I didn't invest in one of those sets. Maybe I'll get that next time I have a 40%off coupon for Michael's

 

There are two kinds of crimping tubes, I like the single instead of the double. I also like to make sure the wire doesn't stick out. There's nothing like a frayed cable sticking you in the fingertip. Hey, then I can sign the log in blood.

Edited August 2, 2010 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+Droo]

 

Hey, that looks really cool but doesn't punching a hole in the coin degrade the integrity of the coin? If not, how do you punch the hole in the coin?

 

I use a small drill bit with a drop of oil (or butter ) and an electric drill. Start small and widen it on the second pass - from the opposite side to remove the burr.

 

Here's something I've used and it's just added to the coin flip and becomes a "coin cover" where you can even print out the tracking number so there is less chance of miscues in that area.

 

Edited August 2, 2010 by Droo