Worst swag?

[+wmpastor]

...snipped

 

While a clean bouncy ball may be fun, it is a serious safety hazard for small children (who havn't learned not to put things in their mouth yet). In another year, I will not have kids in that age catagory anymore, and then I will start thinking they are great swag. But for now, they are really anoying.

 

it seems those small children wouldn't be opening and checking out the swag in a cache by themselves. it's the parent's responsibility to make sure their child doesn't put a baggie with a bouncy ball in their mouth.

Yes yes, we all get that. If you read my original statment, my complaint was that the older kids wanted to trade for the fun bouncy ball, but I wouldn't let them because of the younger kid, then they all complain. It is the complaining that I don't like. I realize I am responsible for my kids safety. That is not in question here.

 

This would seem to put a CO in the impossible position to forsee the family dynamics of every future finder....

[+wmpastor]

In addition to the stupid business cards and religious tracts I've found 3 caches with really poorly chosen swag in them.

 

Live .30-30 shell

 

Live .22 shell

 

Live .32 shell

 

WHAT is up with idiots who put live ammo into caches?

 

Stupid and idiot? I thought name calling was a forum violation. Please refer to them as misguided, similar to how I call complainers of religious tracts and business cards misguided.

Aha, so you're the one placing religious tracts and business cards in caches?!

 

They may have their place - but it ain't in caches!

[+narcissa]

Ive found a condom before. Theres a video on youtube of a guy finding a bottle of Corona in one of his caches. Thats probably the worst I've heard of.

 

That really depends. Was it full with the cap still on?

[+wmpastor]

Average IQ in the US is 98 so if even 10 % of the population is above that, some by a lot it means the vast majority have to dumb it up and be below the average IQ so yes, on average people are stupid.

Could you run that by me again?

 

[+narcissa]

Average IQ in the US is 98 so if even 10 % of the population is above that, some by a lot it means the vast majority have to dumb it up and be below the average IQ so yes, on average people are stupid.

Could you run that by me again?

 

 

This is amazing.

[Jack_Dullahan]

Ive found a condom before. Theres a video on youtube of a guy finding a bottle of Corona in one of his caches. Thats probably the worst I've heard of.

 

That really depends. Was it full with the cap still on?

 

I know what video they speak of,it was bye GCdoc or something like that.The cap was still on the bottle witha good enough seal to where you heard the "Tssss" sound

[+Uncle Alaska]

Live 9mm round

[+Team Dredd]

I picked up one of our caches for container maintenance early this morning (Mt Olive, by historical marker). When I opened it this morning it had the typical army men and small stuff. Also had a paper printed business card that had a geocaching person's Geo name and location on it (Near Atlanta Georgia). The card was done up nicely and looked pretty cool as it appeared as if it was home printed on a computer with a spot for that says found this cache with a date and time spot with a hand written date. Hey to each his own, but when I checked the log they hadn't signed it, just tossed the card inside - "sigh". It also had a group of nails in there, the kind that are hooked together to go in a nail gun. ???????????? Oh well.

[+stickymice]

This is the sadddest thread. I don't understand why people put this kind of stuff in caches. What goes on in their minds?? As for the children, I really do think parents need to insist they don't leave rocks and used up sticker sheets and twigs and candy. That isn't fair to others. It's super lame. I found melted candy today in a cache and my hands got covered in goo. Turns a fun hobby into something disappointing.

[+wmpastor]

This is the sadddest thread. I don't understand why people put this kind of stuff in caches. What goes on in their minds?? As for the children, I really do think parents need to insist they don't leave rocks and used up sticker sheets and twigs and candy. That isn't fair to others. It's super lame. I found melted candy today in a cache and my hands got covered in goo. Turns a fun hobby into something disappointing.

Yes, it's sad, but fortunately the worst cases are rare. Also, premium caches seem to collect less junk.

 

One little observation to cheer you up? I was amused at the irony of a cacher named "stickymice" complaining about melted candy getting your hands "covered in goo."

[+The Other Moellers]

We have found Bottle caps. Rocks. Cig Butts, Used carmex. And we have found Lots of band aids And yesterday A Frozen moldy cache. Yes the list goes on

[+J Grouchy]

This is the sadddest thread. I don't understand why people put this kind of stuff in caches. What goes on in their minds?? As for the children, I really do think parents need to insist they don't leave rocks and used up sticker sheets and twigs and candy. That isn't fair to others. It's super lame. I found melted candy today in a cache and my hands got covered in goo. Turns a fun hobby into something disappointing.

 

One reason why I don't worry too much about a cache being a larger size...they tend to end up being full of moldy junk unless they are newly published. Any time I have my kids with me and I find a small/regular cache, I always insist on checking the contents first and I always have to approve anything they want to take out of it. Nine times out of ten there isn't anything worth taking/trading anyway.

[+crazypig88]

We have found Bottle caps. Rocks. Cig Butts, Used carmex. And we have found Lots of band aids And yesterday A Frozen moldy cache. Yes the list goes on

I actually do not mind if bottle caps are in caches. If they're in good shape, I will attach a magnet to the back of them aND srich it on my metal board

[+Gill & Tony]

A few days ago I pulled off the highway and had lunch at a very nice cafe. I then walked down the road to a cache and found a 15% discount voucher for the cafe in it. A geocacher's discount.

 

Not the nastiest thing I've found, but one of the saddest.

 

The worst was an unwrapped, fortunately unused, tampon in my TB Hotel

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Someone left me a television remote stolen from one of the nearby lodges. Now I get to figure out which one and give it back. I'm thinking of branching out and starting a new species.

[+hzoi]

Someone left a little foam rubber fetus with an anti abortion tract in one of our caches. Gone. We keep our caches free of politics and appreciate when our finders do as well.

[+KatnissRue]

I once found a used tampon applicator.

 

Just a question, if it is allowed. I am placing a cache soon and one of the items in ti is a Christian CD. The songs themselves aren't that religious, more about feeling good because of a change in life, nothing too in depth. Would that be considered appropriate?

[+MersonMonkeys]

...a Christian CD. The songs themselves aren't that religious, more about feeling good because of a change in life, nothing too in depth. Would that be considered appropriate?

 

I personally would not think it is an issue as I would look at that as someone placing a cross, symbol, or other generic item. It's not like your putting tracks in it, or sermons, or trying to push some agenda. I am interesting to see what others think though.

Edited December 31, 2014 by MersonMonkeys

[+K13]

I would much rather find a CD, instead of an item left in one of my caches recently...from the log...."I left protection for the next teenager who finds this cache", yeah, I went the next day and removed the condom from the cache.

[+cerberus1]

Just a question, if it is allowed. I am placing a cache soon and one of the items in ti is a Christian CD. The songs themselves aren't that religious, more about feeling good because of a change in life, nothing too in depth. Would that be considered appropriate?

I believe as long as you don't mention it (it is just swag right?), it should be okay.

[+TX Stephens]

a beer cap

 

I've been finding a lot of beer caps lately in caches. Maybe it's a San Diego thing.

 

I've thought about doing that for the local crafts I enjoy... maybe not since it could be considered "offensive".

 

Craft beers that is...

Edited December 31, 2014 by TX Stephens

[+KatnissRue]

I would much rather find a CD, instead of an item left in one of my caches recently...from the log...."I left protection for the next teenager who finds this cache", yeah, I went the next day and removed the condom from the cache.

How dare they?!? To think only teenagers could find that useful, how shameful.

 

Really, though, what idiot puts that in a cache? Does common sense even exist anymore?

[+brodiebunch]

Worst swag? Anything made of paper (not including the log book) as it disintegrates into a mush in most climates over time.

[+TX Stephens]

I have one to add to this. A lottery ticket. More importantly, a used lottery ticket. Even more...a losing lottery ticket.

 

And then there's the one we found today. A winning lottery ticket. A winning lottery ticket that was worth $500. A winning lottery ticket that had yet to be claimed.

 

So we cashed it in.

 

Only to find...

 

It was a winning lottery ticket that had expired over two years ago.

 

I laugh about it, but that means somebody was sitting on a $500 lottery ticket that was never claimed.

 

That's just a slap in the face!!

[+TX Stephens]

#1 A very corroded 410 shotgun shell. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get rid of those?

#2 A bunch of Party Poppers that were in a cache that had been wet for a loooong time. We actually wound up adopting that one, no more wet party poppers there

 

Around here, those shells are used for "Y.A.R.N.S." (Yet another road to nowhere) They are put into the sides of barricades on dead end roads. Usually they are not left in other caches though...

[+Zepp914]

1. Cigarettes - these should not be in a cache, period.

2. Fireworks - ditto

3. Food

4. Seashells - sit in the cache forever

5. Most personalized swag. Why would anyone want to take a wooden non-trackable coin with some other cacher's name on it?

6. Little stampers - make a huge mess when they get wet

 

Just a question, if it is allowed. I am placing a cache soon and one of the items in ti is a Christian CD. The songs themselves aren't that religious, more about feeling good because of a change in life, nothing too in depth. Would that be considered appropriate?

 

As long it isn't a pirated copy, it shouldn't be a problem. I have found pocket sized bibles and religious charms in various caches. I don't see why a cross, a star of david, and a buddha figurine can't coexist in a regular cache. Then again I wouldn't exactly throw a Christian CD in a cache shaped like a giant dreidel...

Edited December 31, 2014 by Zepp914

[+GrayHawk613]

I've found rocks! No,seriosly!

[+niraD]

5. Most personalized swag. Why would anyone want to take a wooden non-trackable coin with some other cacher's name on it?

Good question, but some of us do trade for and collect personal signature items left by other geocachers. (Actually, that's the only thing I trade for.)

[+kunarion]

5. Most personalized swag. Why would anyone want to take a wooden non-trackable coin with some other cacher's name on it?

I've seen the name in logs frequently, or I've met the people, or the coin is just plain cool. People put some work into them. It turns a 2-cent craft piece into a desirable trade item (huh, yet some people insist they take, never trade, for sig items, go figure ). I've even heard of people signing pieces of paper they find in hidden boxes. Pointless.

 

Wooden coins can get wet/moldy, but there are some ways to mitigate that.

 

 

Not every piece of swag is for everybody. Sometimes it's in the container because the person who placed it had no use for it, but someone will. If it's taking up too much room for a TB you want to place, trade something for the swag and place it somewhere else. Otherwise it's fine to just let it sit there forever. Around here, there has never been an issue of way too much swag in caches.

 

One local cache has a Gamecube inside (it's a pretty big container). People didn't take it, and it probably doesn't even work. It's just fun to have a little local legend about a cache that has a Gamecube.

Edited December 31, 2014 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

I've found rocks! No,seriosly!

 

Yeah! This is one of the 50-million-year-old fossils I collected on a beach on the Oregon coast, with the intention of using them as trade items in caches. But it's both a rock and a shell! What was I thinking!!

Edited December 31, 2014 by kunarion

[+Zepp914]

I've found rocks! No,seriosly!

 

Yeah! This is one of the 50-million-year-old fossils I collected on a beach on the Oregon coast, with the intention of using them as trade items in caches. But it's both a rock and a shell! What was I thinking!!

 

I would soooo toss that out if it was in my cache. You could scrawl your name on it so that it is even more collectible.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Zepp914

[+kunarion]

I would soooo toss that out if it was in my cache. You could scrawl your name on it so that it is even more collectible.

Good idea! I'm told I draw a great "Kilroy Was Here".

Edited December 31, 2014 by kunarion

[+cerberus1]

I've found rocks! No,seriosly!

 

Yeah! This is one of the 50-million-year-old fossils I collected on a beach on the Oregon coast, with the intention of using them as trade items in caches. But it's both a rock and a shell! What was I thinking!!

+1

We tried the "break your own geode" bought in bulk at oriental trading and even included the paper explaining what to do.

- After numerous logs of, "Found a dirty rock in the cache and pitched it. You're welcome.", we gave up on that idea.

[+kunarion]

We tried the "break your own geode" bought in bulk at oriental trading and even included the paper explaining what to do.

- After numerous logs of, "Found a dirty rock in the cache and pitched it. You're welcome.", we gave up on that idea.

[+crazypig88]

Empty shell casings from various handgun calibers. Food of any type. I try and clean up those caches.

I really like bullet casings. I would love to find those in acache.

[+TX Stephens]

Empty shell casings from various handgun calibers. Food of any type. I try and clean up those caches.

I really like bullet casings. I would love to find those in acache.

 

I've thought about leaving them in caches before, but worried it would fall in the offensive category... I guess anything could fall into that category depending on a person's views.

[+wmpastor]

This is not an exact science.

 

So far, at least two items have ended up on the best *&* worst lists: signature items and used gun shells.

 

Adults here are nixing some things that kids like. Plastic action figures seem to get a pass, but golf balls are often derided. Some kids think a golf ball is a *treasure.*

[+GrayHawk613]

I've found rocks! No,seriosly!

 

Yeah! This is one of the 50-million-year-old fossils I collected on a beach on the Oregon coast, with the intention of using them as trade items in caches. But it's both a rock and a shell! What was I thinking!!

Not special rocks. My little sister is a rock collector so I know what I'm talking about.Just plain caliche rocks! Can't people give good swag? :mad:

[+kunarion]

Not special rocks. My little sister is a rock collector so I know what I'm talking about.Just plain caliche rocks!

Some caches seem to acquire the items that were on the ground next to the container (and placed as a "trade" for something the cacher coveted ). Golf balls by a golf course, bullet casings in a hunting area. If people could be bothered to move an item to where it is not commonly found, it might be more appreciated.

Edited January 1, 2015 by kunarion

[+AutisticMajor]

A wet, unwrapped sucker.

[+Team Dredd]

5. Most personalized swag. Why would anyone want to take a wooden non-trackable coin with some other cacher's name on it?

 

We like finding the wooden nickels from other cachers. We don't keep them but we do move them. We always send a message to the nickel's owner letting them know we found one of their coins and where we found it; if the nickel is numbered we of course let them know which one we found. To each his or her own I guess but we like finding them.

 

We have found I guess about 4 or 5 of them so far, although none lately. A couple have been in pretty bad shape from getting wet and moldy, but one of them had some kind of clear coat on it like spray varnish or something and it protected it pretty good. We went to the website (www.wooden-nickel.com) and set up a design for our own but have just never spent the $ for them.

[+Zepp914]

We like finding the wooden nickels from other cachers. We don't keep them but we do move them. We always send a message to the nickel's owner letting them know we found one of their coins and where we found it; if the nickel is numbered we of course let them know which one we found. To each his or her own I guess but we like finding them.

 

We have found I guess about 4 or 5 of them so far, although none lately. A couple have been in pretty bad shape from getting wet and moldy, but one of them had some kind of clear coat on it like spray varnish or something and it protected it pretty good. We went to the website (www.wooden-nickel.com) and set up a design for our own but have just never spent the $ for them.

 

I didn't think you were supposed to move them. I thought they were like a poor man's pathtag. You crossed paths with the owner, meaning you found the same cache as him/her. I think it would be weird for them to find a new cache with their wooden nickel already present.

 

In any event, I am glad some folks like these things. Hopefully you aren't trading them for anything other than other wooden nickels.

[+fuzziebear3]

Just goes to show that one man's trash is another man's treasure.

 

Me, I'd throw away the shell casings, keep the shell and the sig wooden nickels, and leave the rock there. Probably toss in a PT and a mini rubber ducky for the effort.

 

I'd probably hold onto the wooden nickel, but I think it would be okay to place it into another cache later if I feel like it -- you can move swag if you want to.

[+Claystalker]

A tooth. A real one.

[+Stinky.Cheese]

We come across all kinds of nasty things. More than half the caches I find stink & have sludge in them. Most, are usually always full of rubbish. Here are a couple of interesting recent ones.

 

This container had no log book, just a turd of some kind...

 

 

Tampons seem to be getting more & more common...

 

[+Trotter17]

I found 28 caches today (new record) and overall was fairly impressed that I didn't find too much junky swag. I removed a lighter from a cache and a receipt for some donuts. Not too bad for finding a fair number of small and regular caches today.

[+Baardaasvoel]

The worst I've found? Easy...

 

Christian propaganda. Cards and pamphlets, all the familiar offensive content.

 

Business cards. Not cacher's or muggle cards, but purely commercial business cards.

 

An aluminum dog tag from a military action figure, with login instructions for a sort of "junior patriot" paramilitary website.

 

The cards and pamphlets were torn in half and put in the mixed-paper recycle. The aluminum dog tag was put in my scrap aluminum bin, perhaps to eventually be reprocessed into stock for ladder rungs or Travel Bug Tags.

 

I've encountered other "less than zero" items, ranging from disappointing to nasty. But none hold an earwax candle to the above three.

 

The really sad part though, the worst are probably yet to be found.

[+MMaru]

A ketchup packet. Despite my reputation for putting ketchup on almost anything, I ended up taking that one out of the cache. Which incidentally, also contained a single almond that, it seemed, once had some kind of coating that had then melted onto the log.

 

A tiny little firecracker.

 

And the worst one so far... a marijuana bud! It's not legal in my state and even if it was, I'm pretty sure that's not appropriate swag for a family-friendly game. I removed it and e-mailed the previous finder who had left a note in their log making it pretty obvious that they were the one who left it - never got a response, but hopefully it was just out of ignorance and not trying to cause trouble. I'm pretty sheltered and never knew why it's sometimes referred to as "skunk" till I opened that cache.

[+J Grouchy]

Just the other day I found a cache with a container of dental floss inside. Now, I'm all for promoting good dental hygiene, but I can't see how using floss that's been sitting in a moldy box for six months could be anything resembling hygienic. For that matter - and I've said this before - nothing that anyone is meant to put in their mouth should ever be left in a cache. Water bottles (used or new), whistles, floss, toothbrushes, food/candy/gum/mints...anything like that should be immediately thrown out. I'm amazed at how many times I find that sort of stuff in caches.

[+cerberus1]

That's odd, when we asked on our local forums once, one of the most requested items we ever put in caches was train whistles.