Personal card / Calling cards

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

When a personal card / calling card is found in a cache, do you consider it an item that can be

 

a) traded for?

simply picked up by another person?

c) meant to be a permanent part of the cache together with the log book? (let's assume the owner also signed the log)?

 

I have recently started to leave my personal geo-cards (one of my landscape photos on one side, name and some text on the other side, heavy laminated - feels almost like a credit card) and I wonder what will happen to them? When I come across cards left by other I would like to collect them in place of usual swag but I am not sure if this is appropriate. What do you think?

 

On the same note, if someone does pick up my card, I am curious where is it going to settle on the map, so on the card I ask to take a moment and log the find on my personal site. If you came across a card like this, would you do it?

 

Thank you!

[+lachupa]

I leave little drawings on wooden coins. I suppose technically they're trade items but I usually don't take anything except other sig items.

 

Some people have a rather impressive collection of sig items. I have a small one but I'm sure it will grow in time.

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

Yes, I would log it on your site if I took it.

 

Depending on time constraints, I glance or read through the cards to see where they are from. Sometimes they are just nasty if the cache isn't 100% waterproof. Your's sound like they will withstand the weather.

 

I often drop a Scrabble letter in a cache as a "calling card" but I see where some have been taken as swag which is fine since they aren't identified as a signature item.

Other than engraving each little tile I have no idea how to show why I dropped it in. Most of the time I mention it when I log a find.

[+GeoLobo]

Bluegirl and I leave personal trading cards in water proof caches largest enough to hold them.

 

We have had 6 versions done so far. Our lastest is the 2010 version:

 

http://www.bluelinegeocachers.org/images/t...g_card_2010.jpg

 

the other five can been seen here:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=231705

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

Depending on time constraints, I glance or read through the cards to see where they are from. Sometimes they are just nasty if the cache isn't 100% waterproof. Your's sound like they will withstand the weather.

I had one sitting in a bowl of water for a week and it did not delaminate. Water does seep into the edges since I cut these out from a full sheet after laminating, however it after drying it was still in one piece looking almost new.

I often drop a Scrabble letter in a cache as a "calling card" but I see where some have been taken as swag which is fine since they aren't identified as a signature item.

Other than engraving each little tile I have no idea how to show why I dropped it in. Most of the time I mention it when I log a find.

For handmade signature items or little things like this I would put them in mini ziplocks sold in craft stores in large packages (works out to 5c or so per piece) with a card noting your name and whatever else you want. That's my plan for the handmade swag. I had a few made before and plan to do more when I have time but the laminated photo cards is the defailt signature item for me now.

Edited October 1, 2010 by Hedgehog in the Fog

[+BuckeyeClan]

We like to trade for sig items. I would probably keep one of yours if I found it, but not sure if I would log it on your website or not. Probably depends on the day and my mood!

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

Bluegirl and I leave personal trading cards in water proof caches largest enough to hold them.

 

We have had 6 versions done so far. Our lastest is the 2010 version:

 

http://www.bluelinegeocachers.org/images/t...g_card_2010.jpg

 

the other five can been seen here:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=231705

 

Nice cards! I will post an image of mine when I am at home.

[FunkMaster-T]

Me and my boys have a wooden coin sig item that I carve with my Rotary tool...a little time consuming but fun...

 

Something I did not see answered here that the OP was asking and I feel is a good question (and if it was answere, I apologize, I am still working on the morning coffee)...Are Sig Items considered Trade Items or, like TB's and Geocoins, no trade item needed.

 

Personally, if someone had a sig item collection, I would be honoured if they took my coin and I would think alot of Sig Items would be hard to value in the Tradeup/even scale.

 

Opinions?...T.

[+kunarion]

Something I did not see answered here that the OP was asking and I feel is a good question (and if it was answere, I apologize, I am still working on the morning coffee)...Are Sig Items considered Trade Items or, like TB's and Geocoins, no trade item needed.

I consider a laminated signature card to be different from SWAG trade items. Take it or leave it, or drop your own sig item in. And I won't trade my own sig card for any item except another card. A container full if business cards wouldn't be very interesting, except to people who collect cards. Regardless, I try to ensure the container doesn't have fewer goodies than it had when I arrived.

 

Real nice one-of-a-kind signature coins (such as wooden nickels or ceramics) are often very cool and desirable, so I'd never "trade" a laminated business card for that. I'd leave some extra stuff for a handmade coin. That's just me...

 

I would be honoured if they took my coin

I also placed some unique sig items, and received emails about what to do with them, like "is it OK to keep this?". So if you include a little note with your item, it may avoid confusion.

 

I'd also suggest that you at least zip-lock anything that could be ruined by moisture. Exposed absorbent items (yes, even those home printed cards that aren't completely sealed by lamination) will eventually get wet and nasty in most any container and have to be thrown out.

Edited October 1, 2010 by kunarion

[+GeoLobo]

Business cards and laminated cards printed from a personal computer - are not Custom Made Trading Cards such as mine, which were produced by a professional print shop who make sport trading cards, trading cards for Firemen, Law Enforcement, ect. These are highly glossy cards printed on thick stock and come with plastic sleeves.

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

Something I did not see answered here that the OP was asking and I feel is a good question (and if it was answered, I apologize, I am still working on the morning coffee)...Are Sig Items considered Trade Items or, like TB's and Geocoins, no trade item needed.

I consider a laminated signature card to be different from SWAG trade items. Take it or leave it, or drop your own sig item in. And I won't trade my own sig card for any item except another card. A container full if business cards wouldn't be very interesting, except to people who collect cards. Regardless, I try to ensure the container doesn't have fewer goodies than it had when I arrived.

Real nice one-of-a-kind signature coins (such as wooden nickels or ceramics) are often very cool and desirable, so I'd never "trade" a laminated business card for that. I'd leave some extra stuff for a handmade coin. That's just me...

I completely agree. I would not consider my cards to be a fair trade in place of a handmade coin or another swag item, mainly because I feel less people would be interested in them. This is why I also carry a few handmade items (ceramic and wooden coins mainly) to trade for these. IMHO these are for traid unless labelled otherwise. The cards... I simply leave them to say "I visited this cache".

 

What is less clear to me is how many people leaving the cards in fact hope that the cards will stay in the cache permanently like "I was here" sign? I personally don't feel that way about mine and would only be happy if someone decided that my card is worth collecting. However everybody is different and I hope to get a feel for other opinions out there.

Edited October 1, 2010 by Hedgehog in the Fog

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

Business cards and laminated cards printed from a personal computer - are not Custom Made Trading Cards such as mine, which were produced by a professional print shop who make sport trading cards, trading cards for Firemen, Law Enforcement, ect. These are highly glossy cards printed on thick stock and come with plastic sleeves.

I think it depends :-) It is possible to produce very high quality trading cards at home. I use Epson's pro-line color printer, very heavy stock matte photo paper and 10 mil lamination. The result is the look and feel of a plastic card. I make mine bigger than business card - typically 2.5" x 3.75" because I want a resonable size for the photo content.

 

As someone pointed out that unless I am willing to spend time laminating each card individually, the edges are still not water resistant so a mini ziplock is a good idea. It holds up surprisingly well against moisture even without the bag but it has its's limits, of course.

 

I considered ordering from a professional printing shop (in the end, it would be about the same cost per card, I think) but then I would have to stick with a single design for a long run (100? 200?). As it stands now, each card has a unique photo (OK, almost, I do have a few favorite images :-) ) and the same text on the back.

 

Recently, it became possible to order plastic business cards (same gauge as a credit card) even though they are a little pricey. Does anyone have experience with those?

Edited October 1, 2010 by Hedgehog in the Fog

[+PokerLuck]

My signature item is my pathtag (look left). I leave it in caches that I like. Anyone who finds it is free to do anything they want with it, or it can just be left in the cache. I enjoy hearing from people who've followed me in discovering a cache and telling me that they saw my pathtag.

[+GeoLobo]

Hedgehog in the Fog

 

Id be interested in seeing your cards

 

thanks

 

geolobo

[+ras_oscar]

I have 2 personal sig items I drop. One is a poker chip with custom printed stickers on each side. I put it in a small Zlock bag. The other is a custom printed business card that is laminated. For me the item is swag. I'd really get a kick out of seing one of my sig items in a cache, though!!! I asume people collect them. I had one CO who took his cache offline just after I visited, and asked my permission to hang a tag on it and send it out as a traveler. Kinda cool. If you find one of my sig itmes you can do whatever you want with it, its yours. I don't drop either item in a cache that's not dry. That's just how I roll.

[+GeoLobo]

I have the new trading cards in hand! Be on the look out in caches for the new card

 

http://www.bluelinegeocachers.org/images/t...g_card_2010.jpg

 

the other five can been seen here:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=231705

[+Chokecherry]

I trade for the sig items I take. I typically don't take laminated cards though and tend to leave those in the cache. Sometimes there's just so darn many of them that I don't have time to go through them.

 

I may or may not go to another sight to log a found item. Depends on how much time I have and how motivated I am.

[+GeoLobo]

That is why my cards are not laminated cards. They are professionally printed and come with a sleeve where the card can slide in and out of.

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

I trade for the sig items I take. I typically don't take laminated cards though and tend to leave those in the cache.

 

Do you mean "laminated cards" or any cards? If it is any cards, I understand, we are all different. It there is something about laminated cards I am really curious what it is :-)

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

That is why my cards are not laminated cards. They are professionally printed and come with a sleeve where the card can slide in and out of.

GeoLobo, I think you made and leave some very nices cards (looking at the images) but I still don't understand what makes they conceptually different from other cards (laminated or not, this is not really the main point)? I am not saying they aren't different, just trying to understand you better... I like your design but I am sure there are many people who can produced and print good designs at home (I don't think I am one of them), quality printers are well within reach, so what is the key feature of the professionally printed trading cards that makes them different?

 

By the way, I am sorry for not posting the images of my cards yet. I am away from my home computer and will do it as soon as I can, I did not forget.

[+kunarion]

what is the key feature of the professionally printed trading cards that makes them different?

Some professionally-printed cards are wax-coated and resist fading. I do like the idea of an extra plastic sleeve, since cards tend to end up under all the heavy stuff in a container -- and if the idea is to collect them, you want them to stay in great shape.

 

I'm cheap, so mine are home-printed and laminated. I wouldn't think a picture of me w/bio would be any fun to find. So I made a card all mysterious-like, with a ROT-13 decoder. On the back is an introduction to Geocaching.

 

Edited October 7, 2010 by kunarion

[+L0ne.R]

what is the key feature of the professionally printed trading cards that makes them different?

Some professionally-printed cards are wax-coated and resist fading. I do like the idea of an extra plastic sleeve, since cards tend to end up under all the heavy stuff in a container -- and if the idea is to collect them, you want them to stay in great shape.

 

I'm cheap, so mine are home-printed and laminated. I wouldn't think a picture of me w/bio would be any fun to find. So I made a card all mysterious-like, with a ROT-13 decoder. On the back is an introduction to Geocaching.

 

 

Very nice.

[+Chokecherry]

I trade for the sig items I take. I typically don't take laminated cards though and tend to leave those in the cache.

 

Do you mean "laminated cards" or any cards? If it is any cards, I understand, we are all different. It there is something about laminated cards I am really curious what it is :-)

 

Any cards. I probably should have been clearer. There's not many non-laminated in caches here due to the environmental realities of moisture and hot/cold temps. Those that aren't laminated are usually mush in short order. But most of the calling cards in caches are basically name, catchy phrase and maybe a year printed on paper of some sorts and usually laminated.

[+Kelochka]

I have bought blank wooden nickels and a circular rubber stamp with the words: Took Nothing, Left This, Signed Log. Pass it on." Then I have some small rubber stamps with various designs on them and different colored ink pads. You can get these in hobby stores. Inside the circle of words and on the other side, I stamp some small design. These do not have my name on them, they are for anyone to keep or pass on or whatever. I just love them and hope that others will take them.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Kelochka

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

Hedgehog in the Fog

Id be interested in seeing your cards

thanks

geolobo

 

Sorry for taking so long to reply... Here you are: front and back. The back is always the same, the front is almost always different. Some of the photos that I have used on my cards so far can be seen here:

 

Learning to See | Geo Cards (most of the site is still under construction, so please excuse the almost complete lack of content)

 

 

The cards are printed on heavy photo stock and finished with 10 mil lamination on both sides.

Comments and Critique are welcome.

[Hedgehog in the Fog]

Anyone else would like to share their card image?

[+L0ne.R]

Just starting using a personal card....