Overwhelmed by geocoins!

[+hikingirl3]

Hello all! Just looking for some tips on where to start with geocoins. So it looks like if you see one in a thread you like, you can preorder it, and then just those people who preordered get the coins?

As for the vendors, what sites have the best collections of currently available for shipment coins?

I'd like to pick up a couple, but I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the options. If you could point me in the direction to start, that would be great!

Edited November 16, 2010 by hikingirl3

[+BlueDeuce]

Well, since the other one doesn't have what you posted maybe you could just retype your question here.

[+Droo]

Well, since the other one doesn't have what you posted maybe you could just retype your question here.

 

Hello all! Just looking for some tips on where to start with geocoins. So it looks like if you see one in a thread you like, you can preorder it, and then just those people who preordered get the coins?

As for the vendors, what sites have the best collections of currently available for shipment coins?

I'd like to pick up a couple, but I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the options. If you could point me in the direction to start, that would be great!

[+Droo]

Is there a double thread?

 

But in answer to the post I got by email there are many vendours and most have stock on the shelves you can order for immediate delivery. Unfortunately we can't list preferences as it leads to advertising for one's favourites or friends and that gets nauseatingly tedious. So it's up to you to look around and find YOUR favourite.

 

Here's how..... there is a list of vendour links in the Geocoin Home page (look under the Trackables tab) or you can look at the pinned thread at the top of the geocoin forum. Go through them all and bookmark the ones you like, have stock you like or even designs of past stock you'd like to have (future designs may appeal to you just as much).

 

Then.... by following the Forum threads you will hear about new coins coming out from designers who produce for themselves and whose websites only have stock when the stock is in. But beware some of these sell out so very fast it makes the old Beanie Baby rushes looks like kidstuff (no pun intended).

 

Be careful... you're stepping into dangerous and life changing territory.

[GregsonVaux]

 

Be careful... you're stepping into dangerous and life changing territory.

 

You have no idea. I am a frugal person who spends money wisely . . . until I got into geocoins. I want to cry when I think how much money I have spent. I keep my coins in a treasure chest and when I think of the value of what is in that chest, it really is a fortune. On the other hand, going through my coins is a true pleasure. Yeah, it's worth it!

[GregsonVaux]

Let me walk you through the math. Some coins cost much more than $10, some coins cost less. However, it is safe to say that the average cost is about $10 (maybe more). I have about 300 coins. YIKES!

 

I can think of a particular person who I know has at least 1500 coins.

 

On the other hand, if you only feel like buying two or three coins, that can be satisfying too. I remember when I first got started, I was only going to buy three and no more.

[+Chokecherry]

I attempted to dip my toe in the geocoin water by pre-ordering one. I have no idea if I did it right but I tried. So I guess I will see in the future if it works out.

 

The list of vendors overwhelms me but I would probably like to buy coins off the shelf more than I would like to do this pre-order thing again. At least then generally I know when the coin will get to me.

 

Don't worry you're not alone in being overwhelmed by this coin thing.

[GregsonVaux]

I attempted to dip my toe in the geocoin water by pre-ordering one. I have no idea if I did it right but I tried. So I guess I will see in the future if it works out.

 

The list of vendors overwhelms me but I would probably like to buy coins off the shelf more than I would like to do this pre-order thing again. At least then generally I know when the coin will get to me.

 

Don't worry you're not alone in being overwhelmed by this coin thing.

 

The list of vendors should not be overwhelming. The first question is whether you will be releasing the coin or keeping it. If it will be going into the wild, I would suggest getting a coin that you like, but more importantly, getting a coin that is cheap and not too pretty. A coin in the wild that is expensive or too pretty will soon go missing.

 

If you will be keeping the coin, it is even easier. Just buy the coin that you like the most. Start looking at sites and buy the one that makes your heart beat fast. I will suggest two sites to start with, not because their coins are any better or worse, but because they have a large selection in stock.

 

Do a Google search for "________" and "_______". ________especially has a HUGE selection in stock. I am not endorsing these site, I have no affiliation with them, and I am not vouching for whether their coins are appealing or not. All I am saying is they are a good places to start.

 

<Storefront names removed by moderator in an effort to keep this from turning into an adertising thread, resulting in thread closure.>

Edited November 16, 2010 by Eartha

[+Droo]

 

Do a Google search for "________" and "__________". [Company A] especially has a HUGE selection in stock. I am not endorsing these site, I have no affiliation with them, and I am not vouching for whether their coins are appealing or not. All I am saying is they are a good places to start.

Well if you're going to plug those two it's only fair to plug the rest too.... regardless of your affiliation.

[GregsonVaux]

 

Do a Google search for "________" and "__________". [Company A] especially has a HUGE selection in stock. I am not endorsing these site, I have no affiliation with them, and I am not vouching for whether their coins are appealing or not. All I am saying is they are a good places to start.

Well if you're going to plug those two it's only fair to plug the rest too.... regardless of your affiliation.

 

The simple fact is that those dealers have a large selection in stock. To just repeat a long list of websites does not help the newbie that legitimately wants to know where to start. The other dealers have their own merits and sell unique coins that cannot be found anywhere else. I am not saying that the large dealers are best, but even if I were, would it be any different than talking about my favorite coin? What if a say that the Brahean coin is my favorite? Will you complain that I am not also mentioning all of the other coins out there?

[+grodan & fiabus]

You can also take a look at www.geocoincollection.com. They have a lot of coins pictured there. Once you know the name of what you want you can post in the trade thread inhere. Or ask if you can buy from someone that has a spare. But many coins there are non-trackables also so ask if you are unsure if you like to get a trackable coin.

 

And, welcome to the mad world of geocoins, so much fun and so many coins.

 

grodan Karin

[+Chokecherry]

The problem for me is that I looked through the lists of the vendors visited websites and there are some that I just don't feel comfortable giving my credit card number over to (after reading some of the issues etc on here). I've looked at the larger ones and smaller ones. I look when I can at where people got the coins I move from etc.

 

I still wade through the sites and so forth though and eventually will probably dip my toe in the water again. But it really is overwhelming.

[GregsonVaux]

I try to give my credit card number to as few people as possible. Nearly everyone takes Paypal which means that Paypal is the only one who sees your credit card. You are risking the money that you spent on the coin, but no more. Geocoins are inherently more risky purchases than other merchandise because it is more a hobby than a business and the people you are buying from are often making coins in their spare time. Again, the larger the company, the more they have a track record of satisfied customers. On the other hand, the people making coins in their spare time are the risk takers who will make the unusual coins that have not been made before. I personally like the quirky coins that don't have mass appeal.

[+2LittleCache]

I wouldn't be worried about giving your out your cc#, most of these companies primarily use paypal to conduct transactions. Which is as safe as it gets.

[+hikingirl3]

 

Do a Google search for "________" and "__________". [Company A] especially has a HUGE selection in stock. I am not endorsing these site, I have no affiliation with them, and I am not vouching for whether their coins are appealing or not. All I am saying is they are a good places to start.

Well if you're going to plug those two it's only fair to plug the rest too.... regardless of your affiliation.

 

The simple fact is that those dealers have a large selection in stock. To just repeat a long list of websites does not help the newbie that legitimately wants to know where to start. The other dealers have their own merits and sell unique coins that cannot be found anywhere else. I am not saying that the large dealers are best, but even if I were, would it be any different than talking about my favorite coin? What if a say that the Brahean coin is my favorite? Will you complain that I am not also mentioning all of the other coins out there?

 

That is really helpful. Thanks! I was looking for sites with a big selection that people have good experiences with just to start out.

[+hikingirl3]

Also, if you want to send a trackable one out, are there any coin cases that have a loop on them or something so you can attach a tag explaining that it is a trackable?

[GregsonVaux]

Also, if you want to send a trackable one out, are there any coin cases that have a loop on them or something so you can attach a tag explaining that it is a trackable?

 

Attaching a tag is a relly good idea! Some coins do have holes in them, but one thing you might want to consider is drilling your own hole. The advantage of drilling a hole in a coin is that from a collector's standpoint the coin is ruined. Thus, a coin you send out will not be snatched up by someone looking for free coins to collect.

[+Eartha]

I will point you to the pinned thread with the list of Groundspeak Approved Geocoin Vendors, and a lot more information on geocoins. Also see the link in my signature to the Groundspeak Knowledge Books on Trackables, and these forums. There are other helpful pinned threads as well.

 

NOTE: Please do not turn this into a vendor advertising thread by posting links to vendors, and the thread can remain open to answer the other questions for the OP.

[+hikingirl3]

One geocoin I saw was in a hard plastic circular container. The other two I've seen were in what seemed like their original sleeves that they came in, and had a sheet with them about being trackable. I was thinking it might be cool to find a container more like the hard plastic one, but that had a hole somewhere on it so you could loop a keychain through. Does anything like that exist?

[+Mauison]

Also, if you want to send a trackable one out, are there any coin cases that have a loop on them or something so you can attach a tag explaining that it is a trackable?

 

Attaching a tag is a relly good idea! Some coins do have holes in them, but one thing you might want to consider is drilling your own hole. The advantage of drilling a hole in a coin is that from a collector's standpoint the coin is ruined. Thus, a coin you send out will not be snatched up by someone looking for free coins to collect.

Attaching a tag is a good idea but it still doesn't stop the geocoins from going missing, whether they're stolen or misplaced.

 

I've released over 400 drilled and tagged geocoins and over 250 of them have gone missing. The advice I give to someone who's thinking about releasing coins is to realize that eventually the coin will go missing and if you're going to feel sad/mad/bad about it going missing, you probably shouldn't release it.

 

I have some coins reappear after going missing for years also so if a coin does go missing, there's always hope it'll come back.