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How can you collect when the purpose is to track


"grimlock"

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Ok so I am a complete noob to geocaching and my family and I are having a blast but I have a question about the Geo Coins. How do you collect something that is supposed to be moved from cache to cache other than saying buying it and putting it up? Are there any sort of guidelines to collecting?

 

Thanks

Nate

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Well, if you release the coin into a cache, with the purpose of tracking its movement, you have to expect that you'll never see it again.

 

Some cachers take coins with them from cache to cache, tracking movement that way, or show the cache at events, where others can discover the coin, but it still remains safe with the owner.

 

And others just collect the coins, and they never see caches or other cachers.

If it's your coin, you can choose whether to release it into the wild or keep it safe with you.

 

One thing to be very clear on: if you find a trackable coin in a cache, you don't get to keep it-you just move it along to another cache, and log online that you found it and moved it.

 

I like to add new, unactivated coins as FTF gifts in my new caches. The person who gets FTF on the cache now owns the coin, and can do what they'd like with it.

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Ok so I am a complete noob to geocaching and my family and I are having a blast but I have a question about the Geo Coins. How do you collect something that is supposed to be moved from cache to cache other than saying buying it and putting it up? Are there any sort of guidelines to collecting?

 

Thanks

Nate

 

Activated = it moves

Unactivated = it gets collected (some people activate coins and keep them for discovery)

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Well, if you release the coin into a cache, with the purpose of tracking its movement, you have to expect that you'll never see it again.

 

snip

 

One thing to be very clear on: if you find a trackable coin in a cache, you don't get to keep it-you just move it along to another cache, and log online that you found it and moved it.

 

 

I'm not into coins very much beyond having a couple I use for personal tracking... won them in event contests...

 

The other day I was browsing something or other and came up with another website that seemed to be very big on finding caches to raid for trackable coins (rated more valuable than un-numbered) for collections... was a bit taken aback by the comment that cachers that place them in caches were to expect to lose them forever... I assume that discovery was still an option.

I realize the posts I was reading were from way back and I'm still researching that, but there were new posts as well so it does still exist. No wonder people get frustrated leaving coins out there.

 

I doubt I think that I will ever release one... but will attempt to move them along when I can... I think I'd rather see them not released at all, or require a TB tag to be trackable, but doubt that would work for various reasons I can think of.

 

If one gets the chance to Discover Coins in collections, be sure to give credit as to WHO's collection you discover it in... and where. One should get the recognition they seek by putting it out there.. right? Especially coins gone missing.

 

Doug 7rxc

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Well, if you release the coin into a cache, with the purpose of tracking its movement, you have to expect that you'll never see it again.

 

snip

 

One thing to be very clear on: if you find a trackable coin in a cache, you don't get to keep it-you just move it along to another cache, and log online that you found it and moved it.

 

 

I'm not into coins very much beyond having a couple I use for personal tracking... won them in event contests...

 

The other day I was browsing something or other and came up with another website that seemed to be very big on finding caches to raid for trackable coins (rated more valuable than un-numbered) for collections... was a bit taken aback by the comment that cachers that place them in caches were to expect to lose them forever... I assume that discovery was still an option.

I realize the posts I was reading were from way back and I'm still researching that, but there were new posts as well so it does still exist. No wonder people get frustrated leaving coins out there.

 

I doubt I think that I will ever release one... but will attempt to move them along when I can... I think I'd rather see them not released at all, or require a TB tag to be trackable, but doubt that would work for various reasons I can think of.

 

If one gets the chance to Discover Coins in collections, be sure to give credit as to WHO's collection you discover it in... and where. One should get the recognition they seek by putting it out there.. right? Especially coins gone missing.

 

Doug 7rxc

 

That just really rips my undies that there are sites where people actually discuss that! What a bunch of unscrupulous so-and-so's.

 

I release my geocoins in the hope that I might actually see them again one day. It is all about the fun and joy of seeing them moving from cache to cache, taken to events and discovered and the delight that people get from actually seeing the geocoins. I really pisses me off that there are people out there who spoil the fun. A quick tally up and at least two-thirds of my travelers are missing, may even be as high as 80%. Some are from muggled or damaged caches, some are sitting with people (and have been for 2 or 3 years).

 

Several of my traveling geocoins are valuable now so I would hate for them to go missing, although I think at least one of them already has... :(

 

I always use a Traveling Geocoin tag on my coins and attach a mission card so that it is plainly clear that they are to be moved on.

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Many of you have read my attitude about this, so feel free to skip this post.

 

I have placed a number of coins into caches and have a large stack of coins next to my computer that I will be releasing in the future. Why do I do this when they have a pretty good chance of being taken by collectors? I have given several explanations in the past, but thr following reasons might give a new spin.

 

Reason #1 – I read the book “Dune in junior high school (now called middle school) and was blown away by the view that we are part of a much larger history. What kept amazing me was the characters’ realization that actions people had taken a thousand years ago were still impacting them and what they did would impact people a thousand years later. That book changed my whole view about the world and I have lived my life since with the attitude that I want to be involved in projects that span beyond my own lifetime. Since then, I have hooked up with others who also see things this way.

 

Geocoins immediately caught my attention because coins are well known to be able to easily last hundreds of years and if taken care of, to last thousands of years. Geocoins also have a tracking number, which gives them a unique identity. Thus, these coins will travel through time and collect stories. After many years, the stories could become a history. Many, if not most, people only think of the coins as lasting a few years, but this is not what experience teaches us. Coins may disappear from a cache and be thought of as lost, but they have a habit of showing up again. An impatient person will say that the coin is gone forever when it is not logged in for several months. I have already seen several examples of coins that were muggled and showed up several years later. If we wait fifty years and if the tracking databases are maintained, how many lost coins will resurface? I expect that it will be a significant number.

 

Reason #2 – I put coins into caches to give people the joy of discovery and the simple pleasure of holding a substantial piece of metal art in their hands. It just feels good to hold a big coin. I would rather that only honest people get hold of the coins that I release, but how serious is the crime of stealing a coin? Do those people deserve really serious punishment? Coin stealers may be scoundrels, but in my view it is ok if they get some pleasure from them too. However, here is the more important part. Over time, the scoundrels will pass the coins on to other people who may turn out to be saints.

 

Reason #3 – I don’t know if this story is true or not, but it doesn’t matter because when a story is beautiful, we can do our part to make the story real, by living our lives that way.

 

There was a king who was celebrating an event, perhaps a marriage, perhaps the birth of a child, I don’t remember, but the leaders of the king’s provinces were expected to give gifts. Many guests came to see the king and gave fantastic gifts. One guest from a poorer province came with dozens of tree seedlings that he planted on the road leading up to the palace. Not much was thought of his gift, because the trees were so tiny, and looked like little more than weeds. As the years passed, the other gifts broke, rotted, or in some other way were lost forever. However, the trees remained. After a hundred years, none of the other gifts could even be remembered, but the trees created a beautiful avenue that sheltered birds and other small animals, gave shade to travelers on hot days, and was a place for children to play.

 

I have always strived to be the man that planted those trees. He never saw them fully grown, but other people did and enjoyed them. Why would I do such a thing? Because I have rested under trees that other people planted.

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Many of you have read my attitude about this, so feel free to skip this post.

 

I have placed a number of coins into caches and have a large stack of coins next to my computer that I will be releasing in the future. Why do I do this when they have a pretty good chance of being taken by collectors? I have given several explanations in the past, but thr following reasons might give a new spin.

 

Reason #1 – I read the book “Dune in junior high school (now called middle school) and was blown away by the view that we are part of a much larger history. What kept amazing me was the characters’ realization that actions people had taken a thousand years ago were still impacting them and what they did would impact people a thousand years later. That book changed my whole view about the world and I have lived my life since with the attitude that I want to be involved in projects that span beyond my own lifetime. Since then, I have hooked up with others who also see things this way.

 

Geocoins immediately caught my attention because coins are well known to be able to easily last hundreds of years and if taken care of, to last thousands of years. Geocoins also have a tracking number, which gives them a unique identity. Thus, these coins will travel through time and collect stories. After many years, the stories could become a history. Many, if not most, people only think of the coins as lasting a few years, but this is not what experience teaches us. Coins may disappear from a cache and be thought of as lost, but they have a habit of showing up again. An impatient person will say that the coin is gone forever when it is not logged in for several months. I have already seen several examples of coins that were muggled and showed up several years later. If we wait fifty years and if the tracking databases are maintained, how many lost coins will resurface? I expect that it will be a significant number.

 

Reason #2 – I put coins into caches to give people the joy of discovery and the simple pleasure of holding a substantial piece of metal art in their hands. It just feels good to hold a big coin. I would rather that only honest people get hold of the coins that I release, but how serious is the crime of stealing a coin? Do those people deserve really serious punishment? Coin stealers may be scoundrels, but in my view it is ok if they get some pleasure from them too. However, here is the more important part. Over time, the scoundrels will pass the coins on to other people who may turn out to be saints.

 

Reason #3 – I don’t know if this story is true or not, but it doesn’t matter because when a story is beautiful, we can do our part to make the story real, by living our lives that way.

 

There was a king who was celebrating an event, perhaps a marriage, perhaps the birth of a child, I don’t remember, but the leaders of the king’s provinces were expected to give gifts. Many guests came to see the king and gave fantastic gifts. One guest from a poorer province came with dozens of tree seedlings that he planted on the road leading up to the palace. Not much was thought of his gift, because the trees were so tiny, and looked like little more than weeds. As the years passed, the other gifts broke, rotted, or in some other way were lost forever. However, the trees remained. After a hundred years, none of the other gifts could even be remembered, but the trees created a beautiful avenue that sheltered birds and other small animals, gave shade to travelers on hot days, and was a place for children to play.

 

I have always strived to be the man that planted those trees. He never saw them fully grown, but other people did and enjoyed them. Why would I do such a thing? Because I have rested under trees that other people planted.

I just started buying and collecting coins. I'm even participating in a couple of upcoming missions. Plan to do allot of them going forward. When i started collecting i thought i would never want to release any of these $9 - $20+ coins into the wild for fear of loosing them. After reading this i may start releasing some.

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I just started buying and collecting coins. I'm even participating in a couple of upcoming missions. Plan to do allot of them going forward. When i started collecting i thought i would never want to release any of these $9 - $20+ coins into the wild for fear of loosing them. After reading this i may start releasing some.

 

You might want to start with some cheaper coins. The coin vendors often have sales and what is usually a $10 coin will sell for $5. You can get some really great looking coins for fantastic deals. It doesn't hurt if a $3 coin goes missing and even at that price it can still be a great looking coin. I do put more expensive coins in caches too, but usually on special occasions.

Edited by GregsonVaux
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Thanks for the suggestion. I've picked up a few "budget" coins for use in the various missions. Most of the coins i'm liking allot are not produced anymore so i have to get them in trade or through ebay. Still feeling out where i want to go with the collection.

 

send your budget coins traveling in caches, but send nice coins on your missions. your mission receivers will appreciate that.

 

i can't quite agree with gregson's philosophy. the pissed-off-ed-ness i feel when someone steals a coin far outweighs the thought of any pleasure someone else might have at holding one in their hands at a cache.

 

coins are like the gifts given to the king that rotted and broke over time. they are not like the trees.

 

i share coins at events and with other cachers i meet. i have no intention of ever releasing another coin into the wild. people that discover my coins and others at even the smallest event, get to have that pleasure of holding a really nice coin in their hands.

 

i've put an unactivated coin in a cache on occasion because i want to give one away, but i find i enjoy it much more just gifting a coin to someone on the forum.

 

rsg

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Thanks for the suggestion. I've picked up a few "budget" coins for use in the various missions. Most of the coins i'm liking allot are not produced anymore so i have to get them in trade or through ebay. Still feeling out where i want to go with the collection.

 

send your budget coins traveling in caches, but send nice coins on your missions. your mission receivers will appreciate that.

 

i can't quite agree with gregson's philosophy. the pissed-off-ed-ness i feel when someone steals a coin far outweighs the thought of any pleasure someone else might have at holding one in their hands at a cache.

 

coins are like the gifts given to the king that rotted and broke over time. they are not like the trees.

 

i share coins at events and with other cachers i meet. i have no intention of ever releasing another coin into the wild. people that discover my coins and others at even the smallest event, get to have that pleasure of holding a really nice coin in their hands.

 

i've put an unactivated coin in a cache on occasion because i want to give one away, but i find i enjoy it much more just gifting a coin to someone on the forum.

 

rsg

 

+1

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Reason #3 – I don’t know if this story is true or not, but it doesn’t matter because when a story is beautiful, we can do our part to make the story real, by living our lives that way.

 

Being one of the cynics of releasing coins as Travel Bugs, you've lost me here. Are you saying that people should release their coins into the wild? That's fine as long as people know they shouldn't release anything they are not willing to lose.

 

If you want a leave a legacy, put your hopes and efforts into planting a tree, not releasing a coin. <_<

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BTW, more to the point of the OP...

 

I started collecting the coins for the art. Its kind of like collecting currency but much better. There is more variety and subject matter with Geocoins then can be found in currency. The traceability of the coins is an added bonus. These trackables remind me of a game some friends of mine plaid just a couple years before Geocaching started.

 

I was in the Navy at the time. Friends of mine stole a lawn ornament off an old ladies lawn before we left for a 6 month deployment. Every stop we made we took pictures of the item in every location. When we got back they complied the pictures into a binder and left it with the ornament on the ladies lawn.

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I have a collection of coins, all of which are activated for discovery if and when I take them to events. I did this in case one gets stolen (accidentally or on purpose)so perhaps they will mess up and place it in a cache and I can retrieve it, or someone will discover it and I have a chance of return.

 

I also have coins that are traveling and some have disappeared. The rule of thumb is place it in a cache and say goodbye to it because you will probably never see that coin again, either because of the travels or because it has been stolen. Do not get attached to any item you are releasing into the wild, once it is gone, it is gone.

 

As of late, many of the mainstream coin sellers also have travel tags which are inexpensive trackables, if you want to release something to track but don't want to lay out a lot of money get some of those to release.

 

Just my two cents worth.

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I hope I didn't stir up anything too much... Earlier I observed something I said was in a site from Way Back... (2006) but that the site was still operating... I've learned that there were some hard feelings around that time by people on here... I don't want to get into that... It was just a bit weird to read that... and I don't have it in current context yet, and has nothing to do with how I use my few coins.

 

The comment on Discovery was actually sincere... I've noticed many logs that leave you to guess where the coin was Discovered...

IF a coin is travelling to events periodically it is a legitimate form of travel to many... I just think that the location and the collection should be identified clearly to be a complete page of the history... not anything bad... I do that with any Discovery, wild or at an event.. or any where else. If coin collectors are happy with the state of existence, I'm fine with that... many coin owners (travel type) on the other hand have the strong expectation that their coin will follow their wishes (mission). TB's are a little better for that and less expensive... Two different mindsets will always differ to some degree. Lately I've been thinking that Trackables should have an attribute similar to caches... Travel Wild or Collect or similar terms... go against the attribute and it would look bad. Could be used to avoid events as well TB or GC.

 

Anyway have fun all doing whatever... I was just looking around after finding that site to see what was going on... not the game for me, can't afford it.

 

Doug 7rxc

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...Earlier I observed so...

IF a coin is travelling to events periodically it is a legitimate form of travel to many... I just think that the location and the collection should be identified clearly to be a complete page of the history... not anything bad... I do that with any Discovery, wild or at an event.. or any where else....

 

i totally agree. i always write a discovery note that says basically, "thanks for sharing this coin at the blah blah event in blah blah blah." takes longer to write than, "thanks" but i like reading where coins were discovered so i figure others would too.

 

rsg

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...Earlier I observed so...

IF a coin is travelling to events periodically it is a legitimate form of travel to many... I just think that the location and the collection should be identified clearly to be a complete page of the history... not anything bad... I do that with any Discovery, wild or at an event.. or any where else....

 

i totally agree. i always write a discovery note that says basically, "thanks for sharing this coin at the blah blah event in blah blah blah." takes longer to write than, "thanks" but i like reading where coins were discovered so i figure others would too.

 

rsg

 

I also write about the coin and where I saw it. But I check one more thing. When I am discovering someone's collection at an event, I expect that when I log the collection that the items in the collection belong to that cacher. If not, there is something wrong with where they are getting their coins from, and they are not theirs to collect. :shocked: :shocked: If that were to happen, I would be inclined to teach them and tell them they need to drop them in caches, not hold on to them. ;)

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...Earlier I observed so...

IF a coin is travelling to events periodically it is a legitimate form of travel to many... I just think that the location and the collection should be identified clearly to be a complete page of the history... not anything bad... I do that with any Discovery, wild or at an event.. or any where else....

 

i totally agree. i always write a discovery note that says basically, "thanks for sharing this coin at the blah blah event in blah blah blah." takes longer to write than, "thanks" but i like reading where coins were discovered so i figure others would too.

 

rsg

 

I also write about the coin and where I saw it. But I check one more thing. When I am discovering someone's collection at an event, I expect that when I log the collection that the items in the collection belong to that cacher. If not, there is something wrong with where they are getting their coins from, and they are not theirs to collect. :shocked: :shocked: If that were to happen, I would be inclined to teach them and tell them they need to drop them in caches, not hold on to them. ;)

 

Actually, if they were holding a whole lot of other peoples gecoins as their own collecting I would report them to the geocoins owners and suggest they get the police involved as as far as I am concerned that is theft! I'm pretty sure they know that they shouldn't be holding them.

 

Have this ever happened - has anyone come across someone at an event with a collection of coins belonging to other people? (I could understand if they might have had one or two belonging to others as somethings coin owners gift activated geocoins, but not a collection)

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http://protectsensitiveecosystems.blogspot.com/

 

Someone recently made me aware of these people stealing caches... and the coins in them. I just recently had an ammo can in the woods go missing. It had to be someone with the coords to it.

After a quick look at the blog it sounds like they are removing insensitively placed caches, not stealing them.

 

As long as they drop any trackable items that were in the removed caches - otherwise it's theft.

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http://protectsensitiveecosystems.blogspot.com/

 

Someone recently made me aware of these people stealing caches... and the coins in them. I just recently had an ammo can in the woods go missing. It had to be someone with the coords to it.

After a quick look at the blog it sounds like they are removing insensitively placed caches, not stealing them.

 

Sure about that?

Edited by BlueDeuce
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http://protectsensitiveecosystems.blogspot.com/

 

Someone recently made me aware of these people stealing caches... and the coins in them. I just recently had an ammo can in the woods go missing. It had to be someone with the coords to it.

After a quick look at the blog it sounds like they are removing insensitively placed caches, not stealing them.

 

Sure about that?

 

The more I think about it the more I think this is out right wrong. There are processes to use if you think that a cache is placed somewhere it shouldn't be. Contact the cache owner and/or contact the reviewer. The reviewers should be ensuring that caches they approve are not being mis-placed. Not an easy job, but maybe some reviewers are being a bit lax? Could be an interesting exercise to see who approved the offending caches and see if there is a pattern.

 

Also, probably some cache owners needing education too.

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I think this is the fastest off-topic jump I've been involved with.

 

Done.

 

Actually, IMO, the discussion is very related to the topic of this thread still. Because of coins going missing from caches it is possible that more people are choosing to hold on to (collect) their owned geocoins, rather than release them. Although, I'll give you that we don't know coins have specifically gone from those enviro-liberated caches, but none-the-less, caches get muggled/distroyed and the coins along with it.

 

I know I am personally very disappointed with the number of my geocoins that have gone missing, been stolen or muggles. It is many hundreds of dollars of geocoins and it really, really peeves me as I released them in the wild to travel and be enjoyed. In some instances they've been the only copy of that geocoin I own. I doubt I will ever release any of my nicer, more interesting coins in the future, but rather hold onto (aka collect) them, and choose only to release mass produced, uglier geocoins.

Edited by keewee
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