Non-geocoins as Geocoins

[+BLMBilbo]

I looked through the Geocoin Forum to see if this topic already existed and it does not appear to be. Besides geocoins, there's all these really cool coins out there - memorials, awards, military, etc. So is there a way in the geocoin/geocaching/Groundspeak world that a non-geocoin could be made into a geocoin by a number being assigned, etc? If so, who does that? If not, it would be cool to do. I thought about drilling a hole through and riveting a TB on or otherwise attaching it. But that's just a TB unless on the TB page I said "no, this is really a geocoin..." But it would far better to get a geocoin number.

[+Jackalgirl]

The primary problem you'll run into is that Groundspeak sells tracking numbers in blocks of 50. You can't, as of this writing, buy just one. You might be able to find a vendor who already has a block of tracking numbers and who might be willing to sell you one. You'd still have to get approval for the coin from GS and it would have a generic icon but at least it would be listed by the system with a geocoin icon rather than a TB icon, I can't guarantee that anyone would be willing to do this or that GS would actually approve it, but it never hurts to ask.

 

As for vendors, check the pinned threads at the top of the forum. One of 'em has an approved vendors list so you can start asking around. Good luck!

[+fuzziebear3]

... there's all these really cool coins out there - memorials, awards, military, etc. So is there a way in the geocoin/geocaching/Groundspeak world that a non-geocoin could be made into a geocoin by a number being assigned, etc? ... I thought about drilling a hole through and riveting a TB on or otherwise attaching it. But that's just a TB unless on the TB page I said "no, this is really a geocoin..." But it would far better to get a geocoin number.

 

No, that still would not be a geocoin - it would be a military coin or whatever with a trackable number attached. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is not a geocoin - made for the game of geocaching, with a number permanently engraved on it for tracking, a reminder that it is trackable at geocaching.com, and possibly with a special icon.

 

My opinion is you bought the trackable item and its number. You can put that number on another item and let it travel that way (although people might not recognize that it is a trackable). Just be sure you don't release both at the same time. You could even pick what trackable item to buy based on the icon that it will give.

[+Jackalgirl]

Well, that's not technically true. What makes a geocoin is the text "trackable at geocaching.com" (or suchlike) and a tracking number. It doesn't necessarily have to be made for the game of geocaching (from the onset); the addition of the tracking info or TB tag makes it such. So you could, in theory, grab your rotary tool and a very small bit and very, very carefully engrave the tracking text & tracking number on the coin somewhere and voila! geocoin, provided that:

 

1) it's got a geocoin tracking number, and thusly causes the coin to have a geocoin icon (vice, say, a TB icon)

2) its creation is, of course, approved by Groundspeak

 

It'd be a lot easier to just attach a TB tag, I think, and make a travel bug out of a coin with special meaning. But that doesn't exactly solve the problem if the icon is important, and the OP seems to be implying that he or she wants the challenge coin to have a geocoin-type page (and icon) rather than a TB page (and icon).

 

Another option would be to co-opt an actual geocoin's tracking number (and, thusly, icon and page format) for a challenge coin, but I wouldn't recommend it. It would be confusing (since the icon would be for some other geocoin -- someone would find it in the field and be confused as to why the coin isn't what he or she expected). And you might run into hot water with Groundspeak if you didn't get approval to do it (since, unlike TBs, they require approval for anything that is a geocoin). This might end up with the coin being locked. So while it's a solution, it's not a very good one, and I'd stay away from it.

[avroair]

Well, that's not technically true. What makes a geocoin is the text "trackable at geocaching.com" (or suchlike) and a tracking number.

 

Or for coins per-2006 the distinction that a geocacher made the coin for putting into caches (personal geocoins).

[sp1tf1re]

I have recently found some armed services geocoins that look very similar to a challenge coin but with tracking number on them.

[+Eartha]

For one coin, it's probably easier to add a TB tag. For more than one coin, please read Groundspeak's Current Coin Tracking Policy found here.