That's NOT a coin!

[+Bamilbis]

This might have been discussed at great length before, but I couldn't find it.

 

I've noticed quite a few (it's relative as I'm new and haven't found many, but as a percentage it's quite a few) caches that list an inventory and in that a geo-coin or two. Based on that I decide to go get it only to find out it's not a geo-coin. It's a piece of plastic with the tracking number on it or even a photo copy of the coin.

 

Its a bit of a let down to expect a cool geo-coin and end up with a sheet of paper. I understand the desire to keep a lost geo-coin active or an owners inability to part with it and send something in it's stead, but common...

 

Maybe there should be some sort of annotation that what was dropped isn't in fact a real geo-coin. There's my gripe for the week. Happy geo caching everyone.

 

GTB

Edited August 31, 2011 by GeotaggedBloger

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

For more feedback on this topic and to see how people react you can search these boards for terms like "proxy".

 

You'll "get" an ear full.

[+pastor_b]

Dear GTB,

 

you will change your tune when 90% of your coins go missing (read here: "stolen")

 

Come on...

 

Spaghetti Monster is preparing you for an onslaught of disagreement with your point of view.

 

This GREAT hobby is being downgraded (read here: "ruined") by a few [yet growing number of] "cachers" who are either uninformed (perhaps a "newby") or simply bent on stealing...and don't care

 

I prefer to find an actual coin (and I have a duty to circulate it) but I totally understand the choice and necessity of a "proxy" coin.

 

Let's try an experiment: you send me 10 [or more] geocoins.

 

May I suggest you start with a Moun10bike (any version) or Delorme Eartha 3D; perhaps 1-2 Tranquility coins; several tsunrisebey coins; a Jedi Mickey or Mickey Diver; either SpaceGate XLE, and a Saffier Diving Helmet, any YIME LE coin, 2005 Compass Rose...one can only dream...

 

Please designate a mission for each.

 

I'll take care of the rest

 

thank you

 

pastor_B

 

p.s. please do not activate your coins, but either way works for me

 

PLEASE note: any resemblance to an actual contractual agreement between GTB and pastor_b is only a fig newton of your immigration.

 

:ph34r: :ph34r:

Edited August 31, 2011 by Pastor_B

[+Bamilbis]

I think I understand the argument for both sides. People (me included) don't want to search out and find photo copies of coins when they were hoping for a real hunk of pretty metal. Coin owners (me included) don't want to buy pretty hunks of metal and have them get "collected".

 

Why not just note that you're dropping a proxy coin and let the cachers know up front so they can decide how THEY want to play the game?

[+Eartha]

I think I understand the argument for both sides. People (me included) don't want to search out and find photo copies of coins when they were hoping for a real hunk of pretty metal. Coin owners (me included) don't want to buy pretty hunks of metal and have them get "collected".

 

Why not just note that you're dropping a proxy coin and let the cachers know up front so they can decide how THEY want to play the game?

 

Mostly the answer is because not everybody knows what it is, what it's called, or that it was originally a geocoin, or that they should even be saying something about it being a proxy for the real thing.

[+seekerfamily]

You are still doing better than us by finding something in the cache. We find that about 70% of the time when a coin or travel bug is listed in the cache inventory there is nothing there real or proxy. Two caches yesterday with trackable items dropped off over 6 months previous with missing items. Noone wrote a note on the cache page or the trackable page notifying cache owner or trackable owner. Doesn't take long and just a courtesy for the owners.

[+mpilchfamily]

I think I understand the argument for both sides. People (me included) don't want to search out and find photo copies of coins when they were hoping for a real hunk of pretty metal. Coin owners (me included) don't want to buy pretty hunks of metal and have them get "collected".

 

Why not just note that you're dropping a proxy coin and let the cachers know up front so they can decide how THEY want to play the game?

 

Some times all you find is a laminated picture of the coins. Some of the nicer coin thieves will laminate a picture of the coin and keep the actual coin for themselves. So the owner doesn't know his coin has been stolen till someone asks about the proxy.

[+goosefraba1]

What I have been doing is "resurrecting" my lost/stolen coins with essentially a tb with a coin icon (by re-using the tracking number). If you don't like moving these resurrected coins, then don't move them. Regardless, it is still going to be cooler than 99% of the swag in the cache. Tracking numbers have stories.... swag normally has mildew.

[+Bamilbis]

Tracking numbers have stories.... swag normally has mildew.

 

This is true. My counter to that is swag is stuff you find and didn't expect. Whatever is in there is bonus because you didn't expect anything. A coin is something you go to the cache expecting to find and are let down if not there.

 

Sooo...

 

Moldy plastic army guy: Its more than I expected so I'm up...

 

Plastic proxy coin: Its less than I expected so I'm down...

 

Don't get me wrong, I can see that some people would like the proxy for many reasons. Why not just list it as a proxy? Maybe GS could even make a new code since this seems like a big issue. I suggest TB =Travel Bug and TBP = Travel Bug Proxy. No?

 

GTB

[+Bhob]

you will probably see it in one of the other threads mentioned . . .

 

. . . but it has been suggested that, as a courtesy, the name of such a trackable item contain the word "COPY" and/or "PROXY", so that a seeker such as yourself is warned up-front

 

for those who only want to experience the "real thing", this warns them of what to expect

 

and for the people who are interested in numbers and/or icons, it gives them a chance to get what they are after, without the owner risking the loss of an expensive trinket

 

as noted above, some thieves have been known to substitute a proxy for the item that they have stolen, so the item owner is not always to blame - in this case, once alerted, you will often see that the owner has added the word "STOLEN" to the name of the trackable item

 

and as I am fond of saying - given the choice between a proxy and nothing at all, I will take the proxy . . . every time

[+CCWelch]

I am going to weigh in here, I have several coins traveling NOT PROXYS, I buy a coin either for my collection or to send it out. If I send it out I kiss it good bye and assume I will never see it again. If you go into sending them out that way, your feelings never get hurt. If you are scared that they will get stolen when you send them out, put them in a book and take them to events to be discovered. I have more coins in my collection than I have traveling, but I am happy that I released coins into the wild and hope other cachers will do the same. I always like to find coins in a cache but sometimes the coin is just to valuable and the owner will send out a proxy(Though I personally do not find that fair)

[+keewee]

What I have been doing is "resurrecting" my lost/stolen coins with essentially a tb with a coin icon (by re-using the tracking number). If you don't like moving these resurrected coins, then don't move them. Regardless, it is still going to be cooler than 99% of the swag in the cache. Tracking numbers have stories.... swag normally has mildew.

 

+1

[+keewee]

I think I understand the argument for both sides. People (me included) don't want to search out and find photo copies of coins when they were hoping for a real hunk of pretty metal. Coin owners (me included) don't want to buy pretty hunks of metal and have them get "collected".

 

Why not just note that you're dropping a proxy coin and let the cachers know up front so they can decide how THEY want to play the game?

 

Some times all you find is a laminated picture of the coins. Some of the nicer coin thieves will laminate a picture of the coin and keep the actual coin for themselves. So the owner doesn't know his coin has been stolen till someone asks about the proxy.

 

In the Description field for all my activated and travelling geocoins I write something to the effect of...

 

This is a genuine {insert name of geocoin here} geocoin. If you find anything other than the real thing, please contact me

 

Hopefully this way people will let me know if they find a proxy in it's place.

 

I don't have any proxies out travelling at the moment, but with a large number of geocoins now "missing" I am seriously thinking about doing some form of proxy for the more interesting coins - otherwise the money I have paid for a life long dedicated webpage is sitting there ideal and no one is getting anything out of it. Where-as if I replace my missing geocoins with proxies, then I get the enjoyment of seeing people discover, log and move the proxy, and they get more game pieces in the game. Every one is winning.

 

I do understand the disappointment of finding a proxy, especially a poor one. That is why I will put a great deal of consideration into my proxies before I release them. And, I will clearly mark the item and it's page as being a proxy.

 

Maybe there needs to be a new setting added to the site for trackables that are now proxies?

Edited August 31, 2011 by keewee

[+GeocoinGuy]

<snip>

Tracking numbers have stories.... swag normally has mildew.

</snip>

Heh... that should be your new tagline!

 

~J