Signature things to leave at a cache?

[DSchulten88]

Soo I've just spent my first day catching. Yesterday March 18th with my wife and 6 year old daughter. Many of the caches we found (7 found, and 2 DNF's) most were just logs but a few actually had trinkets.. one had a traceable coin but I didn't take it cause I'm not sure exactly what to do with it (please fill me in) but as far as leaving something (because the 6 year old really enjoyed our new hobby and wanted to take something from the caches) but I let her know we couldn't because we didn't have anything to leave. So my question is what would people like to find at caches? I looked up how to make paracord zipper pulls/keychains, etc.. last night and was thinking this would be a cool, small, light, geocacher/hiker/backpacker/camper item to find.. Although not having much in the way of monetary value.. anyone think this is a good idea to leave at a cache? I would just be leaving them, I'm yet to find a cache with anything inside that I would take. What are common things other than stickers, small toys, etc left at caches?

 

Thanks in advance, and happy hunting.

Edited March 19, 2012 by DSchulten88

[+Lieblweb]

Soo I've just spent my first day catching. Yesterday March 18th with my wife and 6 year old daughter. Many of the caches we found (7 found, and 2 DNF's) most were just logs but a few actually had trinkets.. one had a traceable coin but I didn't take it cause I'm not sure exactly what to do with it (please fill me in) but as far as leaving something (because the 6 year old really enjoyed our new hobby and wanted to take something from the caches) but I let her know we couldn't because we didn't have anything to leave. So my question is what would people like to find at caches? I looked up how to make paracord zipper pulls/keychains, etc.. last night and was thinking this would be a cool, small, light, geocacher/hiker/backpacker/camper item to find.. Although not having much in the way of monetary value.. anyone think this is a good idea to leave at a cache? I would just be leaving them, I'm yet to find a cache with anything inside that I would take. What are common things other than stickers, small toys, etc left at caches?

 

Thanks in advance, and happy hunting.

 

We never trade items - but I can understand that kids enjoy that kinda stuff. Just make sure - whatever you take, gets CLEANED OFF before the kids play with it. A lot of swag that's been sitting in caches, gets wet & dirty, and god knows what else......just be careful.

 

Go to a party store - and pick up some of the little 25cent trinkets that you get for kids birthday parties.

 

Save the 'more expensive' swag for caches that have nicer swag inside OR save it for hiding your own caches and *first to find* prizes.

[+L0ne.R]

I looked up how to make paracord zipper pulls/keychains, etc.. last night and was thinking this would be a cool, small, light, geocacher/hiker/backpacker/camper item to find.

 

Absolutely cool. I would definitely trade for it. Check out my geoswag blog for inspiration (I've posted a photo of a paracord bracelet I found in a cache) the link is in my signature at the bottom of this post.

[+StarBrand]

I stock my caches with and trade with:

 

• matchbox cars
  
• deck of playing cards
  
• screwdrivers (from a large package)
  
• rubber ducks
  
• foriegn coins
  
• small calculators
  
• packets of stickers
  
• sticky pads
  
• small coloring books
  
• mini beanie animals
  
• new (in package) kids meal toys
  
• misc dollar store items
  

 

The value is generally from about 25 cents to 3 dollars. I also carry a few higher value items for the rare moments I see some high value trade items (digital watch, nice compass). I also leave one of my signature golf pencils.

 

We find decent enough trades in about 50% of caches that are larger than micro. Its an important part of caching for my kids.

 

Oriental trading has some great low cost items - I pickup stuff from their bargain area sometimes.

[+niraD]

There have been a number of threads discussing signature items, including:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=285354

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=195885

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=250224

[+DragonsWest]

I keep finding these niraD things. Crunchy, not much tast.

[+Hasty Javelinas]

I've been leaving paracord keychains and bracelets as our sig item. One keychain can be made with as little as 3' of cord, and made quickly too.

[jholly]

I keep finding these niraD things. Crunchy, not much tast.

With a comment like that it is obvious I will need to spend more time caching in your neck of the woods.

[+niraD]

I keep finding these niraD things. Crunchy, not much tast.

Well, some candy is made with the same basic cane technique I use for my polymer clay sig tokens. But you really shouldn't eat the sig tokens...

[+FolsomNatural]

The number 1 favorite things (from feedback) that I get is that I leave small packets of

thick 4-mil plastic bags that can be used to protect logs from water damage.

In my area, more than half the logs in caches get wet due to flimsy plastic bags falling apart.

 

You can buy 4-mil or even 6-mil think plastic bags on the internet - packs of 100

for just a few dollars.

 

I bought several different sizes, but the 1-inch by 2-inch seem most popular.

 

At the same time I keep a supply of the smallest bags including a clean, dry

empty log for those cases where the log is full. Cache owners seem to love it.

 

I also buy foreign coins from a coin dealer; they are cheap and you can buy

the by the pound, and they fit in even the smaller caches.

 

My 2-cents worth.

[+DragonsWest]

I keep finding these niraD things. Crunchy, not much tast.

Well, some candy is made with the same basic cane technique I use for my polymer clay sig tokens. But you really shouldn't eat the sig tokens...

There are days when you've been on the trail so long even log books look tempting.

[+USMCGecko]

I have a signature coin I make out of clay. I use different colors and designs with a plastic insert that carries my Geocaching moniker and other identifiers. I then put them in a small plastic bag so they don't get messed up too bad. I like signature items.

[+Wolfiesden]

The FIRST cache item I found, I kept. Its a wooden nickel from a member here.

 

I so liked the idea I asked where he had them made and am thinking of getting some made myself.

I hope its ok to post the link:

http://www.wooden-nickel.com/

(I don't work for them nor have I purchased anything from them, yet)

 

For me, I hit American Science and Surplus and scooped up things like "Panic" buttons and inexpensive beaner keychains and fingernail sized compasses for cheap to get started with. I picked up a couple tins of bacon bandages and put a couple bandages and an alcohol swab in tiny bags as a micro first aid kit. Thought the bacon bandages would be a fun item for kids. I am looking into getting a batch of pathtags made with my design on it. I also grabbed a bag of Disney collectible pins (duplicates, I have lots of duplicates) from my Disney pin collection and have been dropping them in caches as I suspect both adults and kids can appreciate those. One hobby begets another eh? So far, I have been adding to caches far more than I am taking out and I am ok with that. I am having fun with my granddaughters so that is my reward.

 

I love the heavy plastic bag idea! Same for the extra logs too. These help the cache but don't appeal to the kids. Still, something good to have along in the pouch, thanks for the idea. Got a url where to get the bags?

[+DragonsWest]

I keep thinking about having a sig item, but it's gotta be small and cheap. Ceramic sounds ideal, if I could find someone willing to let me fire a few hundred button-sized chips at a time. I've seen Japanese and German coins made of clay during difficult economic times and they seem to hold up well. Also seen and still have a couple Thai gambling tokens, which are very, very cool. Something like either would be pretty nice.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

I've started painting stones with native wildlife. It fits (forest preserve!) and is cheap, and I hope cool enough that people will enjoy finding them. I've done a couple of tiny ones with just designs, which is easy enough to do with a bit of acrylic paint.

[+USMCGecko]

I've started painting stones with native wildlife. It fits (forest preserve!) and is cheap, and I hope cool enough that people will enjoy finding them. I've done a couple of tiny ones with just designs, which is easy enough to do with a bit of acrylic paint.

 

Those are nice. Unfortunately I do not have the same artistic ability. People would probably throw something out that I tried to paint.

[+ColoradoTrekker]

I've started painting stones with native wildlife. It fits (forest preserve!) and is cheap, and I hope cool enough that people will enjoy finding them. I've done a couple of tiny ones with just designs, which is easy enough to do with a bit of acrylic paint.

 

Wow, these are great! I would love to find something like this in a cache! The only problem would be figuring out how to trade up or trade even...

[+Fianccetto]

I've started painting stones with native wildlife. It fits (forest preserve!) and is cheap, and I hope cool enough that people will enjoy finding them. I've done a couple of tiny ones with just designs, which is easy enough to do with a bit of acrylic paint.

 

Those are nice. Unfortunately I do not have the same artistic ability. People would probably throw something out that I tried to paint.

Other ideas...buy or make a small stamp (the type used for printing) and use it to press into a polymer clay shape with a side hole for some cord. Half bake the clay and then fill in the indentation with a contrasting colour. Bake again.

 

With '88' in the OP's name, the thing that came to mine was to buy lots of small bouncy balls, and write your caching name, or just 88 on them.

[+Snoogans]

I would just be leaving them, I'm yet to find a cache with anything inside that I would take. What are common things other than stickers, small toys, etc left at caches?

 

Thanks in advance, and happy hunting.

 

I mostly leave stuff too. If I actually take something it usually (but not always) winds up in another cache down the road or gets a new life as a travel bug.

 

It's been a few years since I reposted this. It's a brief history of my signature items.

 

I'm trying to come up with a signature item for my girls and I to start leaving in caches. I'd like to hear what some of the rest of you leave. Not with the intention of copying of course, just for some inspiration.

 

Thanks

 

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Lots of people have similar sigs.

 

I'm not the first or the only person to do a smashed penny sig:

What's your signature item?

 

I started CHEAP with smiley face maze party favors that were 8 for a buck. I also put something glow-in-the-dark in any cache I did at night. I got a couple bags of glow dinos for $5 and I still have some nearly 6 years later.

 

Next I did red tiger's eye. I found a guy that sold it fo $8 a lb and I bought 10 pounds. I still have a few ounces left.

 

These are my new siggy:

 

My favorite sig coin is the 2 peso piece. These will be rare and given away as an extreme compliment to whomever receives one.

 

 

A Bahamian Coin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The die for this coin was damaged at the factory and has already been replaced.

 

 

continued

Edited March 26, 2012 by Snoogans

[+Snoogans]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[+Snoogans]

Here is a sample of what I pressed for GW6

 

I traded this one to TethysC for one of his awesome ammonite coins:

 

There are about 20 more pics right here. And dozens more pics on my geocaching.com and myspace profiles.

[+USMCGecko]

OK, so I been slowly refining my technique. Doesn't look nearly as bad as the last set. UGH.

 

I'm still perfecting my technique. But I have come a little further.

 

FRONT

 

BACK

 

It wasn't until AFTER I made a few of these, that I realized that my cookie cutter, WASN'T ACTUALLY ROUND!!

 

I've started making some new ones with a new design in the middle. I'll post pics when I can.

[+VeeRich]

Wow those are really cool! I don't have a *signature* item yet BUT I do have a collection of tiny sandwiches, hot dogs, and french fries I like to leave behind. I've been making it a habit to take animals as much as I can.

 

Somewhere I read that you should trade items that you would like to find yourself - something you would want to take and put in your pocket!

 

Also my friend told me that putting money inside of caches is dumb and if she ever finds US currency inside of a cache she thinks it's fair grounds to just take it. Is this fair?

[+VeeRich]

I've also been "collecting" ideas for SWAG on my pinterest board. Going along with the PP idea of painting on rocks (by the way those are beautiful! I would love to find one in a caache!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've also recently taken a liking to the idea of "micro" SWAG

 

[+OHail]

Also my friend told me that putting money inside of caches is dumb and if she ever finds US currency inside of a cache she thinks it's fair grounds to just take it. Is this fair?

 

If she trades up or even.

 

The only times I consider taking the currency are if it is a FTF prize or marked as trackable on another site.

[+niraD]

Also my friend told me that putting money inside of caches is dumb and if she ever finds US currency inside of a cache she thinks it's fair grounds to just take it. Is this fair?

Taking currency is fair, as long as you trade up or trade even.

[+Wolfiesden]

I'm not the first or the only person to do a smashed penny sig:

 

My favorite sig coin is the 2 peso piece. These will be rare and given away as an extreme compliment to whomever receives one.

 

 

Ok, how/where did you get that done? Do you have a machine yourself or contract out?

[+Snoogans]

I'm not the first or the only person to do a smashed penny sig:

 

My favorite sig coin is the 2 peso piece. These will be rare and given away as an extreme compliment to whomever receives one.

 

 

Ok, how/where did you get that done? Do you have a machine yourself or contract out?

I have my own machine and 12 dies.

[+DragonsWest]

Looked up the prices on these machines and they're rather expensive. How'd you manage to lay your hands one one? Liquidation sale somewhere?

[+Wolfiesden]

Yea, same question. Where? The cheapest I could find was $900. And where do you get dies made?

[+Snoogans]

Yea, same question. Where? The cheapest I could find was $900. And where do you get dies made?

If you can find one for 900 then buy it. I bet it's already sold.

[+Snoogans]

Looked up the prices on these machines and they're rather expensive. How'd you manage to lay your hands one one? Liquidation sale somewhere?

Nope. No sale. It was rather spendy.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

I've also been "collecting" ideas for SWAG on my pinterest board. Going along with the PP idea of painting on rocks (by the way those are beautiful! I would love to find one in a caache!)

 

[images snipped in reply to save space]

 

I've also recently taken a liking to the idea of "micro" SWAG

 

 

I got the idea from pinterest! I figure, hey--rocks are free and I can paint! I think anyone with the ability to hold a brush can do cute things like those! (And thank you--I feel like they're more personal than general swag, though I love finding wooden nickels!)

 

Love the micro swag! Maybe a trip to Dick Blick's is in order...I know they have a lot of items like that.

[+justinsm]

I make 'recycled circuit-board' keychains. I basically demolish old electronic devices, and cut up their circuit boards, drill them, and put a keyring through them. I don't trade them for anything...just leave them in caches

[+Snoogans]

I make 'recycled circuit-board' keychains. I basically demolish old electronic devices, and cut up their circuit boards, drill them, and put a keyring through them. I don't trade them for anything...just leave them in caches

 

I like stuff made from old technology. I have coasters, keychains, and a business card holder made with old motherboard in my office.

 

There are lots of things you can make if you have the skill and material to do it. I would love to find this stuff in a cache.

[+justinsm]

I make 'recycled circuit-board' keychains. I basically demolish old electronic devices, and cut up their circuit boards, drill them, and put a keyring through them. I don't trade them for anything...just leave them in caches

 

I like stuff made from old technology. I have coasters, keychains, and a business card holder made with old motherboard in my office.

 

There are lots of things you can make if you have the skill and material to do it. I would love to find this stuff in a cache.

 

that site has some cool stuff

 

there is also a cacher around here who folds origami and leaves it in caches. they also have a puzzle cache where you have to fold a pagoda in order to get the coordinates

[+firestronaut]

All these are really cool!

I'm still looking for inspiration on a signature items.

The painted pebbles are really awesome and obviously won't cost the earth! ( see whut I did thurrr? )

[+VegasVern]

Soo I've just spent my first day catching. Yesterday March 18th with my wife and 6 year old daughter. Many of the caches we found (7 found, and 2 DNF's) most were just logs but a few actually had trinkets.. one had a traceable coin but I didn't take it cause I'm not sure exactly what to do with it (please fill me in) but as far as leaving something (because the 6 year old really enjoyed our new hobby and wanted to take something from the caches) but I let her know we couldn't because we didn't have anything to leave. So my question is what would people like to find at caches? I looked up how to make paracord zipper pulls/keychains, etc.. last night and was thinking this would be a cool, small, light, geocacher/hiker/backpacker/camper item to find.. Although not having much in the way of monetary value.. anyone think this is a good idea to leave at a cache? I would just be leaving them, I'm yet to find a cache with anything inside that I would take. What are common things other than stickers, small toys, etc left at caches?

 

Thanks in advance, and happy hunting.

 

I think you need to leave some kind of swag that speaks about who you are as an individual.

 

I am a Craps Dealer in Vegas, so I leave either a single dice or a clay chip.

[+oxford comma]

I usually make little geo- emergency kits with several+ of the following: bandaids in different sizes, antibacterial wipes, instant towels , little bottles of antibacterial gel, mechanical pencils, I've also made little hand painted stones, plus the general stuff like glo sticks, carabiners, princess bracelets, little containers of hair clips , and I also just found some 3" wide rainbow straps that are supposed to be to strap your luggage closed , but can be used for gear, or a belt .

check

out your local discount stores, surplus stores, and unclaimed freight stores. there is one of the latter right close to my work so I stop in a lot and find cool stuff for under a buck. I also carry several "nicer items" in my pack so I can still trade up accordingly.

[+thesmurfinator]

Our little team has a few different items that we make as sig items: Bookmarks, keychains, bracelets, magnets etc.

You can see some of them on our blog - it's still new so they are not all on there yet:

Team Fat Dog Blog

 

I think it is really nice to find something that is handmade and I hope most people who find our items do to.

I don't have much artistic talent either - you just need to find something you can do. I make the designs for our bookmarks in photos shop then print them out and laminate them, then I use a hole punch and thread some beads onto a string and tie it on. they usually come out quite well...

[knowschad]

Apparently somebody is leaving a signature item that isn't too popular with the cachers in the area: