How do you feel about Geocoin Proxy's?

[+cmhall9]

This week I came across a geocoin proxy. Geocoins and travel bugs have been few and far between lately so I was excited even though it was just a proxy.

 

I have put my hands on several coins but only 2 proxy's. However with most coins over $10-15 I would proxy one if I ever purchased it with the intent on dropping it into a geocache.

 

Question: How do you feel about finding Geocoin Proxy's instead of the actual coin? And would you proxy your coin?

 

 

I placed this question on my Lowcountry Geocaching Facebook page yesterday and already got 20 comments. I figured it was a hot enough topic to post here.

[+scrapcat]

I was a little disappointed when I found my first one - it just doesn't feel right. The owner had sent it out because the original coin went missing. Since then, the proxy went missing.

 

Now that I've been doing it for awhile, lost a few myself, heard others losing theirs..... I'm much more accepting.

 

I do like it when people make an effort to make their proxy nice (laminated, clear images, clear tracking #, etc). Makes it a little more exciting,

[+Six Little Spookies]

Proxies are a good way for people to share icons and let the coin "travel", without having it stolen, lost, or otherwise disappear.

They are not as satisfying as the real thing, but given the rate at which they go missing proxies are an acceptable substitute.

Turn loose a couple dozen coins and you will soon understand the reason people send out proxies.

[+Murazor]

They are sometimes "Lesser Evil". Sigh...

[+Droo]

This topic comes up several times a year and sometimes it is very heated.

 

My feeling is that they are a fact of life just as the high loss frequency of coins is. If coins didn't disappear there'd be fewer proxies out there.

 

If you properly name your traveler as a proxy you can lessen the disappointment and frustration suffered by those who had their hearts set on finding the real deal. You might still get some hate mail but at least you did your part to forewarn the less tolerant in the crowd.

[+emcqc]

OK I'm new

I have a few coins and they will not be traveling.

Seen to many disappear.

What a shame...

Sign of the times I think, the "ENTITLEMENT AGE".

Everyone is not equal and everyone does not deserve everything for free.

RESPECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what everyone deserves, if they respect others............

Just my raving, I'll stop.

It is just a shame that some can ruin so many other peoples joy.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

As Droo mentioned, this topic comes up often. It's not often that I'll refer people to search old threads, but this one has a LONG history of being debated.

 

Search results for the word PROXY in the title.

 

There have been other terms used as well that return multiple results, too but at the moment I can't think of what they are.

[+howarthe]

I actually found a very nice proxy the other day. It was a color photocopy of the actual coin set inside a coin protector, so it actually looked and felt like a coin. I plan to get some of these and make some proxies before I send out my next coin. I'll send out my coin first, and then send out a proxy if it gets lost.

[+yawppy]

I actually found a very nice proxy the other day. It was a color photocopy of the actual coin set inside a coin protector, so it actually looked and felt like a coin. I plan to get some of these and make some proxies before I send out my next coin. I'll send out my coin first, and then send out a proxy if it gets lost.

 

I guess it is the sign of the times, tho seems to me Germany loves the trackable, one of mine is still floating around over there, no issues, and seems like I have found many a coin hailing from Germany.

 

Not really the topic, but, seems that if you want a good life from your trackable, either go Proxy, or drop it in germany.

 

I used to despise the proxy, but have come to learn to live with em. Actually there is a web based company, seen them at GWS, and the most recent at the NE Geobash, called GxProxy. WWW.GXPROXY.COM

 

Those feel nice, still not the same as the real McKoy, but they are fun to find, offer different designs etc, a worthy Proxy, think they go for bout 3-5 bucks.

 

But to finish , will say...like the real deal, but will live with a nice proxy.

[+Bear and Ragged]

I'd rather see the 'real thing' than a 'proxy' coin.

I'll make an effort for a proxy that has replaced a coin that has 'disappeared' but don't care too much for the "I can't be bothered/don't want to send out the real thing.

 

If the owner doesn't want to send it out I'd rather 'Discover' the coin at an event to get the icon.

[+cmhall9]

During the first weekend in August there will be a coin show at the Ladson, SC Fair Grounds.

Two years ago I went to one and asked some of the venders if they had seen anything like the geocoin I was showing them. Only one said they had a geocoin but it was a couple months earlier. I'm planning to go in August to see if anyone has come across any recently. It's a long shot but you never know.

[schattentanz]

 

I guess it is the sign of the times, tho seems to me Germany loves the trackable, one of mine is still floating around over there, no issues, and seems like I have found many a coin hailing from Germany.

 

Not really the topic, but, seems that if you want a good life from your trackable, either go Proxy, or drop it in germany.

 

 

The people here reeeally love coins. So much that they constantly get stolen, and fairly quickly, too. Some people log taking them from a cache, and never play again. Some sit for short few days in a cache, then are simply gone without anyone logging it. I´ve even seen fake drop-offs. When I looked at the geocoin map for my home area, I think all but a couple listed are gone.

 

Could just be the area, but I wouldn´t really want to test it.

[+Tennessee Jed]

I am afraid that some people who release proxies and keep the original coins will eventually sell the coins. That will probably lead to deletions of logs.

[+The Skylark Four]

Don't like 'em at all.

[+Mauison]

I'm "old school" so I prefer finding the real McCoy. If I find a proxy in a cache, I'll leave it there and won't discover it either. But this game of ours is "played" differently by others and I don't mind.

[GregsonVaux]

I've used this comparison before, but it is worth repeating.

 

It is like going to a restaurant to meet a girl for a date but instead of finding the real girl, there is an inflatable doll with a note saying, "I was afraid of getting hurt, so you can have dinner with this doll instead. She looks just like me so you will like her the same." If that happened to me, I would be disappointed and maybe a little bit angry.

 

My suggestion, put cheap coins in caches. When I first started caching, I bought sixty geocoins on eBay for a very low price from one person. With combined shipping, the total price for each coin was still very low. I released all of them and they are still traveling all over the world. I regularly get e-mails from every part of the globe. I now put the coins that I design into caches and many of the nicer ones go very far. There are some coins that I expected to go missing almost right away, but one is currently in Finland, another is in Israel, and another is in Germany. The geocoin market is pretty flooded, so I would expect it is possible, if not easy, to get less popular geocoins on eBay for almost nothing. On the other hand, the popular coins will still fetch a high price.

[+BlueDeuce]

Seems like an expensive hobby releasing coins.

[GregsonVaux]

Seems like an expensive hobby releasing coins.

 

It's not for everyone. However, I spent a little over $200 for my sixty coins, so it is really not that expensive. I've seen people spend that much on one night of drinking and I've also seen people spend that much on lottery tickets.

[+BlueDeuce]

Seems like an expensive hobby releasing coins.

 

It's not for everyone. However, I spent a little over $200 for my sixty coins, so it is really not that expensive. I've seen people spend that much on one night of drinking and I've also seen people spend that much on lottery tickets.

 

That's cool, as long as you don't complain about that fact you can't re-release your coin.

[Bench Mark]

I guess everyone is free to do as they please. As far as I know there's no rule against proxies.

 

That said. The whole idea of the trackable is to see how far an object can get in pursuit of a travelling goal. If you don't want to risk to lose a coin, then don't use a coin. Just buy a tracking code, print it, laminate it, and send it over to travel the world. So when people see that there's a trackable in a cache, they can know what to expect to find (a piece of laminated paper in this example).

 

If a coin is too expensive to risk, then one shouldn't buy it, at least not to use it as intended. You could collect it and let people discover it.

 

making people believe there's a coin somewhere and instead there's a piece of paper is lying. Yeah, it's just a game and the consequences are not that big (just making people lose their time, maybe), but in principle it's still lying. And makes the game less interesting.

 

But again, anyone's free to do whatever, but they are responsible for their actions.

[avroair]

There are people and vendors who make quality proxies out there so the excitement of the find can be experienced even if it isn't the actual coin.

[+Droo]

I find it interesting that much is said of the disappointment of finding a proxy and yet not finding a coin at all that is listed in the cache is perfectly okay. Huh????

 

How is that possible that folks can get in a rage over finding a note and a blow up doll, to use Gregson's analogy, than being blown off entirely on a first date?

[+Six Little Spookies]

I find it interesting that much is said of the disappointment of finding a proxy and yet not finding a coin at all that is listed in the cache is perfectly okay. Huh????

 

How is that possible that folks can get in a rage over finding a note and a blow up doll, to use Gregson's analogy, than being blown off entirely on a first date?

 

That's a good point Droo. It doesn't make much sense. Perhaps they soothe their disappointment by telling themselves someone must have come along just before they did and picked up the coin.

[+Ike 13]

I only buy coins I love. They go into my personal collection. I've realeased a few trackables that I have won in raffles and such and all but 1 has gone missing within the first 6 months. Would I rather find the actual coin? Yes. But I'm okay with finding nice proxies. I'm not a huge fan of the keychain type you pictured. The best proxy I have found was cut in the shape of the coin into a piece of wood with a nice laminated picture on both sides. It was also enlarged to about 3 times the original size.

[+The Blorenges]

 

Question: How do you feel about finding Geocoin Proxy's instead of the actual coin?

 

I'm quite happy to find and move a geocoin proxy - but I appreciate it if the owner includes the words Proxy/Copy/Not real geocoin or something similar in their name.

 

 

And would you proxy your coin?

 

Yes, I have put out several but only after the original geocoin has gone missing for at least a year.

 

 

MrsB

[+Droo]

I find it interesting that much is said of the disappointment of finding a proxy and yet not finding a coin at all that is listed in the cache is perfectly okay. Huh????

 

How is that possible that folks can get in a rage over finding a note and a blow up doll, to use Gregson's analogy, than being blown off entirely on a first date?

 

That's a good point Droo. It doesn't make much sense. Perhaps they soothe their disappointment by telling themselves someone must have come along just before they did and picked up the coin.

So, it's not the disappointment at not finding the real deal that is infuriating since finding nothing at all is perfectly acceptable.

[schattentanz]

 

So, it's not the disappointment at not finding the real deal that is infuriating since finding nothing at all is perfectly acceptable.

 

I always followed the idea that the more someone freaked out over a proxy, the more they wanted to liberate it from the game themself.

 

Though, I will say I agree that proxy should be written on coin pages when it´s not the real one.

 

Oh, and it has long since become a standard for me to not expect to find a coin in a cache after the first couple days. I understand it, and can live with that fact, but don´t find it really acceptable.

[+Six Little Spookies]

 

Oh, and it has long since become a standard for me to not expect to find a coin in a cache after the first couple days. I understand it, and can live with that fact, but don´t find it really acceptable.

 

Does it seem to any of the rest of you that cache owners are reluctant to mark trackables as missing? If I get a report that one of my caches doesn't have any trackables in it I'll boot out the ones listed.

It's been a while since I even checked all my listings to see if there's any coins that have been there for months. Those get booted too. Maybe I'll do that this afternoon...

[schattentanz]

 

Does it seem to any of the rest of you that cache owners are reluctant to mark trackables as missing? If I get a report that one of my caches doesn't have any trackables in it I'll boot out the ones listed.

It's been a while since I even checked all my listings to see if there's any coins that have been there for months. Those get booted too. Maybe I'll do that this afternoon...

 

I had somebody steal a trackable out of one of mine. The day after it was put in, I was checking the cache for a camo-dump, and it was gone from the box. I waited 2 weeks, marked it as missing, and contacted the owner with a list of who was there, and when, after it was dropped off.

 

Seems it didn´t help it come back, but atleast nobody runs to the cache looking for it, and complains in the logs.

[+cmhall9]

How do I feel?

 

My level of excitement when finding items in a Geocache from 1 - 10.

 

1) Empty cache when cache page says it should contain a geocoin or Travel Bug.

2) Empty cache big enough to hold items

3) Cache with swag

4) Cache with cool or very interesting swag

5) Cache with a Pathtag

6) Cache with a Proxy Geocoin or Travel Bug

7) Cache with a Travel Bug

8) Discovering a Travel Bug not listed to be in the cache

9) Cache with a Geocoin

10) Discovering a Geocoin not listed to be in the cache

 

 

[+Frozen Buns]

There are people and vendors who make quality proxies out there so the excitement of the find can be experienced even if it isn't the actual coin.

 

Thank you Avroair, well said. We spent 6 months at GxPROXY dot com to make sure we had a Proxy Disk (coin) that can be used in 2 ways One to replace a missing Geocoin as it belongs to the owner forever and is a "Member" of the family.

 

We also use them for those who would like to make a custom coin but can't afford to make a 100 of them. Since there is no minimum a person can have just one made like the Valedictorian coin made for a new graduate.

 

I agree that one of the best things about Geocaching is being able to play the game in which ever way a person is able. Some are about numbers, others the challenge, others the memories and on and on.

 

I just love to find trackables in the caches such as the days when I first started caching 7 years ago but realize not everyone has a "Parent" teaching them the proper way to handle trackables by moving them and not keeping them. With some having the tracking info on the edge they are even more likely to be kept as it is not clearly written that it is a trackable. Took me over 5 minutes of looking before I realized one coin I found was engraved on the edge.

 

In time new cachers will not even realize there was a time before Proxy Coins.

[+Kacher82]

Just buy a tracking code, print it, laminate it, and send it over to travel the world.

I didn't know you could "just buy a tracking code". Isn't there a minimum number you have to buy?

 

I don't mind proxies too much. Of course, I would rather see and handle the real thing, but I can certainly understand with some coins why you would not want to turn loose of it. One thing I do prefer is if the proxy is a photocopy of the real thing, and not just a piece of plastic with the tracking number on it. I like to at least see what the coin looks like.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

I've used this comparison before, but it is worth repeating.

 

It is like going to a restaurant to meet a girl for a date but instead of finding the real girl, there is an inflatable doll with a note saying, "I was afraid of getting hurt, so you can have dinner with this doll instead. She looks just like me so you will like her the same." If that happened to me, I would be disappointed and maybe a little bit angry.

 

I remember this one and it still makes me grin!

 

I think finding a geocoin marked as a geocoin in the description is awesome and the best scenario. I thinking finding a proxy coin marked as a proxy in the description is just fine regardless of why the owner chose to use it. I think finding a proxy in a cache when it's described as the real deal a bit disappointing, but still pretty cool to find a trackable to move along. In the end, all these trackable coins are just that... agents made for traveling. Reviving, restoring or replacing over time is just part of the game and we all get to play it our way.

 

I have to say, the only thing that really makes me angry is hearing people voice that they will deliberately destroy any proxy for any reason. It's no better than deliberate theft of a coin and in my book worse because they're doing it to be vindictive and ruining something that has potential to add fun and excitement to another cacher's day. And hey, trackables is supposed to be about fun in the end right?

[+nevadanick]

Proxy travelers should be identified as proxies. My SO, the geocoin addict, has proxied numerous coins and they all have (proxy) or (proxied) in the title. As the price of buying coins rises, releasing the 'real deal' becomes less likely.

 

There are steps that have been recommended like drilling a hole in the coin. I find no appeal in defacing a coin before it is released. We'll stick with proxies for unaccompanied travelers and share those 'real deals' at events.

 

The other alternative is to never send out anything but TB's. Even TB's have great difficulty surviving the various elements of geocaching.

[+BeorntheViking]

I bought two geocoins of the same type. One I was going to keep for myself and the other I was going to place in the first cache I find.

 

I did just that. The coin I placed disappeared from that cache and is now marked missing. I was disappointed but not overly so as I have read the forums and the one HUGE guideline/rule/suggestion I have seen throughout is "Don't put anything out there you are too attached to."

 

So I have another coin of the same type....and as much as I like the coin I can always buy another as it was not too expensive. I plan on putting that one out and seeing what happens with that one. Sucker for punishment? Maybe..I just would kinda like to have one coin travel.

 

Guess my point is...Geocoin, geocoin proxy, travel bug...whatever...just keep having fun placing them out and watching their travels.

I know I am new and all but I am having a great deal of fun geocaching and setting up trackables. Hell I just bought some new tags to send out and I plan on getting some more coins as well.

[+BlueDeuce]

Guess my point is...Geocoin, geocoin proxy, travel bug...whatever...just keep having fun placing them out and watching their travels.

 

Let me tell you something, when you lose a travel bug you can re-release and change the name, photo, mission, and attached-traveler (as long as you don't remove the logs of the people who assisted your bug).

 

Coins? People don't want to find anything other than the real thing.

 

Consider that when deciding to release or re-release a traveler.

 

 

bd

Edited June 15, 2013 by BlueDeuce

[+BeorntheViking]

Guess my point is...Geocoin, geocoin proxy, travel bug...whatever...just keep having fun placing them out and watching their travels.

 

Let me tell you something, when you lose a travel bug you can re-release and change the name, photo, mission, and attached-traveler (as long as you don't remove the logs of the people who assisted your bug).

 

Coins? People don't want to find anything other than the real thing.

 

Consider that when deciding to release or re-release a traveler.

 

 

bd

 

Oh I know you can re-release with the copy tag, I have mine sitting in a binder and the names of what they originally were...but being new to the game I figure I won't be re-releasing anything for a few years.

 

As for the coins...no doubt that people would rather find the real thing. I plan on releasing coins, not proxies, and enjoying watching how far they go.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Guess my point is...Geocoin, geocoin proxy, travel bug...whatever...just keep having fun placing them out and watching their travels.

 

Let me tell you something... People don't want to find anything other than the real thing.

 

Consider that when deciding to release or re-release a traveler.

 

bd

 

Unless I missed something here, it looks like most of the people in this thread don't have a problem with it when they're clearly marked. I'm "people" and I like them both so please don't speak for the rest of us. We're quite capable and fine with speaking for ourselves.

 

I am curious as to why you consider it completely normal to send out a TB marked clearly as copy of the original, but not a coin. They're both impressed pieces of metal with a design on them. They both look similar although one is clearly marked as a copy. I've even seen hundreds over the years without any metal tag at all, but with only a code inscribed, written or marked on it and all these seem to be fine, too. Why is this completely normal and accepted for every Traveler except coins in your opinion?

[+BlueDeuce]

Guess my point is...Geocoin, geocoin proxy, travel bug...whatever...just keep having fun placing them out and watching their travels.

 

Let me tell you something... People don't want to find anything other than the real thing.

 

Consider that when deciding to release or re-release a traveler.

 

bd

 

Unless I missed something here, it looks like most of the people in this thread don't have a problem with it when they're clearly marked. I'm "people" and I like them both so please don't speak for the rest of us. We're quite capable and fine with speaking for ourselves.

 

I am curious as to why you consider it completely normal to send out a TB marked clearly as copy of the original, but not a coin. They're both impressed pieces of metal with a design on them. They both look similar although one is clearly marked as a copy. I've even seen hundreds over the years without any metal tag at all, but with only a code inscribed, written or marked on it and all these seem to be fine, too. Why is this completely normal and accepted for every Traveler except coins in your opinion?

 

You don't need to mark a TB as a copy and even if you did, no one would care. It's just something you picked up.

 

Not a real coin is ok? I know who's posted before. How about they step up and tell me I'm wrong?

 

bd

Edited June 25, 2013 by BlueDeuce

[+BlueDeuce]

Guess my point is...Geocoin, geocoin proxy, travel bug...whatever...just keep having fun placing them out and watching their travels.

 

Let me tell you something... People don't want to find anything other than the real thing.

 

Consider that when deciding to release or re-release a traveler.

 

bd

 

Unless I missed something here, it looks like most of the people in this thread don't have a problem with it when they're clearly marked. I'm "people" and I like them both so please don't speak for the rest of us. We're quite capable and fine with speaking for ourselves.

 

I am curious as to why you consider it completely normal to send out a TB marked clearly as copy of the original, but not a coin. They're both impressed pieces of metal with a design on them. They both look similar although one is clearly marked as a copy. I've even seen hundreds over the years without any metal tag at all, but with only a code inscribed, written or marked on it and all these seem to be fine, too. Why is this completely normal and accepted for every Traveler except coins in your opinion?

 

You don't need to mark a TB as a copy and even if you did, no one would care. It's just something you picked up.

 

Not a real coin is ok? I know who's posted before. How about they step up and tell me I'm wrong.

Edited June 25, 2013 by BlueDeuce

[+mizdirection]

I have earned or been given most of my coins, marbles, etc. They are special to me and as a newbie cacher I have already had 5-6 of them gone missing. To the old school cachers, who only like to find the REAL thing, why should I entrust something special to me to the "ignorance" of other cachers. By "ignorance", I mean cachers who see something bright and pretty and decide to keep it. Some may know what it is, others are just ignorant and that they think they can keep it. Now that I have many lost coins and trackables, I will gladly put out proxies, if you wish to discover the real thing, let me know! My special coins are now staying safely with me and can be discovered at any event I attend.

[+Kealia]

My take on this is that if you don't want to send out the real thing, don't send out anything at all. I've sent out hundreds of trackables over the years and I've had many go missing. It's part of the game/risk to me. Seeing the logs on real coins is great, but I have yet to see anybody 'excited' about finding a proxy.

 

To me, it's like going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa only to find that they've replaced it with a copy because they were afraid somebody would steal or damage it. It's just not the same.

[+nevadanick]

My take on this is that if you don't want to send out the real thing, don't send out anything at all. I've sent out hundreds of trackables over the years and I've had many go missing. It's part of the game/risk to me. Seeing the logs on real coins is great, but I have yet to see anybody 'excited' about finding a proxy.

 

To me, it's like going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa only to find that they've replaced it with a copy because they were afraid somebody would steal or damage it. It's just not the same.

 

If caches, caching and geocoins had the same security as the Louvre, I would expect to find the real deal on display.

 

I could well imagine what the lifespan of the Mona Lisa would be if they left the doors to the Louvre open 24/7 ... unguarded ...

[+mo pirate]

My take on this is that if you don't want to send out the real thing, don't send out anything at all. I've sent out hundreds of trackables over the years and I've had many go missing. It's part of the game/risk to me. Seeing the logs on real coins is great, but I have yet to see anybody 'excited' about finding a proxy.

 

To me, it's like going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa only to find that they've replaced it with a copy because they were afraid somebody would steal or damage it. It's just not the same.

 

If caches, caching and geocoins had the same security as the Louvre, I would expect to find the real deal on display.

 

I could well imagine what the lifespan of the Mona Lisa would be if they left the doors to the Louvre open 24/7 ... unguarded ...

 

I think of some of my trackables as Mona Lisa's and apparently someone else did too. I have been looking thru my hundred or so MIA geocoins and travelbugs and see many were last picked up by newbies who had 5-10 finds. It may have been their first or second traveller. Anyhow, I know my "Going Postal" was a mail Jeep Hotwheel vehicle and it was chained to the dog tag. Why do I get this feeling that the kids of the newbies wanted it in the new fun game of treasure hunting and the parents said OK???? I am learning what not to do. I am seriously thinking of placing proxy replacements out for these 100 or so that have been missing for a year or more just to see how long the replacement proxy lasts. It will be a good experiment! I will update later.

[+Kealia]

My take on this is that if you don't want to send out the real thing, don't send out anything at all. I've sent out hundreds of trackables over the years and I've had many go missing. It's part of the game/risk to me. Seeing the logs on real coins is great, but I have yet to see anybody 'excited' about finding a proxy.

 

To me, it's like going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa only to find that they've replaced it with a copy because they were afraid somebody would steal or damage it. It's just not the same.

 

If caches, caching and geocoins had the same security as the Louvre, I would expect to find the real deal on display.

 

I could well imagine what the lifespan of the Mona Lisa would be if they left the doors to the Louvre open 24/7 ... unguarded ...

 

Touche!

You think it would last longer if we attached a TB tag to it and set it free?

[+nevadanick]

My take on this is that if you don't want to send out the real thing, don't send out anything at all. I've sent out hundreds of trackables over the years and I've had many go missing. It's part of the game/risk to me. Seeing the logs on real coins is great, but I have yet to see anybody 'excited' about finding a proxy.

 

To me, it's like going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa only to find that they've replaced it with a copy because they were afraid somebody would steal or damage it. It's just not the same.

 

If caches, caching and geocoins had the same security as the Louvre, I would expect to find the real deal on display.

 

I could well imagine what the lifespan of the Mona Lisa would be if they left the doors to the Louvre open 24/7 ... unguarded ...

 

Touche!

You think it would last longer if we attached a TB tag to it and set it free?

 

It could very well last a while ... I think everyone would 'assume' it was a copy ...

 

Then we'd have to find caches large enough to hide it in ...

 

------------------

 

I really do understand what some folks are saying about fakes and copies ... That's why we always put "proxy traveling" in the title. This allows anyone who doesn't want to see a proxy to avoid going to find it. For proxies, we also use only the real coin type proxy coins. I do have to agree that a paper picture just doesn't do it. Complicating the problem is the increasing color, size and detail (and price) of the newer coins. Suncatchers, Swarovski stones, glow finishes, shapes ... all good reasons that fewer coins can survive the wild.

 

One advantage that proxies do provide, imo, is that with the growing number of new cachers who have no clue that 'geocoins' exist, where and how to get them, and what to do with them. I would like to think that exposing them to a different aspect of caching might create a few new coin collectors.

[+Nocturnx]

As someone who just started geocaching within the last couple weeks, I am trying to understand the whole geocoin thing. I have very few finds and have not seen any geocoins yet, but I would be ecstatic to find any trackable at all, geocoin, proxy, TB, anything! So far I've mostly just seen junk (band-aids and cracked seashells), I don't bother to move that stuff.

 

I thought about buying a geocoin and setting it free until I saw all the collectors/traders/sellers in the forums here and on ebay with collections of 400-600+ coins. This makes me think if I were to set one free it would just get scooped up very quickly by a collector or seller because they are so popular. And spending $10-$15 a piece just for them to end up in someone else's collection or on ebay... forget that.

 

As a newbie I would probably opt for just creating a proxy and holding on to the real coin and save myself the disappointment of seeing it disappear. Or maybe buy just the tracking code and stamp it to something else. The current environment is very discouraging and makes it very unlikely for someone new to the hobby to release more than a couple coins or any at all. I would never keep a coin and would always help a trackable along to its objective but unfortunately it seems there are too many others out there that would just keep them. I will probably get flamed but this is just my perspective as someone just starting out.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Nocturnx

[+Bartians]

As someone who just started geocaching within the last couple weeks, I am trying to understand the whole geocoin thing. I have very few finds and have not seen any geocoins yet, but I would be ecstatic to find any trackable at all, geocoin, proxy, TB, anything! So far I've mostly just seen junk (band-aids and cracked seashells), I don't bother to move that stuff.

 

I thought about buying a geocoin and setting it free until I saw all the collectors/traders/sellers in the forums here and on ebay with collections of 400-600+ coins. This makes me think if I were to set one free it would just get scooped up very quickly by a collector or seller because they are so popular. And spending $10-$15 a piece just for them to end up in someone else's collection or on ebay... forget that.

 

As a newbie I would probably opt for just creating a proxy and holding on to the real coin and save myself the disappointment of seeing it disappear. Or maybe buy just the tracking code and stamp it to something else. The current environment is very discouraging and makes it very unlikely for someone new to the hobby to release more than a couple coins or any at all. I would never keep a coin and would always help a trackable along to its objective but unfortunately it seems there are too many others out there that would just keep them. I will probably get flamed but this is just my perspective as someone just starting out.

No need to be flamed when you're new and don't understand what's happening. The "collectors" here in the forum do not collect/steal geocoins from caches for their own keeping. They purchase coins that aren't circulated in caches. We buy coins that catch our fancy from retailers or from other collectors like ourselves who no longer want the coin. Sometimes we trade coins with other collectors also, kind of like baseball cards. Some people keep their coins unactivated while others activate their coins so as to get the icon in their cache page and also allow them to let others discover/log the coin. Activating coins devalues them in many peoples minds. Look for other threads on this topic. If you have a coin and decide to free it and let it travel from cache to cache, you must be prepared for the coin to disappear for a multitude of reasons, most not being nefarious. Check other threads for this topic. For these reasons and the pricing of geocoins, most people do not let go of expensive coins. However, proxy releases are another option. Just remember, collectors that you're speaking of do not take coins from caches.

 

Good luck with your new hobby. Coins are a bit like Lay's potato chips. A little difficult to stop once you start.

[+Nocturnx]

Bartians, thank you for the explanation. I think I will place my first geocoin order

[rickctroop13]

Proxy travelers should be identified as proxies. My SO, the geocoin addict, has proxied numerous coins and they all have (proxy) or (proxied) in the title. As the price of buying coins rises, releasing the 'real deal' becomes less likely.

 

There are steps that have been recommended like drilling a hole in the coin. I find no appeal in defacing a coin before it is released. We'll stick with proxies for unaccompanied travelers and share those 'real deals' at events.

 

The other alternative is to never send out anything but TB's. Even TB's have great difficulty surviving the various elements of geocaching.

Agree. How long would this last if released?:

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=2077645

This way others can 'collect' the icon and the coin will not be 'collected'.

I've 'evolved' with proxies over the years, getting copy-cat tags and affixing to a related token