How do you feel about Geocoin Proxy's?

[rickctroop13]

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.

 

You can buy a coin (or even a TB if you don't care what icon finders get) and have that number put on a proxy,copy cat, or any of a number of 'use your own number' options. Most of these places will allow you to 'personalize' a stock generic coin with one of the numbers they get in bulk (ie GXProxy).

Edited March 31, 2014 by rickctroop13

[+SirDonB]

I own quite a few coins and tags... I must say, that after reading numerous threads here before buying my first coin, I decided on only sending out proxies of them. The proxies I make are a laminated full sized color picture of both sides of the coin. I try to cut it out as close to the actual shape of the coin as I can with a second tag attached saying its mission along with a clearly readable tracking number.

 

I have sent out few proxies of my coins that were bought with the intent to travel. I will support those that want to send them out, and I will support those who want to send out the real thing. Any trackable is becoming rarer in general, so I don't really care if it is the real deal or a proxy, if it marked as a proxy or not, I am just happy to find and move on a trackable in my area.

 

The only disappointment I had was a SIG item that had a tracking number on it. I thought it was a trackable and went to log it. Upon finding the tracking page, I learned it was not a coin as I thought, but a sig item instead. So finder be warned, not everything you find will be a trackable or proxy, you may have found something else with a tracking number on it.

[+Douce Us 5]

How do you feel about sending out a nicely done laminated card with a picture of your TB or GeoCoin with all the info on it instead of the actual TB or Coin?

 

The other day I picked up a trackable GeoCoin in a cache, but instead of the actual coin it was a laminated card with the picture of the coin and all the info on it for tracking it, and it's goal / mission. I personally had no problem with it because I have a dozen or so trackables out in the wild that I haven't heard from for about a year, as I'm sure most of you do. It's frustrating! Just wondering if this is an acceptable practice by the geocaching community.

 

Cant wait to hear what you all have to say....

 

Thanks,

 

Douce Us 5

[+nevadanick]

There's been several ongoing threads on this subject for a log time.

 

Here's one of them ... >> http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=299049

[+Douce Us 5]

There's been several ongoing threads on this subject for a log time.

 

Here's one of them ... >> http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=299049

 

AWESOME!! Thanks. I didn't know they were called "proxies", that's why I couldn't find anything on it.

[+Droo]

Totally acceptable. Just call it, or I should say name it for what it is ... a proxy. So long as you include the word "Proxy" in the name all is fair in love and war. The laminated card haters can't hate you too for making them hike 20 miles in the mud and snow and ice in a blizzard with cranky children in tow just for a laminated card.

[+Mudfrog]

How do you feel about sending out a nicely done laminated card with a picture of your TB or GeoCoin with all the info on it instead of the actual TB or Coin?

 

The other day I picked up a trackable GeoCoin in a cache, but instead of the actual coin it was a laminated card with the picture of the coin and all the info on it for tracking it, and it's goal / mission. I personally had no problem with it because I have a dozen or so trackables out in the wild that I haven't heard from for about a year, as I'm sure most of you do. It's frustrating! Just wondering if this is an acceptable practice by the geocaching community.

 

Cant wait to hear what you all have to say....

 

Thanks,

 

Douce Us 5

 

I guess i understand why TB owners do it but personally, it's something i don't care to run across. Getting to hold, look at, and move the actual trackable is the whole point. Seeing a cheap copy on paper is not the same and i won't bother with it.

 

That being said, i've seen a few of these false trackables in my travels so i'm guessing that it's acceptable.

[+Eartha]

Combining duplicate threads.

[+hofy67]

We have several geocoins out there. Some have gone missing. We have also had some go missing for over 2 years that just start moving again. So for missing coins we do not proxy.

Most new coins we release are originals. However once in a while between cost and a coin that means something to us we release a proxy. GXProxy does a great job with their event proxy coins. This is the one for Cache Bash V. Original on the left and laser etched proxy on the right. Our proxy for Cache Bash VI has over 6500 miles on it and is always moving.

 

[+bisonbill and pirate annie]

I have over 93 trackables that I have placed in different geocaches over the last 12 years and 51 of them are lost due to some action. There may be more but I am not counting the ones that were last reported in 2015. I am being forced to get into the Proxy business as I cannot afford to lose that many geocoins and travel bugs. The issue for me is that I do not know how to go about doing the Proxy. Maybe it is real simple but I need it to be simple because I am challenged by difficult projects and instructions.

Bisonbill and Pirate Annie

[+cerberus1]

I have over 93 trackables that I have placed in different geocaches over the last 12 years and 51 of them are lost due to some action. There may be more but I am not counting the ones that were last reported in 2015. I am being forced to get into the Proxy business as I cannot afford to lose that many geocoins and travel bugs. The issue for me is that I do not know how to go about doing the Proxy. Maybe it is real simple but I need it to be simple because I am challenged by difficult projects and instructions.

Bisonbill and Pirate Annie

Making a proxy could be as simple (and inexpensive) as making laminated-paper square, or coin-shaped token with the code #s on it.

Some have a decoration of some sort on 'em to show others it's worth a glance in a cache.

Others use sites that make plastic coins, or chip-like things with your code #s etched into it.

Or... you don't (really) have to send out that code again at all.

[+cerberus1]

Rather than edit...

The proxy is placed in a cache, just like you did with your coins, and goes on another cycle of traveling cache-to-cache.

- Or not.

[+bisonbill and pirate annie]

I have over 93 trackables that I have placed in different geocaches over the last 12 years and 51 of them are lost due to some action. There may be more but I am not counting the ones that were last reported in 2015. I am being forced to get into the Proxy business as I cannot afford to lose that many geocoins and travel bugs. The issue for me is that I do not know how to go about doing the Proxy. Maybe it is real simple but I need it to be simple because I am challenged by difficult projects and instructions.

Bisonbill and Pirate Annie

Making a proxy could be as simple (and inexpensive) as making laminated-paper square, or coin-shaped token with the code #s on it.

Some have a decoration of some sort on 'em to show others it's worth a glance in a cache.

Others use sites that make plastic coins, or chip-like things with your code #s etched into it.

Or... you don't (really) have to send out that code again at all.

Thank you for the information.

Bisonbill and Pirate Annie

[+TreasureWatch]

My two cents is that the only way to limit the chance for loss of both coins and tags is to try to place in only Premium Cache sites and request that your trackable only be moved to these type sites. I've always thought that while the whole Geocaching experience is awesome, Groundspeak is doing the entire "sport" a huge dis-service by not charging a yearly access fee. Having nearly 30 Trackables myself and having seen more than half of these go missing in just a couple of years, I see to many times just the random open class cacher take both Trackables and SWAG items never to be heard from again. I've had two of my favorites disappear literally after my initial placement both time were from cachers that only had found 1 or 2 cache sites and then stopped playing. I'm forced to issue Proxies to keep the tracking alive and honestly, I get tired of paying for new trackables only to have them instantly go missing. I say, everyone needs a little skin in the game. You want to play you should have to pay. It would solve so many problems we all know are there. Groundspeak doesn't seem to want to do anything about helping it's paying members except continue to take our money for trackables.

[+cerberus1]

My two cents is that the only way to limit the chance for loss of both coins and tags is to try to place in only Premium Cache sites and request that your trackable only be moved to these type sites. I've always thought that while the whole Geocaching experience is awesome, Groundspeak is doing the entire "sport" a huge dis-service by not charging a yearly access fee. Having nearly 30 Trackables myself and having seen more than half of these go missing in just a couple of years, I see to many times just the random open class cacher take both Trackables and SWAG items never to be heard from again. I've had two of my favorites disappear literally after my initial placement both time were from cachers that only had found 1 or 2 cache sites and then stopped playing. I'm forced to issue Proxies to keep the tracking alive and honestly, I get tired of paying for new trackables only to have them instantly go missing. I say, everyone needs a little skin in the game. You want to play you should have to pay. It would solve so many problems we all know are there. Groundspeak doesn't seem to want to do anything about helping it's paying members except continue to take our money for trackables.

Years ago, I believe some would agree.

Now that this new app came out, quite a few have noticed there's one heck of a lotta new folks starting as pms.

Might have the same issues as before, but now that pmo hide means nada.

That "premium membership" doesn't impart wisdom or responsibility...

Also, guess you aren't aware that the majority of hoarders, one who finally returned boxes of swiped trackables to Groundspeak, were premium members.