Is this considered virtual logging/tracking?

[Bench Mark]

Hey guys,

 

I tried to find threads about this specifically, but couldn't. I'm sure it has been discussed before, sorry if it's a common topic.

 

Today I found a cache with a photocopy of a Geocoin inside. It's the second time this happens to me. I know that virtual logging is viewed in the community as sort of "cheating". So I was wondering if this would fall under that category (virtual logging or tracking), since I haven't really discovered the geocoin, just a paper copy of it.

I assume this was placed by the owner to avoid losing the coin eventually, but it's not really what the game is about, right?, since it's two different objects. One could as well buy a code of a piece of paper and keep the coin safe at home.

 

Anyways, how is this activity viewed by the community? Should I log it as discovered, or just a note on the "geocoin's" page?

 

Cheers!

 

Bench Mark

[Pup Patrol]

This is a "proxy" and it's been discussed in the Geocoin forum quite a bit. You can probably do a forum search for that term and find a lot of posts about it.

 

Some people ignore them, some people treat them just like any other trackable.

 

The photocopy was more than likely created by the trackable owner.

 

 

B.

[+Captain Zulu]

I think this should not be regarded as virtual logging. Virtual logging is when you just copy tracking numbers from a list without even having seen the actual coins.

 

It's true that in both your cases you haven't seen the real coins either. But you did see a (hopefully good) copy of it. I'm sure the coin owner would very much like to let you admire the real coin and give you the opportunity to copy the tracking number from that 'real thing', but too many real coins are being stolen.

[+kunarion]

Should I log it as discovered, or just a note on the "geocoin's" page?

If you log it as "discovered", your profile gets the icon for the coin. So if you want those icons only when you held the actual coin, a note is what you'd do instead. You may use the term "Proxy" or "Coin Copy" or whatever, when making your note, if it's not clearly listed as a "Proxy". Many coins become laminated paper without the coin owner's knowledge, so your note may be important news.

Edited August 25, 2012 by kunarion

[+Droo]

... Many coins become laminated paper without the coin owner's knowledge, so your note may be important news.

Good point!

 

But on a different tangent .... while proxies are legitimate travelers multiple proxies are not.

[Bench Mark]

Should I log it as discovered, or just a note on the "geocoin's" page?

If you log it as "discovered", your profile gets the icon for the coin. So if you want those icons only when you held the actual coin, a note is what you'd do instead. You may use the term "Proxy" or "Coin Copy" or whatever, when making your note, if it's not clearly listed as a "Proxy". Many coins become laminated paper without the coin owner's knowledge, so your note may be important news.

 

Cool. I didn't know the term proxy was the thing to search. Cheers.

I ended up posting a note on the geocoin page, stating that I saw a photocopy of it in the cache. I think I'll take that road, and only discover or move real trackables. Makes more sense, it's more fun and it doesn't feel like cheating...

 

Cheers! And thank you all for the quick responses!