Sending out coin Vs keeping at home

[+rockchicksam]

I am new to geocaching and bought a really lovely geocoin.

 

I have been advised by friends that have been cachers for a while, not to send the coin out but to send a picture of the coin, maybe with a keyring attached as they have had so many go missing.

 

I need your help - should I send my coin out into the big wide world or keep it safe at home and send a substitute?

 

Sam

[+kunarion]

I am new to geocaching and bought a really lovely geocoin.

 

I have been advised by friends that have been cachers for a while, not to send the coin out but to send a picture of the coin, maybe with a keyring attached as they have had so many go missing.

 

I need your help - should I send my coin out into the big wide world or keep it safe at home and send a substitute?

 

Sam

If you’re happy to part with it, activate the coin and place it in a cache.

 

If you instead keep it, consider not activating it. Keep it. Maybe it helps the value, maybe not, but if I buy a coin, I’d rather not buy one activated. For me it’s at least like buying something used vs. unused. Plus having to wonder who really owns it. So it’s a consideration if you may sell it someday.

 

But if you activate it, you can have it “discovered” by other cachers, and you can log “visits” to caches, yet still have the coin with you.

 

I've seen paper "proxy coins" once in a while in a cache, and pretend it's real when I log it. Make it clear on the cache page what the deal is. Some "proxies" were actual coins in caches, one day exchanged to paper by a finder.

[+cerberus1]

You bought "a really lovely geocoin".

If it means anything to you, send a proxy out into the big, wild World.

It's possible it could go missing. Don't mind? Send it out as-is.

- That's what my other 2/3rds did and all her coins went bye-bye.

There's a number of Companies that make proxies (here's an example), but most won't make an actual copy of your coin.

Paper copies are easier (and cheaper), by taking a pic of your coin and have it laminated.

As kunarion said, if you did it (made a paper copy), say so on your trackable's page.

[+Droo]

Be sure to name it a proxy. Suggestions made above to claim it's a proxy in the tracking page may not reach the ear/eye of the expectant finder who may lose control of themselves in their disappointment at not finding the real thing. But if it's in the name... well, it's right there on the cache page next to the coin icon.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I usually log them as "Someone has stolen your geocoin, and put out a cheap imitation." Sorry. Proxies are garbage. If you don't want to send a geocoin out into the world. Then don't.

[+rockchicksam]

Harry - I think I agree with you. The excitement me and the children had when we found our first geocoin was amazing. I think if we had found a photo of it it would have been WTF is this!!

 

Thank you everyone for your advice.

Sam

[+Love Cachers]

I need your help - should I send my coin out into the big wide world or keep it safe at home and send a substitute?

 

 

Our dog tag trackables are sent out into this wide vast world and we don't expect to see them again. Our geocoins mean something to us and we hang on to them. We'll show them at events or to close friends (and new friends) and are meant to be Discovered only. It's up to you, just remember that what you send out could get lost or stolen.

Edited September 5, 2013 by Love Cachers

[+bjmccacher]

I enjoy sharing my coins I purchase with people for discovery, so most of my collection has been activated! To each their own

[+Quossum]

You can do whichever pleases you, but don't send out a coin that you highly value or has emotional attachment, because it's very likely to go missing.

 

I've done both. Fifteen of the 26 travelers I have activated right now are the "real" coin (or travel bug); one of them has over 23,000 miles, others 17,000 and 12,000 miles. Coins that are too nice / expensive / pretty to look at...well, it seems a shame for them to remain unactivated and just sit there in my collection when the tracking number could be put to use doing that it's designed to do: travel. So in those cases I have no qualms about using a proxy. Heck, the fancy-schmancy coin my husband bought me for my birthday is SO fancy-schmancy that it *came* with a nice-looking proxy.

 

I take a lot of care even with my proxies, though. I like the Replicoin place linked to above, but I prefer these proxy tags, which I then attach to an appropriate hitchhiker. A geocoin shaped like an oyster got an actual oyster shell, a zodiac coin got a toy lion (for my sign, Leo), etc. I always try to give nice write-ups for my traveler pages, too.

 

I admit, I've been disappointed when what was supposed to be a coin in a cache turned out to be a moldy piece of paper in a plastic bag. But when it looks like a "real" traveler, with the proxy done in a cool and imaginative way, I don't mind at all, and hey, I got another icon! Finding a real coin in cache as a traveler...that is undeniably cool, and I love it. But it's almost bittersweet, too, and I know even as I carefully choose a new cache for it, it's almost bound to disappear. Not that proxies won't, too...but if they do, I've still got a gorgeous coin at home to admire, and I had fun watching its travels for a while.

 

--Q

[+Panther&Pine]

So, related but maybe not a totally separate topic.

I just got a bunch of coins at the Block Party. many of them came with a Travel Tag with the same code as the coin.

Would these be proxies or some other wild animal?

[+nevadanick]

So, related but maybe not a totally separate topic.

I just got a bunch of coins at the Block Party. many of them came with a Travel Tag with the same code as the coin.

Would these be proxies or some other wild animal?

 

Those travel tags can be called 'proxy tags' or 'copy tags'. Either one would be correct. Sometimes they are a duplicate image of the original, sometimes they just have the same ID tracking number as the original.

 

Generally speaking, a true 'copy tag' is one of the ones that has the same general image or shape of the original.

 

My SO is the coin addict and she sends hers out as proxy or copy tags. Not too painful when one goes missing. We have found that the more time and effort you put into releasing it, the higher degree of success overall. We make laminated mission tags and send the trackable in protective ziplock bags or with the coin case attached to the mission tags with a mini zip-tie.

 

Happy travels to your trackables !!

[+Panther&Pine]

So, related but maybe not a totally separate topic.

I just got a bunch of coins at the Block Party. many of them came with a Travel Tag with the same code as the coin.

Would these be proxies or some other wild animal?

 

Those travel tags can be called 'proxy tags' or 'copy tags'. Either one would be correct. Sometimes they are a duplicate image of the original, sometimes they just have the same ID tracking number as the original.

 

Generally speaking, a true 'copy tag' is one of the ones that has the same general image or shape of the original.

 

My SO is the coin addict and she sends hers out as proxy or copy tags. Not too painful when one goes missing. We have found that the more time and effort you put into releasing it, the higher degree of success overall. We make laminated mission tags and send the trackable in protective ziplock bags or with the coin case attached to the mission tags with a mini zip-tie.

 

Happy travels to your trackables !!

 

Overall I've had decent luck with my trackables, including 2 coming back from the dead this year.

Just wondering how others where dealing with these Copy Tags. I assumed they where included with it in mind that they would travel and the coin stay safe but wasn't sure about the trackable page, I guess.

[+nevadanick]

So, related but maybe not a totally separate topic.

I just got a bunch of coins at the Block Party. many of them came with a Travel Tag with the same code as the coin.

Would these be proxies or some other wild animal?

 

Those travel tags can be called 'proxy tags' or 'copy tags'. Either one would be correct. Sometimes they are a duplicate image of the original, sometimes they just have the same ID tracking number as the original.

 

Generally speaking, a true 'copy tag' is one of the ones that has the same general image or shape of the original.

 

My SO is the coin addict and she sends hers out as proxy or copy tags. Not too painful when one goes missing. We have found that the more time and effort you put into releasing it, the higher degree of success overall. We make laminated mission tags and send the trackable in protective ziplock bags or with the coin case attached to the mission tags with a mini zip-tie.

 

Happy travels to your trackables !!

 

Overall I've had decent luck with my trackables, including 2 coming back from the dead this year.

Just wondering how others where dealing with these Copy Tags. I assumed they where included with it in mind that they would travel and the coin stay safe but wasn't sure about the trackable page, I guess.

 

We make sure the pic of the real coin and the 'copy' are posted on the trackable page. The title bar also includes 'proxy' or 'proxied' while there is one out there. Any descriptive comment seems to cover the fact that the real coins are seen at events, well apart from logs for the traveling tag. We've had no problem with this so far.

[+Cammy7]

I buy two coins and just send one out . That way I have one for myself and one to send out into the world.

[+ItTakesAThief]

I buy two coins and just send one out . That way I have one for myself and one to send out into the world.

 

Good idea buying 2...

[+ItTakesAThief]

ANd, I just picked up a few proxy tb's....nice idea, but what will become of the beautiful coins....sit in collections? I know the cost is very high to make coins...will they be collectible? will there be any market for them if not placed in caches for people to see. No criticism here, just wandering.....

[+mamoreb]

Sending out coin Vs keeping at home? A bit of both, I guess! When I first discovered geocoins, I sent out the ones that I bought. A few of them were certainly collectable (i.e. a 2007 Norwegian coin), others were more mass production types of coins.

 

After a while, realizing that most of them disappear quite soon... I started buying only the coin designs that I liked the most, for my private collection. Some of the designs are true pieces of art, that I can study over and over again!

 

However, I don't have anywhere to display my collection. Now and then I activate a few coins to take to local events, but most of the time, there are no other geocoin enthusiasts at our events. Most people seem to think private collections are a bit strange (and I only bring 5-10 coins!!), and most only care about getting the tracking number, not the actual design or coin story.

 

So, recently, I have started sending out a few of my "collection coins". I am hoping that people will appreciate the one coin that they find in a geocache, more than the 30 they see at an event. I'm hoping to get some nice logs and nice journeys before the coin disappears. Personally I can still admire the photos of that coin. And there is always the excitement that a missing coin reappears after some years. Chances are better with 50 coins out there, than with 5.

 

There are still some coins that I'll never send out, that's why I'd go with a bit of both.

[+MtnMutt-ProDuckShins]

Interesting topic.

 

I buy a coin because I want it for my collection or I activate and can be Discovered since they are with me.

 

I trade my personal coins once in a while. I give my coins out at events such as Block Party or Going Ape Event.

Then there is ones I activate as a Tribute to a Cacher, I notify them before dropping off in a certain cache so they can retrieve it before the coin takes off. Several of these are traveling around, a couple have disappeared, while several are now in Europe in the hands of Cachers with smiles on their faces.

 

Currently, less than 80 are out there. So with that said, you need to make the decision as to send a nice proxy or the real coin or just allow Discovery. I will keep sending my Personal Coins out and about. Why? I like hearing back from Cachers who have either got their coin or those that have stumbled upon them.

 

Take a deep breath drop the coin/proxy off in a cache or keep it with you. Only you can make the final decision as to coin or Proxy.

[+ShaunEM]

IMO, people that get pissed off over proxies and coin pictures posing as the original coins are the same people that make off with people's coins.

 

Shaun

[+u1bd2005]

Once you send out a coin out a coin or tb it's pretty certain you're not going to see it again.

 

But isn't that the point? yeah it will likely go missing eventually, whether it was muggled, stolen, someone traded it not knowing about trackables, or a new cacher was going to move it on but lost interest in geocaching while still having the item.

 

There are many reasons it could go missing.

 

But it's the journey and the logs that are the reason for putting it out there, if you're sending anything, send the real thing, it's much cooler, I like finding cool items, and pictures are just no where near as good.

[+NanCycle]

IMO, people that get pissed off over proxies and coin pictures posing as the original coins are the same people that make off with people's coins.

 

Shaun

 

Agree completely. Why else would anyone really care if they found a proxy or the real coin? Sure, the real coin is nicer to look at and hold in your hand, but if you're just going to drop it in another cache what difference does it really make to you?

[+u1bd2005]

IMO, people that get pissed off over proxies and coin pictures posing as the original coins are the same people that make off with people's coins.

 

Shaun

 

Agree completely. Why else would anyone really care if they found a proxy or the real coin? Sure, the real coin is nicer to look at and hold in your hand, but if you're just going to drop it in another cache what difference does it really make to you?

 

Well, I collect coins (normal coins, not GC's yet), found my first GeoCoin the other day, going to be moving it on either tomorrow or Saturday.

 

I love the designs and the feel of coins, in all honesty, if it was a photo I just wouldn't have picked it up.

 

Even just having a hold of a coin for a week before I move it on is worth it, I get to admire it for a short time.

 

It might not make a difference to me in the long run, but I cache for the experiences, and picking up a photo of a coin isn't really an experience in my opinion, in which case I just wouldn't bother helping it in it's travels.