My feelings on Geocoins.

[+Little Hiawatha]

I know that most Geocoins are stolen before they travel very far. In fact I’ve yet to have even one of my geocoins moved to another cache even once. With a zero percent success rate the activity seems pointless. But I still release Geocoins into the world. Why? Because every time I find one that belongs to someone else I always take care to play by the rules and move it to another cache. The point is that no matter what I know that I’m the one who is playing fair even if most people don’t.

 

Each time a person picks up a trackable it’s a small test of character, a small test of morality. Will the person turn thief or will he be a responsible caretaker of someone else's property. So far I’ve passed the test every time. At the end of the day that’s what really matters and not the total number of finds.

[+nevadanick]

Interesting post. Looking at your geocoin stats it seems all the ones you 'owned' have been given away ... not placed in caches to travel. Those not given away are in your own collection/possession.

 

There are only a few you have moved along. Two are currently in caches you placed recently in a 'trail' cache and two are still moving along.

 

My geocoin addict/partner has a lot of coins out there. Many are still moving, logging thousands of miles.

 

Good luck with future coins/travelers you release into the wild.

[+Little Hiawatha]

There are six geocoins that I've released into caches. The Oreo cookie and Pi coin simply disappeared. That was disappointing as I really liked them. A pencil and a pumpkin coin were logged out but haven't been seen since. As for the others I just don't know.

[+ThePetersTrio]

First rule (and one I learned the hard way): Never release anything you have a strong attachment to.

 

I have many coins that have been stolen. I have many coins that have logged thousands of miles.

 

My coins traveling abroad seem to do much better.

 

I've had better luck since requesting coins be placed/returned to caches that are either Premium Members Only or have higher difficulty/terrain ratings.

 

Yes, it is sad that the actions of a few ruin the joy of moving coins for the many. But I strongly believe in karma, so in the end, they'll get what is coming to them by way of a life's lesson.

[+Little Hiawatha]

Geocaching is so new that relatively few people have heard of it. You don’t see people in movies or TV shows geocaching. You don’t read novels about geocachers. But that might all change in the next ten years. The time may come when virtually everyone who happens across a geocoin will understand what he has found.

 

The person who cleans out the desk of Uncle Frank who just passed away might find a chest of stolen coins. He can’t sell them so he might as well put them back into circulation. The coins I lost this year might turn up 20 years from now. We’ll just have to stick around and see.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Little Hiawatha

[+JackHoe]

Not every coin that disappears is stolen. Some just get lost, some are placed but not logged. And my feelings about geocoins; I really love them. I don't want to judge about things I don't actually know

[+Captain Jon]

I found that when I release a coin I drill a hole in it and attach a traveler or sealed instructions on where it is to go. Ruining the value, but keeping the intention of the coin in tact.

[+Little Hiawatha]

I found that when I release a coin I drill a hole in it and attach a traveler or sealed instructions on where it is to go. Ruining the value, but keeping the intention of the coin in tact.

 

Dear Capt. Jon

 

Can you imagine finding a 1909 s VDB Lincoln penny with a hole drilled through it? I can. That’s why I don’t drill holes through geocoins.

[+nevadanick]

Geocaching is so new that relatively few people have heard of it. You dont see people in movies or TV shows geocaching. You dont read novels about geocachers. But that might all change in the next ten years. The time may come when virtually everyone who happens across a geocoin will understand what he has found.

 

The person who cleans out the desk of Uncle Frank who just passed away might find a chest of stolen coins. He cant sell them so he might as well put them back into circulation. The coins I lost this year might turn up 20 years from now. Well just have to stick around and see.

 

"so new" is not exactly appropriate, unless 13 years is "so new". Since the start of geocaching when Selective Availability came online, there are many folks who have heard of, but may not actually go geocaching. We've been approached numerous times by local police when placing AND searching for caches over several years. All but one have been familiar with the 'game' and the one who didn't know of it was satisfied when we could show him the GPS coords and the cache container.

 

Movies and/or TV? I can recall numerous movies (although I'm bad on names) where GPS coords are involved, some in finding people, some finding treasure or clues to a mystery. Novels? Actually, several of note: First to Find, First to Find Book One in the Caching Out Series, Cached Out- a Cliff Knowles mystery, 101 Devil Caches in paperback, The Joy of Geocaching (health related) ... and that names a few. Not an entire library, but a good start.

 

Google is your friend >> geocaching

 

You will find a wealth of history and information about GPS related games and treasure hunts going back many years.

Edited October 4, 2013 by nevadanick

[The Peterson Finders]

I found that when I release a coin I drill a hole in it...

 

That's a great idea!

[+Little Hiawatha]

Geocaching is so new that relatively few people have heard of it. You don’t see people in movies or TV shows geocaching. You don’t read novels about geocachers. But that might all change in the next ten years. The time may come when virtually everyone who happens across a geocoin will understand what he has found.

 

The person who cleans out the desk of Uncle Frank who just passed away might find a chest of stolen coins. He can’t sell them so he might as well put them back into circulation. The coins I lost this year might turn up 20 years from now. We’ll just have to stick around and see.

 

"so new" is not exactly appropriate, unless 13 years is "so new". Since the start of geocaching when Selective Availability came online, there are many folks who have heard of, but may not actually go geocaching. We've been approached numerous times by local police when placing AND searching for caches over several years. All but one have been familiar with the 'game' and the one who didn't know of it was satisfied when we could show him the GPS coords and the cache container.

 

Movies and/or TV? I can recall numerous movies (although I'm bad on names) where GPS coords are involved, some in finding people, some finding treasure or clues to a mystery. Novels? Actually, several of note: First to Find, First to Find Book One in the Caching Out Series, Cached Out- a Cliff Knowles mystery, 101 Devil Caches in paperback, The Joy of Geocaching (health related) ... and that names a few. Not an entire library, but a good start.

 

Google is your friend >> geocaching

 

You will find a wealth of history and information about GPS related games and treasure hunts going back many years.

 

I spent the day walking around with a "Year of the Water Snake" geocoin asking the people I met of they knew what it was. No one got it right.

[+nevadanick]

 

I spent the day walking around with a "Year of the Water Snake" geocoin asking the people I met of they knew what it was. No one got it right.

 

How many did you ask ? Did you tell them what is was ?? If you did, that's ____ people that now know for sure.

 

Want folks to know ?? Make sure you tell them and they may likely pass that on ... like ... a geocoin version of 'playing telephone' ....

 

We have the reverse. Since my SO geocoin addict always has one (or more) nearby, we have had folks ask, "Oh, is that one of those 'challenge coins'?" We then get to explain that it's similar, but trackable by a unique numbering system.

 

I use one as a card holder at live poker tables and have informed many players what it is and where I got it when asked.

[DannyCaffeine]

The one I released got stuck.

 

From now on I will be making proxies should I want to release any.

[+Great Scott!]

 

I spent the day walking around with a "Year of the Water Snake" geocoin asking the people I met of they knew what it was. No one got it right.

 

Geocoins have gotten away from being geocacaching coins. Perhaps if you showed around a geocaching related coin, you might have more success with your survey.

[cccc1234]

I've been Geocaching for 2 days and 1 evening now. This afternoon we found a Geocoin.

We plan on adding it to another cache next weekend when we go out again. This coin is a US 1 dollar coin, and it has had a hole drilled through it, and an id tag threaded through it. Cool concept, and we'll definitely be letting this coin continue it's journey.