missing geocoins&travelbugs

[+jimjo]

Every year lots of tb's and geocoins go missing mostly through new cachers starting out and then giving up after making one or two finds. It is very frustrating not to mention costly for the owners who have to replace the items. My own situation is that having released a geocoin here in the UK, it managed to travel all the way to Oz before disappearing into the hands of a cacher who gave up after 3 finds. If anyone spots a Help for Heroes geocoin, code [removed by moderator], please let me know and set it off on its return to the UK. Many thanks

Edited May 17, 2014 by jimjo

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Every year lots of tb's and geocoins go missing mostly through new cachers starting out and then giving up after making one or two finds. It is very frustrating not to mention costly for the owners who have to replace the items. My own situation is that having released a geocoin here in the UK, it managed to travel all the way to Oz before disappearing into the hands of a cacher who gave up after 3 finds. If anyone spots a Help for Heroes geocoin, code (xxxxxx), please let me know and set it off on its return to the UK. Many thanks

You really shouldn't post the tracking number in the forums... or other places for that matter.

It would be advisable to edit it out. Use the Reference number instead if you want folks to see the page.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+jimjo]

Thanks for responding. I haven't had occasion to post anything before. My main point to all of our fellow cachets is- by all means introduce friends and family to the hobby, but please keep an eye on what they are doing until they get more experienced. Thanks for editing out the tracking no, I will post the ref no shortly.

[+GeoCheryl]

this is frustrating I have had a travel bug picked up and never logged again I have 3 missing now and 2 that I bought for my grand son's they traveled overseas before going missing , I am not going to bother purchasing more

[+CTheExplorer]

It's frustrating from a playing perspective too.

 

Back when I was new to this, I found my first trackable. I was very excited and moved it on right away. I logged everything properly and then waited. And waited. 6 months later, I've now discovered that it is no longer in the cache where I left it. But whoever took it has not left a record of doing so.

 

Im finding that I feel responsible for this even though I did everything right.

 

Hope it shows up again sometime.

[+Throsbyonchurch]

I quickly learned not to send out trackables I don't want to go missing. On the webpage I have a nice photo of the coin or trackable. I replace it and with an engraved dog tag and attach a cheap hitchhiker. If it goes missing I can send out another. Everyone benefits. I have noticed that if it's too pretty it is likely to go missing. I love seeing nice coins etc but dislike it when they go missing, it's very sad, but if the alternative is a dog tag then I am happy with that, it's just a bit of extra fun to add to the game. It shouldn't matter to you as the owner as you won't see what it looks like after it's in the wild.

[+Throsbyonchurch]

I usually keep an eye out in caches for trackables and make contact with someone I suspect might have picked up the trackable and try to help them to get it back into circulation. Those new cachers referred to are sometimes people who seek out nice trackables to pinch for whatever reason. I have also started placing trackables in a little bag with a printed card attached indicating to all cachers what is required. The card has the trackables name, reference number, tracking number, mission and on the reverse side advises people not to log the trackable and not keep the trackable but place it in another cache. I hope that will help in the quest to keep them on the road.

[+Bundyrumandcoke]

It's not uncommon for coins to have a hole drilled in them prior to being set free. Being damaged, they tend to get acquired less by "collectors" 

[+InspectorrexTeam]

Wholeheartedly agree with the comments here, and as a newish member (only 175 finds to date) get a little upset when one finds a cache with a travel bug indicated on to find said cache and no travel bug. As the bugs are something that we all want to move on, where and when we can provided they are actually there in the first place.

  

[+cerberus1]

5 hours ago, InspectorRex said:

Wholeheartedly agree with the comments here, and as a newish member (only 175 finds to date) get a little upset when one finds a cache with a travel bug indicated on to find said cache and no travel bug. As the bugs are something that we all want to move on, where and when we can provided they are actually there in the first place.

 

Incorrect logging has been going on for some time (well before this thread started).  

 - But we're now seeing more issues with long-time PM players than new folks for some weird reason.

Often we find that someone may have simply been there before us, and wasn't able to log in before we got there.

We don't cache with phones, so if I'm far away, it may be a day or two before I can log caches/trackables too.  And that's okay.

These days we'd rather be surprised by one there, than to hope or count on it, usually  finding trackables not listed in caches.   

[+Lockchick]

I get passionate about this - I see the beautiful geocoins (in fact, all TBs) as an extension of the "trust" and "responsibility" that is inherently given to all who geocache ... it's such a basic concept, log it and move it along or leave it - but log that you saw it!  My blood boils when I find a cache listing TBs, regardless of what kind they may be, only to find that thieves have been and taken the TB.  It is theft if you fail to LOG the TB in to your possession. Fairly simple definition there. Sure, have a day or three grace but after that? There's no excuse why you've not logged it out of where you found it and in to your hands. You can have a TB waaaaay over any time limit that others may see as suitable, in my opinion - SO LONG AS YOU ARE LOGGING IT. 

It's not yours!

I hunt shiny TBs to protect them!

I monitor reasonably local caches and when a TB of interest turns up, I beeline to rescue it.

It's pretty sad that it feels like a rescue operation when these game pieces are meant to be free to roam, hey?

I feel like if I don't get there asap - the nearest thief will.  I carefully log all TBs seen or retrieved and I am as diligent as possible to make sure I "visit" caches, dipping all of any current TBs I have in my care so that their owners may track their whereabouts - that's the whole idea, along with moving them forward for their goal aspirations. I go fetch a TB to then make sure I move them forward by placing in a beneficial and safe cache to see them onwards - normally a monitored cache such as those in the yards of the CO, events or tricky and well hidden puzzle caches. I'm not a hog by any means - if someone wants a TB I have, I encourage them to speak up and I will gladly sign it over if you want to move it along.

After all it is about respecting people's special things and thus respecting the goals of the TB. Soooo simple  THIEVES SUCK

[+pdpor]

I have over ten trackables that have gone missing most for over 5+years  Do to health issues I was not geocaching for years.  I basically forgot about them. I want to know if I can still use the tacking numbers to bring a newly made “copy” of the tags back to life?

[+cerberus1]

58 minutes ago, pdpor said:

I have over ten trackables that have gone missing most for over 5+years  Do to health issues I was not geocaching for years.  I basically forgot about them. I want to know if I can still use the tacking numbers to bring a newly made “copy” of the tags back to life?

 

Sure.   The tracking code  belongs to you forever.  

We know folks who use them on everything from jacket patches to hiking sticks to Discover only as well. 

 - Didn't want to send it back out to be "missing" again.

The other 2/3rds has a code on her Harley.  

 

 

Edited May 4, 2019 by cerberus1
forgetful old fart needs to fix stuff...

[+pdpor]

Thank you!!!

[+Lockchick]

On 5/4/2019 at 1:39 PM, cerberus1 said:

 

Sure.   The tracking code  belongs to you forever.  

We know folks who use them on everything from jacket patches to hiking sticks to Discover only as well. 

 - Didn't want to send it back out to be "missing" again.

The other 2/3rds has a code on her Harley.  

 

 

Lol the other 2/3rds 

[+DARKSIDEDAN]

Best thing you can do this missing TBs is "Cross your fingers and Hope". I have rescued a few long lost TBs before including one that had been missing for 2 years.

[Darwin473]

Best thing you can do this missing TBs is create a proxy and send it off again on more travels. 

[+kunarion]

1 hour ago, Unit473L said:

Best thing you can do this missing TBs is create a proxy and send it off again on more travels. 

I’ve made proxies of coins and tags that were marked “missing”.  I call the new versions “revived”.  Several are pretty cool, with attachments like crystal stone slices, and one is a tiny solid gold charm.  And I’m keeping those.  

[+DARKSIDEDAN]

Great idea calling the new versions “revived”. A good way to keep you Tb alive.