Collectible Trackables

[+Twinklekitkat]

Having never set a trackable free as I think it would be a very disappointing experience, why would someone put one out there as 'collectible'? The info I've read says if you find one set as collectible you can keep it. So then what's the point? Am I missing something? This video

doesn't really explain the collectible part, it only states you should help it on its goal unless otherwise specified by the owner.

 

No need to explain to me how trackables work, I understand all that. My main question here is why would you set the preference to collectible and then set it free?

[+Isonzo Karst]

why would you set the preference to collectible and then set it free

 

I don't think many do.

The point of "collectible" is to allow the trackable to be placed in "collection". Once in collection, it's not in inventory, so you don't see it in the drop down Inventory list when you visit a cache and are looking for the TB that you actually dropped.

 

Trackables that you owned use to always show up there - to clear Inventory of the big list of owned Coins that they weren't planning to release, people dropped them virtually into archived or unpublished caches. Eventually there was the option to Mark Missing, so they could be out of Inventory and into an Unknown Location. Finally, came the option to move them into "collection".

 

Early on, Groundspeak did have some trackables that they handed out, but retained possession of. The Lackey coins come to mind. These were all

"collectible", ie, if you received one you could keep it and add it to your own collection, but the ownership stayed with Signal the Frog.

At some point they changed that, so you could request that they adopt the coin over to you.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Isonzo Karst

[+kunarion]

Having never set a trackable free as I think it would be a very disappointing experience, why would someone put one out there as 'collectible'? The info I've read says if you find one set as collectible you can keep it. So then what's the point? Am I missing something? This video

doesn't really explain the collectible part, it only states you should help it on its goal unless otherwise specified by the owner.

 

No need to explain to me how trackables work, I understand all that. My main question here is why would you set the preference to collectible and then set it free?

[Emphasis mine]

 

You may have read it in the Intro App, of all places. And you may next wonder why “A Listing Service" which sells Trackables, encourages Intro App users to “keep it”, and cannot see fit to change that irresponsible “Help info”. I also wonder.

 

See the video in that same Intro App, which is much better. There is no point in that video where they encourage people to “keep it”. Just the opposite.

 

The video you linked is fine. Regardless of the menu selection, be sure a Trackable is for you to keep, or else move it on. In any case, Collectible or not, remember that the logs are to be factual and complete, and there's no doubt about who "Collected" it. There's to be no pocketing of a "Collectible" coin with no log. I also insist that the taking of any item from a cache be logged, but on that point (and most others where I suggest any honesty in Geocaching), I'm a voice crying in the wilderness.

 

The web site help center is OK, with generalized info:

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=647

If TPTB want to leave it vague, use that text rather than say “keep it”. Or else they need to state very clearly on each Trackable shopping page in the Geocaching Shop that "We tell finders to keep it, in a confusing way". Potential buyers need to know.

 

A Trackable is the property of the purchaser, and especially of the person who activates it (now “Trackable” to that account”). An owner may do as he wishes with his property, so when you ask why mark it “Collectible” and place it, you have to ask that owner. In any case, you are allowed to “keep it” only at the behest of the owner. Regardless of a checkmark, first ask the Owner. It's a Trackable item, so you know who the Owner is.

 

"Collectible", or more specifically the "Collection", was designed to cover several issues at once. But here are some reasons that an owner may mark a Trackable "Collectible":

 

1) People keep messing with you by logging “Grab” on the coin, and you need to limit the menu selections to only “Discover” and “Note”. It's a popular selection for car decals.

2) You don't care if it “travels”, yet want to maintain ownership, to have it registered to you.

3) Someone on the other side of the planet has found your coin and wants to place it in their binder to complete the set of this kind of coin. And so you mark it Collectible, so they can add it to their Collection. As if it was an exhibit in a museum, it's on loan.

4) You want any finder to keep it, so you're releasing ownership (one incorrect way to use Collectible. It confuses people).

5) You think your coin is “really cool”, so you checkmark “Collectible” (another way to confuse people).

6)You just plain love to click check boxes.

 

I suggest that if you intend to give it away, then place it unactivated and let the finder decide. If you've already activated it and wish to give it away, place it and add a note that it's a gift. Do not mark it Collectible. “Collectible” was designed to alleviate specific issues. It is misunderstood, and misused. Crooks use "Collectible" as yet another excuse to steal things (they need an excuse?! ).

 

Never mark a Trackable “Collectible” unless you know that it's the ideal selection in your particular case. In the case of Reason #1 above, don't mark it Collectible to mitigate bad apples. Just Grab it back, and if necessary, contact Groundspeak.

 

So Reasons #2 and #3 are suitable reasons to mark it Collectible. For Reason #2 especially, your large number of coins owned by you may be in a binder for people to discover at Events.

Edited March 25, 2016 by kunarion

[+cerberus1]

The "Grab" option does seem to fit well with, "I can keep it"...

[+Korichnovui]

So, to be clear, if I find a geocoin marked "collectible" then I can keep it with no hard feelings?

[+fuzziebear3]

39 minutes ago, Korichnovui said:

So, to be clear, if I find a geocoin marked "collectible" then I can keep it with no hard feelings?

Absolutely not. 

If you really think that was the case (and the cases are fairly rare) then contact the trackable owner and ask.

Many times the collectible button is misused or misunderstood.

Usually when you find a trackable in a cache (or event), the expectation is that you log it and then move it to another cache (or event).

 

[+Korichnovui]

Okay thanks

There's a fairly new geocoin in a cache I'm going to hit tonight on my way to a meeting, and I noticed it was "collectible". I don't have any interest in keeping it but I was curious about this "collectible" term. I'll happily snag it (if still there by tonight) and move it along to somewhere else.

That's good to know for future finds, though. I could see myself being tempted to keep a cool-looking coin.

[+K13]

Trackables, whether coins or tags on some item or another item with the code engraved, etc,  are each the property of their respective owner and are not to be kept by a finder. When you check the trackable page, it will tell you the goal of that particular trackable.

[+kunarion]

7 hours ago, Korichnovui said:

Okay thanks

There's a fairly new geocoin in a cache I'm going to hit tonight on my way to a meeting, and I noticed it was "collectible". I don't have any interest in keeping it but I was curious about this "collectible" term. I'll happily snag it (if still there by tonight) and move it along to somewhere else.

That's good to know for future finds, though. I could see myself being tempted to keep a cool-looking coin.

 

You have to look at the coin's page,  in order to understand what the intention is. Marking it collectible allows it to be logged into a digital place called a collection. As I mentioned a few posts back, the collection is used for a lot of different purposes. Without knowing anything about the coin that you're talking about, it's hard to guess. But it could be that the owner is waiting for a friend to pick up the coin and put it in that friend's collection. Usually when I see a coin marked collectible, the owner simply loves to click buttons. And so he just clicked collectible for no reason at all.

Marked collectible or not, in a collection or not, the coin remains the property of the owner. But unless the owner is actively trying to get a coin into a geocacher's collection, the owner should uncheck the word collectible.

Edited April 20, 2018 by kunarion