Missing geocoins (in Calgary) - and missing some etiquette

[+Let's go exploring!]

I've been geocaching for a few years now, enjoying it more and more, and have recently starting increasing my effort to find trackables.  While I've found a few over these past few weeks, I have to say that I'm quite surprised with a seeming lack of geocoin etiquette in my home town of Calgary.  In looking at caches (and logs) spreading out from my home location, it is clear that there are cachers who find/move (and log) trackables, and geocoins in particular, as they should.  However, I have been very disappointed with the abundance of geocoins that are simply missing from the caches they're supposed to be in.  While some can be chalked up as having been muggled, or perhaps unintentionally taken as a trade item, it is clear that many/most are purposefully picked up, never logged, and are being secretly kept as personal collectables.  As an example, I found a cache yesterday that was quite 'out of the way' and that hadn't been visited, supposedly, since June 12th - when a geocoin was logged as having been left there.  Over these last 8 weeks, not a single log entry (either finding or not finding the cache).  It was quickly apparent when I arrived, though, that the coin (and a previously-dropped coin that was also supposed to be there) were gone and, therefore in this particular case, had been taken by somebody who didn't want to record their visit so they could keep these coins for themselves.  And this wasn't a one-off; there are dozens of geocoins in Calgary that are just not there.  (I imagine this is not just a local phenomenon, but I'll stick with the facts as I know them.)      

I have found geocaching to be a fun and honourable hobby/challenge/adventure, and finding/taking/moving a trackable can be a part of that - for those who want to do more than the basics.  There is a way to log your inventory of trackables, move them along in various capacities, or officially keep them for a while or even forever (if the owner has indicated that).  I guess that's why I've felt so compelled to take the time to write this, even if it's just to satisfy my need to vent and nobody sees this or bothers to respond.  Geocoins are cool.  And, in reading other forum posts, they're obviously in high demand.  Since there's a value attached to them, I get why many people want them.  But, collect them properly.  And honourably.  If it's an activated geocoin, take it AND log it.  If you then keep it, at least the original owner (who paid to put it out there) and other members of the geocaching community know what's going on with it.  Not logging it suggests to me that there is an absence of true etiquette, and that seems to go against what geocaching is all about.                   

[+hzoi]

What you describe is lamentable, but it is not new, nor is it limited to Calgary.

 

We've owned over 200 trackables, many of which we've released.  I stopped counting how many have gone missing after the first couple dozen.  Some have resurfaced.  Most have not. 

 

I took the first few very personally.  I was still pretty riled up when the next few disappeared.  Each time after that, I've gotten less and less emotionally attached, to the point where I now just have idle curiosity as to how long a trackable will last before it vanishes.

 

On the bright side, you don't own any trackables, so at least you haven't lost any.

[+cerberus1]

Far from just a Calgary thing...

Besides the thieves, hoarders, and those with no clue, another reason coins especially are turning up missing is this silly "collectible" thing Groundspeak came up with.

From the Help Center  on trackable collections, "If you set a trackable status as collectible, another geocacher can grab it and move it into their own Collection. If you want the trackable to move, set the status to non-collectible".

I believe since it's coin-like, many mistakenly list them as collectible (as in part of a collection...) and that option allows another to steal it.

[+josandgeo]

As a fairly new member to the "Global Geocaching Community " and thinking about placing a geocoin, I decided to read up a little and have started here at the "font of all knowledge"....the forum.

Im now concerned about the amount of geocoins that go missing...stolen or whatever and are not used in the correct manner. In my ignorance I pose a question....is the name of the owner stamped on the coin.......and if so, surely they become less attractive to collectors and if not, why not....just a question.

Regards

[+cerberus1]

3 hours ago, josandgeo said:

As a fairly new member to the "Global Geocaching Community " and thinking about placing a geocoin, I decided to read up a little and have started here at the "font of all knowledge"....the forum.

Im now concerned about the amount of geocoins that go missing...stolen or whatever and are not used in the correct manner. In my ignorance I pose a question....is the name of the owner stamped on the coin.......and if so, surely they become less attractive to collectors and if not, why not....just a question.

Regards

Unlike a Power Ranger figurine TB, a shiny "coin" (I believe) looks like treasure to some. I don't believe most care what's on it, and I wouldn't call a thief a collector.

Many of the other 2/3rds gifted coins that went "missing" had the cacher's  name on them somewhere, and (by experience) we feel that doesn't make it appear less of a collectors item.  The others bought didn't fair worse.   She's keeping the 200+ left at home...

Since so many were going missing anyway, I now place our personalized custom coins  (unactivated ) in caches that we deem worthy (usually higher D/T) as swag.  

Edited October 11, 2017 by cerberus1

[+josandgeo]

Thanks for the reply....a little more knowledge before I go ahead.

regards