Virtual Coins

[+NH2GA]

I've noticed a few "Virtual" geocoins lately.  One a laminated paper copy of a coin and another one saying the actual geocoin is in a safe place.  I get wanting to protect your investment or wanting to keep something because it's cool but is it a normal thing to use a "Virtual" coin?

 

To me it seems kind of cheating. Just want to hear what other people think.

 

[RuideAlmeida]

6 minutes ago, NH2GA said:

To me it seems kind of cheating.

 

Proxy trackables are a common thing... and surely a way to extend their durability.

If a owner laminates a single copy while keeping the original on a safe place, I can't see any kind of cheating, but if there are several copies, I might, yes.

[+Goldenwattle]

Coins are stolen too often.

[+cerberus1]

1 hour ago, NH2GA said:

I've noticed a few "Virtual" geocoins lately.  One a laminated paper copy of a coin and another one saying the actual geocoin is in a safe place.  I get wanting to protect your investment or wanting to keep something because it's cool but is it a normal thing to use a "Virtual" coin?

 

To me it seems kind of cheating. Just want to hear what other people think.

 

Is that carpy piece of paper only seen online ?    That doesn't make sense, you'd think they'd at least have a pic there. 

You do realize that TOs can actually make their trackables virtual, right ?   

From the Help Center, "Virtual Logs : Logging trackables that you have not personally seen is strongly discouraged. It is up to the trackable owner to state if they allow this."

 

I agree that a flimsy, moldy eventually, piece of paper example of the actual coin (if they even copied the coin...) is lame.

We've seen poker chips, wooden coins and similar "representing" the coin that are much better.   

But there's an item there.  It's not "virtual"...    How is protecting your investment "cheating" anyway? 

Who are people "cheating", themselves or others ?    Please explain.  Thanks.   

 

 

Edited June 29, 2020 by cerberus1

[+NH2GA]

My thoughts on it are this.  And why I'm lead to think it's cheating. Again it's just my thoughts.

It lessens the experience to others who find it.  I'd much rather find and move on a real geocoin than a paper copy someone did because they don't want to move their coin on.

It's geocoin, designed to be tracked. by making a copy and passing it off as a geocoin it kind of lessens the who coin part of the find

It's not all that fair to the people who release real coins into the world

seems like a good way to get a free travel bug and keep the hardware

 

May not be a popular view on the matter.  I know if I buy a geocoin or have one made the physical copy will be in caches. 

 

I don't think it is the same as the poker chips and wooden nickels.  I don't know enough about trading mass produced codes.  Same goes for cards. 

 

I do like to hear what people think about it. 

[+NH2GA]

3 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

Coins are stolen too often.

I agree, There is always a high risk when placing any trackable.  It makes you think about where you want to start it too, dropping a $15 in a cache and trusting people will do as they should is a big risk.  It's also a cool find when you get one. 

 

 

[+cerberus1]

45 minutes ago, NH2GA said:

My thoughts on it are this.  And why I'm lead to think it's cheating. Again it's just my thoughts.

It lessens the experience to others who find it.  I'd much rather find and move on a real geocoin than a paper copy someone did because they don't want to move their coin on.

It's geocoin, designed to be tracked. by making a copy and passing it off as a geocoin it kind of lessens the who coin part of the find

It's not all that fair to the people who release real coins into the world

seems like a good way to get a free travel bug and keep the hardware

May not be a popular view on the matter.  I know if I buy a geocoin or have one made the physical copy will be in caches. 

I don't think it is the same as the poker chips and wooden nickels.  I don't know enough about trading mass produced codes. 

Same goes for cards. 

I do like to hear what people think about it. 

 

"seems like a good way to get a free travel bug and keep the hardware".  What does this even mean ?  Thanks.

Because I noticed you moved another's trackable  (TB9A85P) into your collection , and wondering if you mean it...

 

The few trackables seen in caches these days, even a crinkled piece of paper with the code is something...  

That's not cheating.  There's nothing dishonest or "unfair" about using a proxy.

The poker chips and wooden coins I mentioned earlier were proxies of real coins.  Sorry, I thought you understood that...

What's a  "physical copy" ?

 

We've done this a while.  I know of one person who's still releasing coins.  Maybe it's different where you are.

Most our coins are 10 bucks n up.   The other 2/3rds has around a dozen "missing".  That leaves 300+ that are gonna stay home...

I have almost 200 myself now.  All are staying home.

I'm putting unactivated  "signature" coins in caches I like as swag, rather than just lose them to some trackable maggot.

[+NH2GA]

To each their own.  Never said it was dishonest. 

 

So the TB9A85P was a geocard that was not marked correctly so I moved it to my collection so it did not keep showing up in my inventory.  After receiving an email asking to just mark as discovered I figured I would avoid any confusion ad just move it to my collection. 

 

Maybe I just prefer the real thing then tacking stuff. But If I buy a coin, keep the physical one with me and then send a "proxy" in it's place to be moved around do you not keep your hardware and get to track the journey as you would if you dropped the real coin.  Again to each their own.  I can chose to log it or now.

 

I also like trackables, that is why I bought tags and look for stuff to make travel bugs with.  I enjoy the stories and goals that go along with many of them.  I like the treasure part, the good swag the unexpected travel bug the world.  I also understand that 2/3rds of the TBs and coins I place will end up un tracked and vanish for good.  It's the 1/3 that makes everything worth it.

 

Coins as swag is something I hope to find.  I understand why people do a proxy for things but it still takes away from people who look forward to finding and moving things on. 

 

I'll also pick up wooden coins and cards and move them on, I've discovered I collect way too many things that just sit around collecting dust. 

 

[+TmdAndGG]

When I first saw the title I immediately thought of Bitcoin!

11 minutes ago, NH2GA said:

So the TB9A85P was a geocard that was not marked correctly so I moved it to my collection so it did not keep showing up in my inventory.  After receiving an email asking to just mark as discovered I figured I would avoid any confusion ad just move it to my collection. 

 

What do you mean by "not marked correctly"? Those geocards are just meant for discovery, but you can usually keep the card if you'd like as the owner of them usually gets a set of 500 of them all with the same code and really their just supposed to be custom swag that just happens to be a trackable. It's kinda confusing. Ask @cerberus1 for a good description of what the being marked as collectible means. I can't explain it as well

Edited June 29, 2020 by TmdAndGG

[+NH2GA]

15 hours ago, TmdAndGG said:

When I first saw the title I immediately thought of Bitcoin!

 

What do you mean by "not marked correctly"? Those geocards are just meant for discovery, but you can usually keep the card if you'd like as the owner of them usually gets a set of 500 of them all with the same code and really their just supposed to be custom swag that just happens to be a trackable. It's kinda confusing. Ask @cerberus1 for a good description of what the being marked as collectible means. I can't explain it as well

 

Some were marked where you could grab it.  I did that and got a message that I should only discover it.  So I think some were marked as collectible nd some were not.  I'd like to maybe do one in the future myself.  I understand them a whole lot more now than when I first saw one.

 

[+TmdAndGG]

2 hours ago, NH2GA said:

I'd like to maybe do one in the future myself.

Do what?

[+NH2GA]

6 hours ago, TmdAndGG said:

Do what?

Geocaching trading card.

[+Max and 99]

9 minutes ago, NH2GA said:

Geocaching trading card.

I found my first one this past year and didn't know what to do with it. I contacted the owner who stated I was more than welcome to keep it which I was happy to do! So I discovered it and kept it. 

[+cerberus1]

3 hours ago, Max and 99 said:

I found my first one this past year and didn't know what to do with it. I contacted the owner who stated I was more than welcome to keep it which I was happy to do! So I discovered it and kept it. 

 

Sounds fun.

I looked on the site and saw it's one code for the entire deck.  It's good that they let you keep it.   

It'd be weird with 100-200 cards (depending on your "best deal")  with the same code everywhere otherwise...