Found a trackable with an unreadable (or missing or illegible) code

[jeffygirl 1]

Hello,

I found this in a Geocache and was excited to find my first Trackable and then it didn't have a code on it!  There are a lot of C3PO Trackables out there… I tried searching based on location and date, but nothing came up.  I found one likely suspect, called "Amputated C3PO" and messaged the owner but haven't heard back.

You can see on one side of the tag it says, "Geocaching.com Trackable" and the other side is smudged blue green blue.

 

What's the right protocol here?

Thanks!

 

[+lee737 324]

If the owner can confirm that is the TB, they can give you the tracking code. They might want it back to repair, or you could make a new (laminated) tag with the code.... If you can't contact the owner it sort of becomes swag....

 

[+Max and 99 2147]

9 hours ago, jeffygirl said:

Hello,

I found this in a Geocache and was excited to find my first Trackable and then it didn't have a code on it!  There are a lot of C3PO Trackables out there… I tried searching based on location and date, but nothing came up.  I found one likely suspect, called "Amputated C3PO" and messaged the owner but haven't heard back.

You can see on one side of the tag it says, "Geocaching.com Trackable" and the other side is smudged blue green blue.

 

What's the right protocol here?

Thanks!

 

the first thing I would do is look at all the past trackables listed on the cache page where I found this one. Specifically look at the link that says all past trackables. It might do no good at all or it might help you find the right name and owner.

[+cerberus1 3215]

10 hours ago, jeffygirl said:

I found this in a Geocache and was excited to find my first Trackable and then it didn't have a code on it!  

 - snip -

You can see on one side of the tag it says, "Geocaching.com Trackable" and the other side is smudged blue green blue.

What's the right protocol here?

 

There is no official procedure for this.    

I see "a tag"  that's written in ink/paint.  Official tags are a different shape.  The hole location for chain isn't the same either.  

Like Max and 99, I'd look at "view past trackables", on the inventory section (right of the cache page) of the cache you found it in. 

Not seeing something close in description, I'd scan a couple logs too. 

You could then email the owner for the code.  You think you might have done that.  I'd send a pic so they know you really have it.

 

It's possible that a cacher, similar to what you're going through, simply dropped it in the cache to get rid of it.   

That is an option...

[jeffygirl 1]

Thanks for all of the advice.  I checked a bunch of the "View Past Trackables" of the cache where I found it as well as some of the caches nearby.  No luck.  I think I'll just pass it on but put a photo of it in the log of the next cache where I place it.   

[+Max and 99 2147]

23 hours ago, jeffygirl said:

 I found one likely suspect, called "Amputated C3PO" and messaged the owner but haven't heard back.

If it were me, I'd give them at least a week to respond.

[Unit473L 94]

Well, it's a Kinder Joy Force Awakens giveaway toy, part of the 2018 series. 

 

I spent over an hour using Google's site: search feature to look through just photos of trackables and trying every combination of C-3PO, C3PO, See Three, Cee 3, Star Wars, Force Awakens, Kinder Joy and so on - but no joy. I must have looked at several thousand photos... and I didn't realise how many C-3P0 TB's are out there! I even tried R2D2 and variations, red arm, base and a bunch of other options in case some wildcard worked.

 

I couldn't find our un-named TB though.

 

Edit: If anyone else can think of some other variations or wants to try their hand at the brute force approach of looking through photos the hard way, this is the search option in Google search:

 

Quote

site:https://www.geocaching.com/track/

 

And then put whatever term on the end you want to try looking for.

Edited September 10 by Unit473L

[+lee737 324]

 A last option, if you can't contact the owner after your efforts (which sound like more than I would do!).... is to rebadge it and get it moving again. Add a proper, new TB tag to it, in the description, explain what you've done, and an offer to hand it back over if the true owner wants it back - you can be a foster owner for it..... it was obviously released with the objective of travelling?

Edited September 10 by lee737
punctuation

[+cerberus1 3215]

6 hours ago, lee737 said:

 A last option, if you can't contact the owner after your efforts (which sound like more than I would do!).... is to rebadge it and get it moving again. Add a proper, new TB tag to it, in the description, explain what you've done, and an offer to hand it back over if the true owner wants it back - you can be a foster owner for it..... it was obviously released with the objective of travelling?

 

Sure, it was "released with the objective of traveling",  but no one really knows if this rigged thing even had a true trackable code with it.  

What was it's name ?  What was it's mission ?  How would the original owner even know  to look for it ?   

If I was going to place my own trackable out again, it sure wouldn't be for someone else's top from a candy container.