Signature Items

January 6, 2004

In my first few months of geocaching I've been fairly impressed with some of the signature items that people leave. While some could be more inspired, there have been a few that really were fairly neat.

I'm considering creating something for us, and I was curious what you guys have come across that you thought was relatively cool as well.

In my opinion, signature items need:

- to be artistic or unusual enough to not be considered clutter in a cache

- to be relatively inexpensive (~$1 per item max)

- relatively small if it's something physical

Some finds, obviously all custom to the finder (in order of, IMHO, most to least cool and probably most to least expensive):

Buttons (such as those from www.bumblebuttons.com)

Wooden nickels

Ink stamp impressions

Business cards

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

It seems like the majority of teams here in Michigan leave team cards.....which are sought after and collected by other teams. It's gotten to be pretty funny chasing somebody just to get a card. A growing number of us also do a "signature" item also. Once we decieded on an item, we searched on e=bay and found a great deal on a bunch of them. So, we now place a card and a signature item in every cache we come to. If there is something we'd like to trade for, we will also do a trade.....but that doesn't happen much....mostly we collect team cards and signaure items. It's almost a contest here in Michigan to see who has the biggest collection!!

January 7, 2004

I just thought I would share the latest geotoken... I thought it turned out pretty well.

January 7, 2004

I recently bought some wooden bears that I am going to sign as my signature items. I had thought about these for some time but just got around to getting some. They only cost 30 cents a piece and a metallic marker to sign them.

January 7, 2004

We leave our handmade little lizzzards with a dogtag-like piece of plastic attached to them. Each one is individual and we give them a name. Even though we didn't set up any rules for them they can almost be treated like TBs/hitchhikers and we love it if some fellow geocachers send us an email, informing us about finding one of our lizzzards and we try to keep track of them via our website.

But since it's pretty time-consuming to make them, we sometimes only leave little plastic lizards from the toystore. We call 'em "Ersatz-Lizzzards" then...

Lizzzard "Eugenio", still at home:

typical Ersatz-Lizzzard in his new habitat:

January 7, 2004

I have decided on my first 'signature item'. They are cards with my name and city/state on them. They also have my obligatory Sailor Mars picture and a GC logo. Attached to each card will be a small "guardian angel" lapel pin. I bought 50 pins for 10 dollars. Wear the pin on your pack or hat, the guardian angel will protect you on your geocaching journeys.

:lol: :rolleyes:

January 8, 2004

I am going to start puttting these in any caches I make:

http://www.cafeshops.com/geocaching.6938458

Woohoo!

January 8, 2004

I have a card made up to leave at caches, but I have placed a geocache logo on it. I have been trying to search the forums for the usage rights and have not come up with any terms yet.

Has anyone seen a thread about using the logo?

January 8, 2004

Has anyone seen a thread about using the logo?

Don't have a thread, but here's a link to the Logo Usage and Trademarks page.

F_M

1.2k · January 8, 2004

I think I may use this as my Signature item. Have it printed on Cards or Stickers.

9.4k · January 8, 2004

I think I may use this as my Signature item. Have it printed on Cards or Stickers.

4 digits of accuracy?

January 8, 2004

I really like to find signature items in caches I hunt. I have produced wooden tokens, cards and have golf tees with my geocaching name on them. I've even made cache specific tokens for caches I've hidden. You can go to

My Webpage (Geogeek65.com)

To view what I have made and found.

I would like to trade via mail with cachers from around the country. There are areas where I will never go and it would be the only way to obtains items.

January 8, 2004

Well my 5 year old named our family team, Team Flashlight..so what makes more sense than leaving you guessed it..a Flashlight is our sig item :rolleyes:

Ilustriel -*-

1.2k · January 8, 2004

4 digits of accuracy?

er..um...yes? :rolleyes:

January 8, 2004

er..um...yes?

Four digits of accuracy will put someone on your doorstep. Have you been noticing what kind of freaks geocache? Are you sure you want any one of us to show up and demand a relative as a trade item?

Edited January 8, 2004 by 4agers

1.2k · January 8, 2004

Well it's not exactly my doorstep but it will get you in my neighbourhood.

January 8, 2004

er..um...yes?

Four digits of accuracy will put someone on your doorstep. Have you been noticing what kind of freaks geocache? Are you sure you want any one of us to show up and demand a relative as a trade item?

Hmm, I'd be more than willing to donate some of my in-laws, and my wifes dog.

Any takers ?

2k · January 8, 2004

Hmm, I'd be more than willing to donate some of my in-laws, and my wifes dog.

Any takers ?

What kind of dog? Would it make a good signature item?

EDIT: quotes

Edited January 8, 2004 by rusty_tlc

January 9, 2004

Halden' s 4 digit accuracy is needed he lives in a government town and you know what kind of mess that can lead you to...............j/k........I think.........

Actually I like It, how did you get down to 4 point, anything I have used or seen only goes to 3.

January 14, 2004

A couple comments on signature items. Most of them that I see in caches are not wanted and left to be thrown out. Most things like a card, a wooden nickel, keychain, etc. with a geocachers ID on it are left till they get so dirty or falling apart (cards) that they must be thrown out to keep the cache 'clean' looking and not like a trash dump.

I know my kids would much rather get a choice of trinkets without someones name or email adress on it. Kids trading trinkets are really the only trading I do, as I don't want that crap either.

I also see alot of "left signature item and took 1942 silver half dollar" or "left signature item and took flashlight" , etc..... Come on people you call that trading even or up if you bought 100 signature items for $10 and trade 10 cents worth of item for $2.00 worth???

1.1k · January 14, 2004

snip...I also see alot of "left signature item and took 1942 silver half dollar" or "left signature item and took flashlight" , etc..... Come on people you call that trading even or up if you bought 100 signature items for $10 and trade 10 cents worth of item for $2.00 worth???

What if it is a lovingly handcrafted piece of crap sig item? :unsure:

4.8k · January 14, 2004

Most things like a card, a wooden nickel, keychain, etc. with a geocachers ID on it are left till they get so dirty or falling apart (cards) that they must be thrown out to keep the cache 'clean' looking and not like a trash dump.

I like to pick up those things. I keep them all in my office.

1.2k · January 14, 2004

Halden' s 4 digit accuracy is needed he lives in a government town and you know what kind of mess that can lead you to...............j/k........I think.........

Actually I like It, how did you get down to 4 point, anything I have used or seen only goes to 3.

Ozi Explorer.

January 14, 2004

A couple comments on signature items. Most of them that I see in caches are not wanted and left to be thrown out. Most things like a card, a wooden nickel, keychain, etc. with a geocachers ID on it are left till they get so dirty or falling apart (cards) that they must be thrown out to keep the cache 'clean' looking and not like a trash dump.

I know my kids would much rather get a choice of trinkets without someones name or email adress on it. Kids trading trinkets are really the only trading I do, as I don't want that crap either.

This is exactly why I've begun placing my lovingly handcrafted signature crap inside a little baggy explaining what it is.

The bags keep all the dirt and drool from the used McToys off my goods :unsure:

Edited January 14, 2004 by MountainMudbug

January 14, 2004

Those lovingly created handmade items are worth nothing to a child on a cache hunt. Ever see the face of 2 kids when they open a cache and see only those items? They would rather stay home next time.

1.8k · January 14, 2004

Those lovingly created handmade items are worth nothing to a child on a cache hunt. Ever see the face of 2 kids when they open a cache and see only those items? They would rather stay home next time.

yeah, I hear you ... my 5 and 7 year old refuse to go geocaching with me if there are any micro caches on the list.

1.2k · January 14, 2004

I am sure their is plenty of McToys to appease the young ones. I for one would rather the signature itmes. the Dollar value means nothing. I creative card or token holds a lot more memories than the toy from the latest Disney movie.

1.1k · January 14, 2004

There are caches that are more kid friendly than others. If I have shifty with me (a five year old) and we look for a micro or find nothing appropriate for him in a cache, he gets to pick something out of our swag bag. A lot of cachers collect sig items and cards (cards aren't really trade items in my book). That being said, unless a sig item is above average, it's not a trade item either. IMHO.

1.8k · January 14, 2004

I am sure their is plenty of McToys to appease the young ones. I for one would rather the signature itmes. the Dollar value means nothing. I creative card or token holds a lot more memories than the toy from the latest Disney movie.

Oh, come on ... You gotta love the plastic "Finding Nemo Fish" with moveable dorsal fin. The dam thing is practically indestructable and it floats in the water to boot. :unsure:

January 14, 2004

I am sure their is plenty of McToys to appease the young ones. I for one would rather the signature itmes. the Dollar value means nothing. I creative card or token holds a lot more memories than the toy from the latest Disney movie.

I for one, go for the outing, the walk, the drive, nature, etc and mostly just sign the logbook. I could care less about any of the items. I do always try and throw in an extra McToy, or a hotwheels if the cahce is low (as most in the KC area are).

I have seen too many caches with 2 or 3 signature items and that is all, in that case i would leave 2 or 3 kids toys to help build it up for the next ones... just doesn't help that my kids just hunted 3 caches and are ready to go home.

Maybe the caches need to be marked as to what they hold? As in a regular cache for kids, or a regular cache for adults?

4.8k · January 14, 2004

I usually trade a signature item for a signature item. But I have to admit that I also love the toys and sometimes trade for them. When I do that, I often leave more than my signature item in exchange.

Edited January 14, 2004 by carleenp

January 14, 2004

There are caches that are more kid friendly than others. If I have shifty with me (a five year old) and we look for a micro

UH oh, did someone mention MICRO? Yea, I made that mistake once.... took off without seeing we were on a micro chase...... another no-no with the kids...

If it is just me, I will do the micros, but I must avoid them with kids along..

1.2k · January 14, 2004

Oh, come on ... You gotta love the plastic "Finding Nemo Fish" with moveable dorsal fin. The dam thing is practically indestructable and it floats in the water to boot.

Scary. I got one of those from my very first cache. It's staring at me from the top my monitor as we speak.

1.1k · January 14, 2004

snip...
Maybe the caches need to be marked as to what they hold? As in a regular cache for kids, or a regular cache for adults?

You mean like this?

January 14, 2004

You mean like this?

Yea, I have seen alot marked like that, but some seem to change so much that if they are not maintained or restocked as such they completely change from the way they started..

1.2k · January 14, 2004

OK I confess on occasion I like to take trinkets but I never exchange a sig card for a trinket always in addition to.

January 14, 2004

OK I confess on occasion I like to take trinkets but I never exchange a sig card for a trinket always in addition to.

good, then you "TRINK UP" at the cache site? me too

1.8k · January 14, 2004

Oh, come on ... You gotta love the plastic "Finding Nemo Fish" with moveable dorsal fin. The dam thing is practically indestructable and it floats in the water to boot.

Scary. I got one of those from my very first cache. It's staring at me from the top my monitor as we speak.

It gets worse ... I know you have a "Finding Nemo Fish" sitting on your monitor looking at you. :mad: I am the fish. :unsure:

1.2k · January 15, 2004

I'm I off my meds again....Can everyone else here a guy named Clearpath????

:unsure:

January 15, 2004

I also see alot of "left signature item and took 1942 silver half dollar" or "left signature item and took flashlight" , etc..... Come on people you call that trading even or up if you bought 100 signature items for $10 and trade 10 cents worth of item for $2.00 worth???

By "alot," how many do mean? When I leave a card I do not trade with it. If I take something from a cache I leave something of equal value or worth more. The signature card is just for reference.

I think more geocachers do this than leave a card and take a $2.00 item.

January 18, 2004

After seeing the coins that dos leos made, I wasn't going to post my signature item here :lol: Oh well, its not artistic but it gets the job done. I number mine based on the number of caches I have found to that point. I don't track them.

The blanks are a brass-like material that I was able to purchase at a local trophy shop. The letter imprints are made from a 1/8" metal stamp set which I purchased at a local hardware shop.

Since I've been dropping them in caches (in addition to my normal item trades), I have not gone back to see if they have remained in the caches or not.

- N9WBR (Jeff)

January 18, 2004

I will add my opinion on polymer clay-- it's easy, great to work with, and you can find some good molds to work with to get started. Just bake it in your oven. you can paint it or glaze it if you want but you don't have to. I just started making my own sig items with this stuff and they turned out great! :huh:

January 18, 2004

OT:

Have you heard the one about Di-Hydrogen Oxide? (I think that's what they call it). It talks about this substance being so powerful that only a few cc's can kill, it can instantly smother flames, etc...

You may want to have a look at this page -- it's about Dihydrogene Monoxide... :huh:

January 18, 2004

Hmm, I'd be more than willing to donate some of my in-laws, and my wifes dog.

Any takers ?

What kind of dog? Would it make a good signature item?

psychotic mini-lab. Nuclear powered, so never tires out. Loves to go caching, but won't find the cache for ya. When I find it, she acts like SHE knew it was there the whole time, and has her fat head in the box as soon as its opened.

Looks cool when you "bleach" spots into her black coat with hydrogen peroxide. No, my wife did NOT find it funny. I however thought it was hilarious. Sorry, no pics of that.

Good sig item ? PLease no, don't let there be more than one of her !

January 18, 2004

Does anybody know about the proprietary rules regarding "geocaching.com," "geocaching," or the Groundspeak geocaching logo?

We'd like an item that has geocaching.com on it, but are unsure of the legality of that.

January 18, 2004

Duh, I make my own stickers to place on my caches

January 19, 2004

Does anybody know about the proprietary rules regarding "geocaching.com," "geocaching," or the Groundspeak geocaching logo?

We'd like an item that has geocaching.com on it, but are unsure of the legality of that.

Click on this link for the Geocaching.com Logo Usage Guidelines.

It is my understanding that the word ''geocaching'' can be used freely on items without any trademark or copyright infringement.

I don't know what the policy is in regard to referring to ''geocaching.com'' on an item.

FISUR

Edited January 19, 2004 by FISUR

January 20, 2004

I received some of my geocache cards last week. The concept is not that original but they will work until I have the more complex signature item ready by summer. I'll post them when they are done. These cards are printed on Kodak Endura paper and laminated for protection.

Here is a photo of the card:

Here is the graphic file since the camera photo didn't come out so well:

January 20, 2004

Hi, guys! I have a signature item, too! Onaccountabecause I'm a squirrel my signature item is an acorn! But it's not a real one, it's a wooden one that I got from a craft store! I fastened a tag to it with my name and picture on it! The acorn is about 1 1/4 inches high and the tag is about 1 inch by 1 1/2 inches. It's really neat! Sorry I don't have a picture for you. You'll just have to come to Ohio and find one!

Jeeps the Squirrel

January 20, 2004

I LOVE to look at all the singature items in a cache. We don't ever take them because we want to leave them there for other people to see. Someone in our local area does very nice bead work and always leaves something nice in the caches. I look for those first. Kinda like part of the game for me. I have been working on my own item and am thinking of leaving 2 everywhere I go. We very seldom take anything unless there is someting that probably should be removed anyway. Also...because my husband and I sometimes cache separately and if he is the first to a cache that I haven't been to....he leaves me a PVC fitting. He doesn't take anything and it is kind of a "ha ha, I got here first" thing between us. When I go to the cache...I get it out. He is notorious for his PVC work. He even made himself a spare battery holder that works out very well. This was a joke the first time...now he keeps doing it. The good news is that nobody but me wants a PVC fitting so it's always been there. I even like to look at people's cards. Yeah...sometimes they look a little ratty...but it seems more fun with a the added personal element. That's the whole idea...isn't it? Fun?

Shoebugs

Arizona

January 20, 2004

That's the whole idea...isn't it? Fun?
Shoebugs

Arizona

Despite the over-all impression sometimes given here, yea ! <_<

Thats funny, you and your husbands little game.

My wife and I have our own little competition as well, and it does add to the flavor. Most of the time we cache together, but since we are on different shifts, we've each been known to slip away for an attempted first find if the other is working or sleeping. So far, we are tied.

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