Ultimate Bad Trade List

January 8, 2004

Heres a link for ya to a previous "unusual" trade. The trader is a nice fella, but had an unorthodox sig item when he started.

That link didn't take you to the right site. sorry, will have to try again.

animal bones

Edited January 8, 2004 by Captain Chaoss

2.7k · January 8, 2004

I think one of the worst trade items is a toothbrush. Who in their right mind would use a toothbrush they found in a cache? - especially if it is not sealed in its original box.

On the good side though, I took one from a cache to use as a parts brush so i guess they aren't totally worthless.

So what about first finder's prizes?

It is MHO that there is no need to trade for the FF prize. Am I wrong? In many cases you would need to make a side trip to the bank to trade even.

January 8, 2004

we hiked into the swamps and found a cache with a tampon in it. i thought that was rude, then thought it might be handy for someone in a REAL emergency.

2.7k · January 8, 2004

It would have to be a *****REAAAALLLL***** emergency.

I have had to make a "run" once while out caching. Wouldn't it have been interesting to find "just what was needed" in the cache.

It wasn't THAT much of an emergency!

I have taught my kids to be real paranoid when it comes to personal things from unknown sources. We will not eat anything from a cache either, regardless of its original wrapper.

Things like that are not worth the chance- period.

I think I would have removed it- I do so with candy and stuff when I find it. OBTW I consider trading NOTHING for it a trade UP.

Edited January 8, 2004 by ChurchCampDave

2k · January 8, 2004

Heres a link for ya to a previous "unusual" trade. The trader is a nice fella, but had an unorthodox sig item when he started.

That link didn't take you to the right site. sorry, will have to try again.

animal bones

ROTFLMAO, that falls into the catagory of "It sounded like a good idea at the time".

January 9, 2004

Heres a link for ya to a previous "unusual" trade. The trader is a nice fella, but had an unorthodox sig item when he started.

That link didn't take you to the right site. sorry, will have to try again.

animal bones

I have a couple of bear penises, but I would NEVER consider trading them.

January 9, 2004

Three written on, molded playing cards. It's a wonder they weren't all jokers.

We've also had the expired coupon thing. that a guy left and took our brand new US fact card packet from a Geography themed cache. He actually seemed pleased that he left that rubbish.

January 9, 2004

I recently went out to one of my caches to drop off a TB. None of the previous visitors mentioned anything about an action figure. The cache had been completely cleaned out except for the logbook and this arm.

At least he didn't have the nerve to log leaving the arm.

(edit - The dime is for scale only)

Edited January 9, 2004 by OneOfEm

4k · January 9, 2004

I recently went out to one of my caches to drop off a TB. None of the previous visitors mentioned anything about an action figure. The cache had been completely cleaned out except for the logbook and this arm.

At least he didn't have the nerve to log leaving the arm.

(edit - The dime is for scale only)

Maybe it was one of those terrorist groups you always hear about when they find the "small arms cache" during the raid.

1.2k · January 9, 2004

T Smurf

L Soggy Cat

9.4k · January 9, 2004

T Smurf
L Soggy Cat

At least I'm wanted

2.7k · January 9, 2004

There is a broken "angel's wing" in my cache at Garden of Hope. Don't know why I haven't removed it... thinking maybe somebody has a broken angel that could use a wing.

January 9, 2004

So what about first finder's prizes?

It is MHO that there is no need to trade for the FF prize. Am I wrong? In many cases you would need to make a side trip to the bank to trade even.

In one cache I placed, I did leave FTF prizes. I made it clear on the cache page that no trading for the FTF prize was required.

For me personally if something was indicated as an FTF prize, then it wouldn't be required to trade...unless otherwise stated. Also along the same line, just because there is some good swag to start off with, doesn't mean it's a FTF prize. I've seen logs where the FTF took something like say a DVD or something and left nothing. I have to think they assumed it was an FTF prize, even though the owner did not state that it was on the page.

38.2k · January 9, 2004

we hiked into the swamps and found a cache with a tampon in it. i thought that was rude, then thought it might be handy for someone in a REAL emergency.

Must be the same person who was placing them in mine. I've found them in several caches during maint trips. I left them for the same reason you did.

Edited January 9, 2004 by briansnat

4k · January 9, 2004

we hiked into the swamps and found a cache with a tampon in it. i thought that was rude, then thought it might be handy for someone in a REAL emergency.

Must be the same person who was placing them in mine. I've found them in several caches during maint trips. I left them for the same reason you did.

One cache I was able to do last week had a package of Kleenex. At first, I thought that was odd, but only for a few seconds as my nose was really running bad from the cold temps. So, I did a trade for the Kleenex! Ya never know what emergencies may come up!

2.2k · January 9, 2004

Some months ago I found a cache containing ladys slips. They were packed in a ziplock bag and seemed to be used. The cache is located on a little island in a smal lake and is known as the "love island". No one logged that he/she has put it in so I think it was an non gc who has found the cache.

1.4k · January 9, 2004

T Smurf
L Soggy Cat

At least I'm wanted

Only on Tuesdays and Aztec holidays.

1.4k · January 9, 2004

we hiked into the swamps and found a cache with a tampon in it. i thought that was rude, then thought it might be handy for someone in a REAL emergency.

Must be the same person who was placing them in mine. I've found them in several caches during maint trips. I left them for the same reason you did.

One cache I was able to do last week had a package of Kleenex. At first, I thought that was odd, but only for a few seconds as my nose was really running bad from the cold temps. So, I did a trade for the Kleenex! Ya never know what emergencies may come up!

Charmin makes those small rolls of toilet paper that fit into caches nicely...you never know. I thought about those (found some in a cache once) while posting on the thread where the guy dropped his GPS in the porta john.

Edited January 9, 2004 by ChrisCindy

January 9, 2004

I have had someone actually trade for the cache container. It was a small tupperware with the little flaps to lock the lid, fit perfectly in the hiding location. I did a maitenance check and found the contents in a grocery bag. What was left in the bag was not much better, but who would take the container and leave the contents?

2.2k · January 9, 2004

We had a similar case here. Someone stole the big ammo box and left a cheap plastic box. After the cache owner complained about this behavior in the log a few days later the plastic box was stolen and the hiding place (a tree stump) totally destroyed.

1.6k · January 9, 2004

People are idiots...

January 9, 2004

I once was doing maintenance on one of my caches and found a triangle shaped piece of construction paper with a tiny bell glued at the apex...seriously!

Your guess is as good as mine what it was for.

So far, that sounds like the most valuable trinket left so far. Probably some very young child made that for trading. I get choked up just thinking about it.

2k · January 9, 2004

The trade the bugs me the most was in one of my caches. I had left a fairly nice new compass. The logger posted that he traded his compass for the one in the cache. When I went to do maintenance on this cache later I found the the compass that had been left been had been broken. Nice trade.

January 9, 2004

That so nearly looks like a baby's arm holding an apple.

Gawd, its scary the thing that are buried in my head. The Tubes? Whoda thunk it.

1.7k · January 10, 2004

I just did a maintenance visit to a cache of which I am a caretaker.

Cleaned out cigarette butt, empty matchbook, candy wrappers, and a mouldy hunk of plastic that I think was a cell phone case.

Some poor trades went on, there.

January 11, 2004

Left football brochure, took mc'ds toy.

What a jerk>>>

3.9k · January 11, 2004

..., I'm posting this, what are some of the worst trades you've ever seen on a cache page that people have actually had the guts to log.

I just read one a little while ago that read like this:

".....Took the travel bug and will move it west this weekend. Left 6 cents."

Grabbing a TB is not considered a "trade". Therefore, anything left in a cache during the taking of the TB is not a trade - technically, it would be a bonus.

Seriously??!?!?!

I was under the impession that TBs were like sig items and were considered to have a little bit of value, or like the value of whatever the TB actually is, I mean, I guess I don't expect THAT much, but I think it's worth more than six cents...

Gallahad got it right. A tb is private property placed in public trust. When you grab it, it's not yours. I try to trade tb for tb whenever possible.

Sn gans

I think it's a little different depending on where you are. I think most of the cachers around my area, myself included consider a TB a trade item. I try to trade a TB for a TB. But if not I'll take just the bug and leave something in return. Anyway that's how I started playing so that's how I'll continue to play. I'll always trade for a bug. To each his/her own.

3.9k · January 11, 2004

More on topic this time...

Took: $10 7-11 card, GEO sticker, and Travel bug

Left: hand ball

Makes me want to hide a members only cache.

1.7k · January 11, 2004

Post omitted - it sounded too much like me griping instead of telling a story.

Edited January 11, 2004 by DustyJacket

1.4k · January 11, 2004

Post omitted - it sounded too much like me griping instead of telling a story.

I put some mouse traps in some caches (the fun type). New, not used or anything. I guess a used mouse trap would be bad...like the glue ones with a dead mouse glued to the pad. That wouldn't be fun.

January 11, 2004

I hear they sell those little bags down the street for a nickle or a dime, sounds like a good deal to me.

1.4k · January 11, 2004

Post omitted - it sounded too much like me griping instead of telling a story.

Man don't delete your post after I quote you...sheesh now my quote is blank.

1.6k · January 11, 2004

"Took log book, left nothing"

Not me by the way...

MarcB

1.4k · January 11, 2004

There is also the one where the guy left pics of his "little general" on the cache cam, then the police got the cache because he stashed his "stash" in the cache.

1.7k · January 11, 2004

Post omitted - it sounded too much like me griping instead of telling a story.

Man don't delete your post after I quote you...sheesh now my quote is blank.

I didn't think it would do that..........wow.

To the rest: I was griping because I left fairly pricy silver coins, and people traded things like a quarter for an 1889 Silver dollar, just because it said "one dollar" on it.

And.... a $15 Kookaburra someone took along with a flashlight I left, and left some "magic cards".

It was griping and not storytelling.

January 11, 2004

Some of these stories just had me laughing so hard I thought I might need attends and others I can understand outright anger. I have yet to go out on the 'hunt' with my two boys and/or wife(depends on if she is working), but every story I read here is causing me to upgrade what we are going to leave behind. Last think I want us to be known as is some tightwads who rob caches.

January 12, 2004

Some of these stories just had me laughing so hard I thought I might need attends and others I can understand outright anger. I have yet to go out on the 'hunt' with my two boys and/or wife(depends on if she is working), but every story I read here is causing me to upgrade what we are going to leave behind. Last think I want us to be known as is some tightwads who rob caches.

You don't have to spend a bunch, just put some thought into your trade items. Keep your eyes open, and you'll see something in a store somewhere (or online) that will be inexpensive yet cool.

January 12, 2004

You don't have to spend a bunch, just put some thought into your trade items. Keep your eyes open, and you'll see something in a store somewhere (or online) that will be inexpensive yet cool.

I hate the ones who say TNLN: took nothing left nothing. Boring.

January 13, 2004

first of all when I TNLN its usually because im in such an excited rush to get to a cache that i forget to bring something to trade.....not boring just too excited

secondly.....I brought my g-f's 5 year old cousin GC'ing for the first time a few weeks ago.....took her to an easy cache that I had already found.....even stopped at the dollar store to bu a little toy that she could trade into the cache........of course I had explained the process and the reasoning of why we had bought the toy at the dollar store....when we got to the cache she found something she liked in the cache but didnt want to give up the toy we had bought 15 minutes earlier. After asking her what she intended to trade instead (expecting her to see it from my perspective) she dutifully picked up an acorn and put it into the cache. I couldnt really argue with that kind of logic so i let her have it her way and went and "made right" later on by trading out the acorn for something else later that day.

Moral of the story: Bad traders think like 5 year olds

4k · January 13, 2004

Good story, though!

1.1k · January 13, 2004

snip...Moral of the story: Bad traders think like 5 year olds

I take great pride in thinking like a 5 year old and have never traded poorly. (IMHO) It's these kind of blanket statements that cause trouble.

2.7k · January 13, 2004

"Took log book, left nothing"
Not me by the way...

MarcB

Sounds like a bogus log to me.

Better go check the log book and confirm it.

January 17, 2004

"took a 10 pesos coin left a penny"

and another log by same person

"took a $1 slot machine coin left a penny"

January 18, 2004

..., I'm posting this, what are some of the worst trades you've ever seen on a cache page that people have actually had the guts to log.

I just read one a little while ago that read like this:

".....Took the travel bug and will move it west this weekend. Left 6 cents."

Grabbing a TB is not considered a "trade". Therefore, anything left in a cache during the taking of the TB is not a trade - technically, it would be a bonus.

I really think if you take a TB you should trade.

1.6k · January 18, 2004

AmishHacker, thanks for being the only person to defend me during that whole fiasco. But yeah, it's not like a travel bug is worth NOTHING, it's got a little bit of trade value in my mind, at least more than six cents... But who knows...

Now that this topic has been bumped by somewhere other than myself, does anyone have some recent bad trades they'd like to share?

January 18, 2004

"took a 10 pesos coin left a penny"
and another log by same person

"took a $1 slot machine coin left a penny"

Funny...(in a COINcidence kind of way...coin...hoo-boy) I just did some maintenance on one of my caches which is a coin-theme cache. Someone took all of the coins which ranged in value from $.25 to $25.00 (I think there was about 15 in all) and left all PENNIES! What a cheap, inconsiderate a**hole :lol: ...I'm suprised he left anything.

:wub: I feel better telling myself the squirrels got him on the way out. :wub:

1.7k · January 18, 2004

I hate the ones who say TNLN: took nothing left nothing. Boring.

I am becoming one of those TNLN folks you hate.

Up to now I TN but leave nice goodies:

NEW items from sporting goods store s and the dollar store and target.

Also I leave silver dollars that are at least 75 years old, and several are over 100.

I also leave Liberty Walking half dollars.

Also new mini-lights, and lots of good stuff.

I have left well over $325 worth of stuff (not counting my signature buttons). I can't afford to keep doing that. (We are in negative cashflow since my wife lost her job a year and a half ago.)

Then I see:

One person "followed me around" and took all the silver dollars, halves, and buffalo nickels I had left for a few weeks.

People take items worth anywhere from $2.50 to $15 and leave crap, or a dollar.

People who take ALL of the goodies (when I leave multiple items to freshen a cache) and leave one lousy item.

So now, all I trade are signature items.

I'll leave something if my wife or my daughter take something.

Nice to know after all I've left, I am now hated by you. :lol:

4k · January 18, 2004

I often TNLN since many of the caches I've found are trashes. Why would I take something that I would normally just throw out with the garbage? I hate to be stingy about it, but I also won't leave a nice piece of swag in a trash cache. I know a lot of you will leave tons of stuff if a cache is depleted, but my feeling is that the cache owner should be responsible for keeping the contents half way intriguing. A cache owner that relies on other cachers to replenish the swag is lazy, in my opinion.

Ok, let the flames begin. :lol:

January 18, 2004

I know this is about ultimate bad trades (which I do see some of around in our area)...but one thing we do and I'm definitely not trying to brag....but.... We not only write in the cache logbook what we took and what we leave described best as possible but we also write in the online cache log exactly what we took and what we left. I guess we do it for a couple of reasons..... 1) to show that we trade even or trade up and 2) so that a person can look at the cache and see something they may want.

January 18, 2004

I often TNLN since many of the caches I've found are trashes.

I'm with you, Sparky. I've noticed this more and more in my area, which has left me to be a TNLN cacher more often than not.

Ultimate Bad Trade List

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