First To Find Prize

[+Klondike Mike]

I'm curious as to people's perception of finding a first to find prize. Do you see this as a gift and accept it graciously, or otherwise, or do you feel that you need to trade for it.

When you find a FTF prize do you sort of think " thanks sucker" or do you acknowledge that you got it and show a little appreciation? I know what I would do but I'm interested in how other people see it.

 

I'm asking, not because I found one but, because I placed one in my first hidden cache My way of " raising the bar" in my area

[+Marine Biologist]

In my opinion a FTF prize is a BONUS. We use them in our regular caches, usually a gift certificate for a nearby eating establishment. Additionally we tend to make our caches that contain an FTF prize "Member Only" until the FTF prize has been claimed.

 

We don't expect a trade for the FTF. We have been FTF (MEFF in our neck of the woods) on a few but none had an FTF prize. If they did we would have taken it and thanked the hider in our log entry.

 

Marine Biologist (Rodney & Sandy)

[+TeamK-9]

My first and only FTF prize was a Geocaching.com t-shirt, I took it happily, but I also left quite a good bit of trade goods. I was then asured by the owner at a CITO event that I went a bit overboard. (I traded $8 in gold coins for a $6 2003 CITO shirt)

[+Renegade Knight]

The FTF is normally a gift. Though some like K-9 trade heavily trying to even out the trade somewhat. A friend of mine got an FTF and ended up dumping his entire trade bag in the cache and still feeling guilty.

[+IV_Warrior]

Well, it's called a FTF PRIZE, not FTF "expensive item you need to trade heavily for". I have a cache or two in the planning stages, and at least one of them will include a FTF Prize, and I expect the first finder to treat it as such. A prize, not a trade item. A little reward for out-racing the rest of the regulars and getting there first......

[+stu_and_sarah]

We've only placed a FTF prize once. We wrapped it in its own ziplok bag and wrote "Congratulations! FTF prize... no need to trade for this one"

 

Or something along those lines.

 

That way, no-one can be confused.

 

Cheers,

 

Stu

[+Klondike Mike]

We wrapped it in its own ziplok bag and wrote "Congratulations! FTF prize..

 

Thats exactly what I did it's still not found yet , although there is one DNF.

[+archaeor]

I typically leave a US $1 Sacagawea gold coin for the FTF. That's how I post it on the cache page - ". . . for the First to Find". I consider it as a little something extra for the cacher who made the effort to find it first (for some reason, it's usually found first by somebody in the middle of the night, right after it's posted ). You gotta' admire that cacher who gets there first, especially if it's 3 am!

 

Anyway, I consider the FTF item a "prize", and don't expect a trade in return.

 

Just my $0.02,

 

Rick

[+StarshipTrooper]

I've hidden two caches with FTF prizes in them. I consider those a gift. The first finder need not trade for a FTF prize in one of my caches.

 

-ST

[Dinoprophet]

IV Warrior put it perfectly. It's a prize, not a trade item.

 

Except for my first cache, I always woodburn a plaque (or coin for micors) as a FTF prize.

[uperdooper]

i've got a new jeep zippo lighter waiting for my next cache as the FTF. not sure if i'll make it members only yet.

[+Ttepee]

I found a cache that had a $20 FTF prize in it.. I was thrilled but also felt that "I need to trade evenly" feeling...even though I knew I really didn't need to. I posted a note then returned with scratch off lottery tickets... spent $5 on scratch offs and from what I've heard I came pretty close to sharing that $20. I felt good about that... not neccessary.. no.. but for me it's all a part of the geocaching experience.. it's all about sharing!

[+geoguyver]

I have only placed one cache so far and I wanted my first to be pretty cool when it came to a FTF prize.

The FTF Prize

 

I left a note on the prize saying it was a FTF and that it was for being left since it was my first released cache. I totally agree with IV Warrior. I never expect the first cacher to find the cache to match the gift, or think that they have to feel guilty about it. I just hope it inspires them to go out and place a couple more caches themselves.

 

My next first to FTF I have lined up is a new flashlight and also a reprinted Civil War book autographed by the great-great grandson of the original author. The book will hopefully go into a civil war themed cache.

[+Ttepee]

Geogyver..definitely going out of your way to prove how much you have to share... very good quality in my book. Would love to come across one of your prizes in a cache find. Thanks for the giving

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

If you follow the forums you probably remember (and got bored ) reading about the flyrod in our cache.

 

It was a FTF prize that was worth about $175, but the truth is we didn't have much invested in it and we would likely never use it. If the finder tried to trade like value the cache would not have held it all! We happened to acquire the flyrod for the right price and felt it was a good prize.

 

We did an 8 stage multiple-cache that had a FTF in each stage (The finder had to EARN them) and made note that they were free to the FTF. One cacher was very happy!

 

If we expected cachers to trade for these items we would not call them FTF prizes.

 

John

[TwentySeven]

We went out to a VERY remote area, not another cache for a thousand miles! We figured we would get the First Finder Prize!

 

 

 

[Pipanella]

I put a FTF prize in the first cache we hid, and it was meant as a gift, no trade necessary at all, or expected. Our second hide has not yet been approved, and for some reason, we didn't even think to include a FTF prize in it. It's a micro, but there might be room for something...

[+BadAndy]

I've placed a few ftf prizes and consider them just that, a prize. I try to keep with a traditional "treasure" type prize, such as roman coins, or silver rounds. No need to trade in my mind.

[+JMBella]

I often include a FTF prize, but if I don't write in the cache sheet that it a "gift" people always want to trade for it. So in the case of my caches, it's a prize that you don't have to trade for. I've thrown in $20 bills as FTF prizes, it would be something to see someone trade even for that.

Took: $20 bill

Left: 97 McToys

[+Stem]

I have to wonder about FTF prizes. I look at it a different way. I've hidden three caches, each cost me $20 give or take a dollar. If I add a $10 or $20 dollar FTF prize, that reduces the number of caches I can afford to hide. An FTF prize is for one person, a cache is for the whole GC community. I'm not against FTF prizes, I would rather take that money and put it towards another hide. Some may (and probably will) say I'm cheap, I would just prefer to have more funds for hiding caches for everyone, than providing a gift for one person. Gimme a second....ok, flame retardant suit on, have at me

[+yumitori]

I found a cache that had a $20 FTF prize in it.. I was thrilled but also felt that "I need to trade evenly" feeling...even though I knew I really didn't need to. I posted a note then returned with scratch off lottery tickets... spent $5 on scratch offs and from what I've heard I came pretty close to sharing that $20. I felt good about that... not neccessary.. no.. but for me it's all a part of the geocaching experience.. it's all about sharing!

We've had much the same situation ourselves. We thought the $20 gift certificate a bit too rich of a prize just to take, so we brought along a new CD of some of our favorite music to trade.

 

Unfortunately we forgot that the container, unlike most in the area, was not an ammo can. So we wrote up an IOU for the CD as a 'Second Finder's Prize' and left that. So far we've been the only folks to find the cache...

[+Klondike Mike]

Gimme a second....ok, flame retardant suit on, have at me 

I don't see a reason to flame you. To each thier own. If that is what you prefer to do on your caches then I think everyone should accept it and cache on

A few of the more recent caches I've logged had a log book and pen and nothing more. I don't hold any ill will against the owner. I'll just know not to take the kids with me on any others he may create. There was a log book and he did a nice job on the hide so that is good enough for me.

[+hikemeister]

I do hand-made FTF items -- painted rocks with the GC logo, the name of the cache, and "First to Find" They have no real value, but first finders like them.

[+hikemeister]

Oh right, and I forgot to mention one of my favorites, placed by a local geocacher. Three of us usually are the first to find new caches in the area. Knowing this, the hider placed three envelopes, one marked "Hikemeister" and the other two with the other geocachers names. Inside each was a $10 gift card.

[+Confucius' Cat]

We wrapped it in its own ziplok bag and wrote "Congratulations! FTF prize..

 

Thats exactly what I did it's still not found yet , although there is one DNF.

Darn!

Somebody done found it.

And I was looking forward to a trip to Canada!

[+Confucius' Cat]

OK My 2C

 

A really difficult cache "should" have a FTF prize.

 

OTOH, there should be something special for everybody else that finds it, too.

 

The satisfaction of finding a difficult one is great, but having a really special prize for the first finder is like the icing on the cake.

 

I don't expect the FTF to trade for it.

 

Economics prevents multiple prizes, so i don't know how to go about "icing the cake" for everyone. I'm all ears if anyone has ideas on this.