first finders prizes

May 16, 2003

I have been wondering what people might put for first finders prizes. I would definitely like to leave someting special for the first person to get to my caches, but I am on a kind of limited budget. Any suggestions? What do you leave; what have you gotten?

Thanks!

*Daphne*

May 17, 2003

The only First Finder prize I've seen was the $2 bill I got HERE, still have it. I've only hidden 1 cache, and didn't put any First finder prize, but I thought about it. I figured, You never really know what a cacher would want, so variety is key. That way, no matter who the first finder is, there's a good chance they will find something they like. For me the best prize is a good hide, but a little something to take with you is nice too.

_________________________________________________________

If trees could scream, would we still cut them down?

Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason.

Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest)

1.4k · May 17, 2003

Many people just do a certificate which is a really nice find. I have also seen people that do some small item from gc.com. But a nice colour certificate you print at home is cheap and a fun find.

---Real men cache in shorts.

May 17, 2003

Here's the first finders prize I just got today (5/16/03)

Tonto paints animals on river rocks. The Lone Ranger and Tonto have placed many of these rocks in caches around the area sometimes just as trade items, but sometimes as first finders prizes. Each one is unique and is mostly different animals. I have found about 10 so far. They are very highly prized in the area.

"The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec."

-Marcus Dolengo

22k · May 17, 2003

I would be willing to drop in a few geocached logo'd items.

somewhat off topic, is there any shipping and handling for geo-gear from gc.com? I can get all the to the point of entering my credit card and there is no mention of S&H. I didn't want to enter my card and then find out I paid $7 for a $2 patch.

Thanks.

May 17, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Team X40:
I would be willing to drop in a few geocached logo'd items.

somewhat off topic, is there any shipping and handling for geo-gear from gc.com? I can get all the to the point of entering my credit card and there is no mention of S&H. I didn't want to enter my card and then find out I paid $7 for a $2 patch.

Thanks.

Shipping in the US through UPS is now $5, plus $.50 per pound. If you only wish to purchase Travel Bugs, you can save on shipping by paying via PayPal. Pricing and other information is located on the Travel Bug web page.

So in other words, no, you wouldn't have to pay $7 for a $2 patch. You'd have to pay $7.50!

Visit the Mississippi Geocaching Forum at

http://pub98.ezboard.com/bgeocachingms

May 17, 2003

For a Scooby, Shaggy, and Daphne cache, I would think a Scooby Doo toy of some sort signed by the cache owners would be a good first finder's prize that I would keep, even display by my pc. It would be relatively cheap and very easy. Personalized Items are always easy for people to keep it makes caching more personal. Not everyone can say they have the signed first finder's prize from any given user or team.

Eeyore

I'm one sat short of triangulation.

1.6k · May 17, 2003

Most of our caches have a stamp to stamp your logbook. I create an acrylic key tag with the image of the cache's stamp and a First Finder logo on it.

There is one cache which is in the perpetual planning stage that will not only have the key tag, but a certificate for a year's membership to GC.com!

CR

May 17, 2003

Nice some good ideas. I will be putting together my first cache this weekend. These are some good ideas, hopefully there will be a couple more before I complete the cache. I had never thought about putting a first find prize but I will do it now.

May 17, 2003

For an inexpensive first finder's prize you could put in a lottery ticket or two. We have our "signature item" which is a pen with a calculator and ruler. We had it imprinted with a geocaching greeting. We used to leave a mini calculator with a geocaching inscription. Both of these items cost us less than $3. We were first at a cache that had a little round, red, "safety strobe" that you could wear on your clothes in poor light conditions. We enjoyed that prize. Some people also leave geocoins, which we liked at first, but aren't as fond of now. They should be passed on and we like to keep something nice from a cache is we leave something nice. We also have left survival whistles with a compass and match safe and strike plate. These are also under $3.00 and make a good first finder's prize. Most caches we see today are full of junk. Anything that has some value could be a first finder's prize.

8.9k · May 17, 2003

Brand New unactivated Travel Bugs.

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

May 17, 2003

Well - I just put up one "Around the hill in 30 miles or less" this last month with the first prize being a $40 gift cert. to The CrabShack resteraunt, second place was a $20 cert. to TGIF rest., 3rd was a $10 cert. to Borders Book store. Also I know that Kevin of kevinesusan fame got a $1000 first prize a little while back.

If you drop your keys into molten lava just let 'em go 'cause, man, they're gone.

9.1k · May 17, 2003

Lately, for first finder items in my harder caches, I've been leaving $10 gift certificates for my favorite sporting goods store, or the 100-minute phone cards you buy at the K-Mart checkout counter. The gift certificates are very well-received.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Some mornings, it just doesn't pay to chew through the leather straps. - Emo Phillips

May 17, 2003

I placed a "minty" morgan dollar for the first finder in my first cache that I placed.No takers so far,one month and counting.The second cache has something similar but not marked specifically for the first finder.No takers on that one either<sigh>.

1.5k · May 17, 2003

Depending on the type of cache, it can vary. For my most recent cache (GCG2GC), I included enough in gift certificates for 2 people to attend a movie. The cache was movie themed, so it seemed appropriate, and was very well received.

Brian

Team A.I.

May 17, 2003

Here is a Bag of Gold that I used for a FTF prize.

I have also placed a Home Depot gift certificate.

A local restaurant donated 2 gift certificates

for dinner for 2(I have only placed 1 so far).

The cacher had to paddle 3 miles and hike 2 miles

for the dinner certificate .

Seatrout

2k · May 17, 2003

In a couple of my caches I have included a decent compass for the first finder. I figure we can use all the help we can get in finding our way around.

Lost? Keep going. You're making good time anyway!!

24.7k · May 18, 2003

If only I had the money...

But if I did I'd focus ona FTF prize for those caches of mine that are either really and truly anal, or a longer hike.

=====================

Wherever you go there you are.

May 18, 2003

I've been leaving USA geocoins. All of mine have been activated but I state that it's up to the finder whether they want to keep it or let it go. Most keep them moving. Perhaps I should follow the advice posted here of placing UNactivated coins in there.

1.4k · May 18, 2003

We've only placed 3 caches so far but we've tried to add something special to each to make them more interesting.

We left a CD of a local musician for the first finder in this one:

Watershed Whereabouts Part I

Although not necessarily for the first finder, we left a compass in this cache:

Looking Down Lindeman

Not intended to be a cache bonus, in our third cache, we included a loaner compass at the second waypoint of a multi so that people without a compass could complete the cache (heavy tree cover makes it very difficult to get a signal so a compass is necessary):

WWII - Irene Pearce Trail

We've got a few more compasses and CD's sitting here waiting to be put into upcoming caches as first finder bonuses. Although I don't feel it's necessary to put a special cache bonus in every cache, it does make it a bit more interesting for the FTF.

With regard to a budget, the CD's run in the $18 (Cdn) range and we shopped around and found a good deal on ten Suunto compasses for $10 (Cdn) each.

-----

2.7k · May 18, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by smithdw:
Here's the first finders prize I just got today (5/16/03)

http://img.Groundspeak.com/cache/69419_200.JPG

Tonto paints animals on river rocks. The Lone Ranger and Tonto have placed many of these rocks in caches around the area sometimes just as trade items, but sometimes as first finders prizes. Each one is unique and is mostly different animals. I have found about 10 so far. They are very highly prized in the area.

"The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec."

-Marcus Dolengo

Cool!!!! Looks like I need to plan some caching dwon your area.

May 19, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by evergreenhiker!:

quote:
Originally posted by smithdw:
Here's the first finders prize I just got today (5/16/03)

http://img.Groundspeak.com/cache/69419_200.JPG

Tonto paints animals on river rocks. The Lone Ranger and Tonto have placed many of these rocks in caches around the area sometimes just as trade items, but sometimes as first finders prizes. Each one is unique and is mostly different animals. I have found about 10 so far. They are very highly prized in the area.

"The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec."

-Marcus Dolengo

Cool!!!! Looks like I need to plan some caching dwon your area.

When one of these rocks is known to be in a cache, it gets grabbed pretty fast. Theres a lot of caches in the area that could increase your found numbers fairly fast. Sadly, there's not as much going on here, but in the Medford/Grants Pass area there is a lot of newer cachers that are hiding and finding a lot receintly. A lot of it is attributed to the geocaching class at the Rogue Comunity College in GP. In the last 6 months or so, there's been over 300 caches added within the 100 mi radius of my house's coordinates. I'm starting to fall behind...

"The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec."

-Marcus Dolengo

May 19, 2003

Do you all list the first finder's prize in the cache description, or let it be a surpirse for the finder?

Art

www.yankeetoys.org

www.BudBuilt.com

www.pirate4x4.com

May 19, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Cracker7M:
Do you all list the first finder's prize in the cache description, or let it be a surpirse for the finder?

Art

http://www.yankeetoys.org

http://www.BudBuilt.com

http://www.pirate4x4.com

Most people that I know list the first finder's prize, probably to be sure that the first finder knows it is a first finder's prize or to encourage people to find it.

"The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec."

-Marcus Dolengo

May 19, 2003

We put $125 dollars of mobile phone calls in our cache.. (The Great Windy Scandal) it was a hoot... first couple of teams there loved it.

38.2k · May 19, 2003

I usually don't place first finder prizes (one person is usually the first finder of all area caches anyways), but the few times I have, it was a Geocaching.com hat.

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln

May 19, 2003

I got a Lowes $10 gift card. Purchased nore cache junk with it....

Rino 110

MeriGreen 128

4.7k · May 19, 2003

bisons and bunny put in very nice first finder certificates in a wooden frames. although i am a FFW, i only got one of those last week. i'm not telling when, and i'm not telling where, but soon i'll be placing a cache that contains gift certificates to nearby bakeries, local bike/ski areas, and maybe (if i'm feeling flush) some cash.

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

May 19, 2003

I've done two caches with a first finder's prize.

The first was a easter egg hunt and the first finder prize was a golden egg I baught at Craker Barral. $3.95

The second is close to a race track and again the first finder prize was only $3.95. It's a collectors nascar catapillar car.

2.3k · May 19, 2003

Personally, I'm pretty happy being first to sign the log, or being the first to grab a TB. I'm easily entertained.

I have heard of people placing a $10 gift card to a local bookstore, the Home Depot, etc. In my three caches so far, I've placed some GC.com items in one, TBs in two of the others. I recently ordered three of the Cache-in/Trash out tees -- I'll be placing them in some of the new caches I plan to place soon, too. Thought that was a good idea...

Joel (joefrog)

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for ye are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

May 19, 2003

I provide FF's with a meal or a snack. Burger Bucks from BK go in our caches and along with our TBs when first deployed. When we check our caches we re-stock the Bucks. Maybe I'm cheap, but it's the thought that counts.

Usual Suspects - Terrapin & Bug

"Sure don't know what I'm goin' for, but I'm gonna go for it for sure!"

May 19, 2003

I have just placed but not yet listed a long multi-cache with a puzzling finish that ends up at a five-gallon pail from Home Depot. It contains an Olympus OM-2 SLR camera, 55mm lens, and flash unit among other things. I bought this outfit 20 years ago but it has spent the last ten years in the back of one closet or another. I could probably get $100 for the whole deal on eBay but I think I'll have more fun watching people scramble for it this way.

Lou AKA

TxHiPowr

May 19, 2003

For a dog themed geocache I just placed, I went to Petland and made a custom dog Id tag, so the first finder could ether put it on their dogs collar or keep it for themselves as memento

Give the Dog a Bone

More to see, More to do

May 19, 2003

On a longer multicache that I placed, I put a $10 Best Buy gift card in for the first finder. I mentioned that there was a prize in the description, but didn't say what it was.

Apparently it was very enticing to a couple of people - one guy was at the park at 6 AM, before the gates were even unlocked; he found another way in, and was greeted by the groundskeeper halfway to the first waypoint. He was really happy with the prize though, and sent me an e-mail thanking me for it. Another guy drove 50+ miles to try to be the first, but was a couple of hours late.

----

When in doubt, poke it with a stick.

May 19, 2003

I put a $10 Starbucks card in one. I have also done gold coins, an origami $5 bill, unactivated TB tags, and a decent compass. I don't usually post the exact prize, just that there is something special for the FTF.

2.3k · May 20, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by LoneHowler:
For a dog themed geocache I just placed, I went to Petland and made a custom dog Id tag, so the first finder could ether put it on their dogs collar or keep it for themselves as memento

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=68696

More to see, More to do

Clever idea... might just have to use it! Of course, I'll also have to make mine say "Fist Finder" like yours did!

Joel (joefrog)

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for ye are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

May 30, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by 1911:
I placed a "minty" morgan dollar for the first finder in my first cache that I placed.No takers so far,one month and counting.The second cache has something similar but not marked specifically for the first finder.No takers on that one either<sigh>.

Well, some lamer found it and traded for a used pen. Nobody's expecting to "get rich", but sheezzzzz Tade FAIR!

1.7k · May 30, 2003

First Finder prizes are not meant to be traded up or even. They are prizes.

I places a fairly hard cache (at least for this neck of the woods) in a place where I got a long hot walk, ticks, and ripped the leg off my pants with barbed wire.

I figured since it was nasty, I'd sweeten the pot with a gold coin for the first finder.

1 week, and no finder has logged online.......

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case...

8.4k · May 30, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by M15a4spr:

quote:
Originally posted by 1911:
I placed a "minty" morgan dollar for the first finder in my first cache that I placed.No takers so far,one month and counting.The second cache has something similar but not marked specifically for the first finder.No takers on that one either<sigh>.

Well, some lamer found it and traded for a used pen. Nobody's expecting to "get rich", but sheezzzzz Tade FAIR!

Well, I have only placed one physical cache, but I have dozens more in the works. My cache had an FTF prize in it and that's just what it was, a prize. I didn't expect a trade for it. The cache was themed and the prize clearly didn't belong in the theme anyway. I haven't come across any FTF prizes in my 6 FTF's. Just first trade. I would still leave something better than a used pen though.

My new FTF prizes are Iraq's Most Wanted decks. 6 Bucks a pop plus shipping. If someone wants to trade for it O.K., but FTF can have it and leave nothing as far as I'm concerned. Do athletes have to pay for their medals? IMHO A trade item is a trade item. A prize is a prize. I don't take it for granted that other cache owners think like me, so I still would leave something extra for a prize.

Sngans

The greatest labor saving invention of today is tomorrow....

June 1, 2003

I like leaving something special for first finders.

Items I've left have included USB to Serial Adapters, Garmin data cables, military compasses, rare coins, etc.

Basically stuff I was going to put on ebay but decided they'd make nice finds (assuming the finder can make use of such items). I even left a #2 issue of my comic in my first cache (which typically goes for as much as a hundred bucks on ebay.). The guy who found the issue actually located it without a GPS before the cache had even been approved. (I had posted a link on our online forums to give my readers a heads up).

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

June 13, 2003

I expect the first finder to know that they can take the FTF prise, without trying to trade even for it, but is that a common practice? Or do you note that an even trade isn't needed, on the item or the description page?

_________________________________________________________

If trees could scream, would we still cut them down?

Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason.

Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest)

3k · June 13, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:
I usually don't place first finder prizes (one person is usually the first finder of all area caches anyways), but the few times I have, it was a Geocaching.com hat.

You mean like at this cache?

Actually, it looks to me like you've had a good mix of "first finders" on your caches.

June 13, 2003

I use a zippo lighter that I engrave myself with the Cache name.These seem to go over pretty well.

If I have to explain, You wouldnt understand..

June 14, 2003

Here was one I thought was interesting. Prove It! Golden Dragon test by ~Ninja~

A very interesting "tool" that I would have been happy to find.

Deer laugh when they hear my name!

http://www.geocities.com/cacheinon

June 16, 2003

I was thinking about this very same thing this weekend - when we get our GPS dev we was thinking of creating a cache or three. And one of the first finder prizes I'd put in there would be a small, therefore not massively expensive, digital camera memory card. An 8 or 16mb card or not very expensive and are very small and lightweight. Using the same idea as the Travel Bug, someone could take the card, take a couple of snaps and then leave the card in another cache or where it is for someone else to use.

Soon a single card could have travelled the world with lots of pictures on it. Such caches should be specifically marked, on the box and on the site - so that the finder should replace the exisiting card with another (Not everyone is going to have a laptop and a USB card reader in the woods!).

The found card should then be emptied, the pictures dumped to an online picture board and then the card then be used as a new replacement for the next cache.

What do you think? Thoughts???

frank

June 16, 2003

I think your flash memory would disappear very quickly, and not see a replacement.

Honestly, I'd just leave a disposable camera.

June 16, 2003

I was the first-finder of the first cache I ever looked for. It contained only a notebook and pencil. I left batteries. I was only out for the thrill of the hunt, not a prize, which is still the case. However now that I have a few finds under my belt!!!

If anybody wants to place a new cache with a Meridian Platinum as a FF prize, I would be more than happy to let you place it in my backyard!

Maps?!? We don't need no stinking maps! We got coordinates!

June 18, 2003

i just started my first cache today. left xbox game led zepplen cd, 2 lotto tickets and 5 dollar bill. can anyone tell my why they start off so good and end up full of used cheeseburger wrappers? are cachers just cheap?

June 19, 2003

In my caches I leave a first finder certificate it is cheap and they are highly sought after in my area (I only have one... unlike some other cachers I have to work). Someday I do hope to find one of Tonto's painted rocks... but to get one of those you have to be fast.

first finders prizes

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