Designing Sig Item, What Do You Like To See?

[+elgecko]

I'm designing my own sig coin. This is what I have so far. Since I have not gone and and did any hunting yet for caches and have not seen many items, what do you like to see in a sig item?

I thought about adding "elgecko was here" on the front (side with lizard). Maybe adding the outline of PA on the front or on the back getting rid of the geocaching emblem, since that is where I'm from.

Any ideas?

Don't try the link shown on the coin, does not exist yet.

 

[+AuntieWeasel]

Heyyyyy, nice gecko

 

It's a good representation of your avatar, and if it's on a durable item like a coin, that would be good enough for me. I don't know if you've priced them yet, but that will help you make up your mind about number of colors, whether to print two-sided, whether to have the date printed on...I don't know anything about those sorts of coins, but I'm guessing it makes a big difference in price, but not so big a difference in the desirability of the sig item.

[+Baxter-MD]

I think it is interesting that this hobby has adopted coins/chips as signature/trade items, when hat/lapel pins are so popular in other hobbies. I have just ordered pins for a new signature item - - I wanted something that folks could add to their backpack.

 

I have started collecting signature items, and when it comes to coins/chips I am drilling a hole in the top so that I can add them to a key chain ring that I have on my backpack.

 

I like your design.

[avroair]

Hey Elgecko,

 

I really like your design. Personally, I would add "Elgecko was here" to the back and remove the geocaching logo, then you can use them for all of your activities. It is also good not to make the sig item too big so it can fit into smaller caches.

 

I have a signature geocoin I trade or place in caches:

 

[+LthrWrk]

I like sig items that are creative. The gecko looks great. Look Here to see my sig items and the special 100th cache sig item.

[+TotemLake]

I think it is interesting that this hobby has adopted coins/chips as signature/trade items, when hat/lapel pins are so popular in other hobbies. I have just ordered pins for a new signature item - - I wanted something that folks could add to their backpack.

 

I have started collecting signature items, and when it comes to coins/chips I am drilling a hole in the top so that I can add them to a key chain ring that I have on my backpack.

 

I like your design.

Actually, you'll find a wide range of items being used as sig items. Coins are more visible as the most sought after item because of the look they have. But there are much cooler items to gain from regular cachers... such as the shot glass from Kealia, the backpack strap from Criminal. Other creations include buttons and patches and D-clips, cards, mini-ammo boxes, and many other items. Your only limitation is your imagination.

 

A great site to look at for geocreations is Team Fisur's.

 

Nurse Dave has also started nice web site displaying the different creations.

[+Baxter-MD]

I think it is interesting that this hobby has adopted coins/chips as signature/trade items, when hat/lapel pins are so popular in other hobbies.  I have just ordered pins for a new signature item - - I wanted something that folks could add to their backpack.

 

I have started collecting signature items, and when it comes to coins/chips I am drilling a hole in the top so that I can add them to a key chain ring that I have on my backpack.

 

I like your design.

Actually, you'll find a wide range of items being used as sig items. Coins are more visible as the most sought after item because of the look they have. But there are much cooler items to gain from regular cachers... such as the shot glass from Kealia, the backpack strap from Criminal. Other creations include buttons and patches and D-clips, cards, mini-ammo boxes, and many other items. Your only limitation is your imagination.

 

A great site to look at for geocreations is Team Fisur's.

 

Nurse Dave has also started nice web site displaying the different creations.

True. Until recently I was using a tribal mask magnet as a signature item. A local cacher named Fergus makes chainmail balls that are sought after - - I drove 40 miles round trip to get mine.

[+elgecko]

Thanks for the comments, ideas, and links.

[+DaveA]

I think every element on your coin is good. I love the gecko, the number on the coin, the date, your URL etc. You may want to reconsider the geocaching.com logo though.

 

The only reason I say this is that without the logo your coin is 2 colors, black and yellow. With the logo you up the number of colors exponentially and that is likely to raise the per coin cost significantly. Since pretty much any cacher who finds your coin already knows about geocaching.com it would seem like the most expendable element on the coin if you wish to keep costs under control.

 

Edit: disregard. I checked out a few coin makers and they don't seem to charge based upon number of colors.

Edited February 13, 2005 by DaveA

[+elgecko]

Maybe I should clarify that these will not actually be stamped coins.

I would love to do something like that, but lack that kind of money involved to do so. First thing I started to check out when I saw the coins and thought, how cool.

They will be metal, painted and the artwork put on, then sealed with sealer.

I actually have the page created now to track the coins with a picture on it of my first try. Now I'm ready to go looking for some caches now and let some GeckoCoins go.

Even though they are not actually stamped, hopefully other will find them neat.

 

http://www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/coin.html

[+AuntieWeasel]

Hey, that's neat, elG.

 

That's a print sealed on, not painted, right?

[+elgecko]

Thanks.

 

It is a Avery 2" X 4" clear mailing label that can be run through the inkjet printer. I'd like to find a way to cut nice circles out of the lable instead of hand cutting them with scissors. I tried the wifes circle cutter for scrapbooking but its unpredictable on setting the size and positioning to get a precise cut each time. I might find some tubing the correct size, grid the end so it's sharp, and then punch it with a hammer to cut the lables out.

The metal discs are 2" that get punched out at our metal shop at work. I told the guys that work there to save me some of the 2" punches for a while.

 

Well it's a beautiful day today and I have not really gotten to play with my GPS which I got last week. So I'm off to do some hiking and a little hunting for the first time.

[+DaveA]

that is a neat idea, hopefully they weather well.

[+robert]

MiGO has a nice sig item database:

 

http://sigitemdb.mi-geocaching.org/

[gridlox]

It is a Avery 2" X 4" clear mailing label that can be run through the inkjet printer. I'd like to find a way to cut nice circles out of the lable instead of hand cutting them with scissors.

Kill two birds with one stone!! Plus have a more durable product to boot!

 

Have them printed by a sign company that does digital print/cut vinyl graphics!!

 

That's what I did for mine.

 

Number of colors isn't a factor either!!

 

The inks are outdoor life rated at 3-5 years.

Some of the newer U/V resistant inks that are coming out are rated at 7-10 years!!!

 

I took my design to them as a .jpg file at the size I wanted them printed and they just imported it into their sign program and placed a circle cutline around the area I told them. Told them how many I wanted and then the machines did the work.

 

 

Back to your original question...

 

Three things "I'd" like to find as part of a cacher's sig items would be the Cacher's name (on the item itself, not attached with a string or keychain), something original (artwork, made by the Cacher, or something common that has been customized in someway to reflect the Cacher's identity) and where the Cacher is from (City & State...{& Country - if outside the US} )

 

D-man

[+CompuCash]

looks just fine the way it is.

 

nice job.

 

---

 

but I gotta say - your sig item should be what YOU want - not what we want.

 

should reflect your personalit or ideas on gc I'd say.

 

--

 

just my 2 cents -

Edited February 15, 2005 by CompuCash

[+elgecko]

I was just asking what others liked to see to get more ideas.

What was already suggested, I made comments about in my original post. elgecko was here, location where I'm from.

The links are great because now I can see what everyone else has done.

I did change my GeckoCoin a little from what is show. I added elgecko was here by the lizard, and changed Token to GeckoCoin on back (from number 8 on.)

If I'm still into this next year, which most likely I will be, I already have the design a coin for next year.