New to Geocaching -

[SteveKJR]

Hi all,

 

I am new to Geocaching however I do have a few hiking GPS receivers - Magellin 300, 400, 500, Garmin colorado and that is where I found out about Geocaching. Since then I have been doing research on what Geocaching is about and there is an abundant of information out there.

 

That brings me up to the topic - Geocaching Olympic Pins. I have been pondering the idea of Geocaching Olympic Pins. As everyone knows there are a lot of 1996 Atlanta pins out there and people like to collect them. So what I was thinking is Geocaching Olympic Pins in different areas for people to locate and find. As I have read if you take an item from a Geocach you should replace it with an item of equal value or more. In the case of Geocaching Olympic pins if you decide you want to take one you would replace it with another one.

 

The 1996 Atlanta Olympic pins are relatively inexpensive and I think it would be a great way to do pin trading without having to pay for them. As far as location of the pins I was thinking about areas where there were venues but I don't know if that would really matter. The hunt and find would be exciting along with possibly trading your pin for one that you need.

 

So, I would like your input on this idea and what you think about it. My feeling is that it would get more people involved in Geocaching and would make it a little more fun.

[Pup Patrol]

Hi all,

 

I am new to Geocaching however I do have a few hiking GPS receivers - Magellin 300, 400, 500, Garmin colorado and that is where I found out about Geocaching. Since then I have been doing research on what Geocaching is about and there is an abundant of information out there.

 

That brings me up to the topic - Geocaching Olympic Pins. I have been pondering the idea of Geocaching Olympic Pins. As everyone knows there are a lot of 1996 Atlanta pins out there and people like to collect them. So what I was thinking is Geocaching Olympic Pins in different areas for people to locate and find. As I have read if you take an item from a Geocach you should replace it with an item of equal value or more. In the case of Geocaching Olympic pins if you decide you want to take one you would replace it with another one.

 

The 1996 Atlanta Olympic pins are relatively inexpensive and I think it would be a great way to do pin trading without having to pay for them. As far as location of the pins I was thinking about areas where there were venues but I don't know if that would really matter. The hunt and find would be exciting along with possibly trading your pin for one that you need.

 

So, I would like your input on this idea and what you think about it. My feeling is that it would get more people involved in Geocaching and would make it a little more fun.

 

I've seen caches that started out with the suggestion of trading pins. You can't demand that people only trade pins, of course, and you can't control what they will do any way.

 

But, as time goes on, that goes out the window and the pins are completely depleted, the cache is filled with the usual stuff.

 

I'm not sure I completely understand what you are proposing.

 

I'm not sure you understand geocaching.

 

Perhaps if you went out and found a variety of caches, you might get a better idea of what goes on out there.

 

B.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Pup Patrol

[+niraD]

One of my favorite ice-breakers for a geocaching event involved pins. Each person received a lanyard with 10 identical pins, but everyone received different pins. The ice-breaker was for everyone to mingle and exchange pins, with the goal of ending up with 10 different pins.

 

I've also seen a few people leave pins of various types as personal signature items. I have several in my sig item collection.

[+Walts Hunting]

Hi all,

 

I am new to Geocaching however I do have a few hiking GPS receivers - Magellin 300, 400, 500, Garmin colorado and that is where I found out about Geocaching. Since then I have been doing research on what Geocaching is about and there is an abundant of information out there.

 

That brings me up to the topic - Geocaching Olympic Pins. I have been pondering the idea of Geocaching Olympic Pins. As everyone knows there are a lot of 1996 Atlanta pins out there and people like to collect them. So what I was thinking is Geocaching Olympic Pins in different areas for people to locate and find. As I have read if you take an item from a Geocach you should replace it with an item of equal value or more. In the case of Geocaching Olympic pins if you decide you want to take one you would replace it with another one.

 

The 1996 Atlanta Olympic pins are relatively inexpensive and I think it would be a great way to do pin trading without having to pay for them. As far as location of the pins I was thinking about areas where there were venues but I don't know if that would really matter. The hunt and find would be exciting along with possibly trading your pin for one that you need.

 

So, I would like your input on this idea and what you think about it. My feeling is that it would get more people involved in Geocaching and would make it a little more fun.

 

I've seen caches that started out with the suggestion of trading pins. You can't demand that people only trade pins, of course, and you can't control what they will do any way.

 

But, as time goes on, that goes out the window and the pins are completely depleted, the cache is filled with the usual stuff.

 

I'm not sure I completely understand what you are proposing.

 

I'm not sure you understand geocaching.

 

Perhaps if you went out and found a variety of caches, you might get a better idea of what goes on out there.

 

B.

 

What he said. The best way to mentally handle these situations is to remember Governor Moonbeam when he talked about an Era of"Lessened expectations" and following my signature advice helps when it gets difficult

[+Walts Hunting]

One of my favorite ice-breakers for a geocaching event involved pins. Each person received a lanyard with 10 identical pins, but everyone received different pins. The ice-breaker was for everyone to mingle and exchange pins, with the goal of ending up with 10 different pins.

 

I've also seen a few people leave pins of various types as personal signature items. I have several in my sig item collection.

Love that idea.

[+klingonguy]

I only started this month, and as luck would have it the previous person at the first cache I found had left a pathtag. I loved it! Best first cache swag (better than a geocoin that I'd have to pass along, or other traveler).

 

I've picked up some items to leave behind in caches (and went back to the first one to leave something there), but I'm already busily designing my own pathtags to leave behind in caches.

 

I love SteveKJR's pin-trade idea, but I like the personal aspects of pathtags better. Mind you, cool swag is cool swag, any way you get it.

[SteveKJR]

Ok, I am going to try and cover this issue so you have a better understanding of just what I would like to do. The first comment was "do I understand Geocaching". Well I have done a bit of research on it and I think I do have an understanding of what it is - my take is Geocaching is the art of placing objects in an obscure place for people to find, document that they have found the object and should they be interested, exchange an item of equal value or greater for an item something that was left to be found.

 

Here is my take on what I want to do. I have around 80 1966 Atlanta Olympic Pins that I would like to place in obscure areas around the Atlanta area. Not necessarily in Atlanta but location may not be that important. The idea is for people who are pin collectors or anyone else interested in Olympic pins, go out and locate where these pins have been placed, and swap them out with another Olympic Pin should they desire the pin they find. Then, if they want to, they can go on to the next find and do the same.

 

The way I am looking at this is that people who collect Olympic Pins would probably enjoy the hunt and the find. It would give them a reason for doing this and in all likelyhood get a lot more people involved in Geocaching - that is part of my reason for doing this. There are Olympic Pin Collection clubs out there that i would contact should I decide to do this. I think it would be a great way to get more people involved in Geocaching.

 

I don't know if this is a normal thing to do when it comes to Geocaching but if more people can become involved the better -

[Pup Patrol]

Ok, I am going to try and cover this issue so you have a better understanding of just what I would like to do. The first comment was "do I understand Geocaching". Well I have done a bit of research on it and I think I do have an understanding of what it is - my take is Geocaching is the art of placing objects in an obscure place for people to find, document that they have found the object and should they be interested, exchange an item of equal value or greater for an item something that was left to be found.

 

Here is my take on what I want to do. I have around 80 1966 Atlanta Olympic Pins that I would like to place in obscure areas around the Atlanta area. Not necessarily in Atlanta but location may not be that important. The idea is for people who are pin collectors or anyone else interested in Olympic pins, go out and locate where these pins have been placed, and swap them out with another Olympic Pin should they desire the pin they find. Then, if they want to, they can go on to the next find and do the same.

 

The way I am looking at this is that people who collect Olympic Pins would probably enjoy the hunt and the find. It would give them a reason for doing this and in all likelyhood get a lot more people involved in Geocaching - that is part of my reason for doing this. There are Olympic Pin Collection clubs out there that i would contact should I decide to do this. I think it would be a great way to get more people involved in Geocaching.

 

I don't know if this is a normal thing to do when it comes to Geocaching but if more people can become involved the better -

 

Using Groundspeak for your plan, there are 2 ways to do that as far as I can see:

 

1.) place the pins in existing caches as swag.

 

2.) place new caches, and hope that people follow the "trade pins" ideal.

 

Either way, you have no way of directing people to only trade for what they take.

 

To put the pins in existing caches, you would need to depend on people to trade fairly. That's a stretch.

 

To create new caches to put them in, the same applies: you would need to give up trying to control the trading.

 

As I said, there have been plenty of caches placed with the hope/desire that they would be a base for pin-trading. That might work at first, but eventually people will just take what they want and leave behind a McToy or nothing.

 

I'm not trying to sound harsh. Your plan sounds ambitious and interesting. My thoughts are ones based on caching for 10 years, and seeing the quality and quantity in swag slowly but surely in a downward spiral.

 

It used to be exciting to see the swag in caches. Interesting and different bits and bobs. I've placed Canada flag pins in caches at one time. I've put them in ziplock baggies, to hopefully keep them in good shape. What pins I have found in caches are often rusty and ruined.

 

I'm just trying to let you know that the reality of finding caches can be quite disappointing.

 

B.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Pup Patrol

[Pup Patrol]

Ok, I am going to try and cover this issue so you have a better understanding of just what I would like to do. The first comment was "do I understand Geocaching". Well I have done a bit of research on it and I think I do have an understanding of what it is - my take is Geocaching is the art of placing objects in an obscure place for people to find, document that they have found the object and should they be interested, exchange an item of equal value or greater for an item something that was left to be found.

 

Here is my take on what I want to do. I have around 80 1966 Atlanta Olympic Pins that I would like to place in obscure areas around the Atlanta area. Not necessarily in Atlanta but location may not be that important. The idea is for people who are pin collectors or anyone else interested in Olympic pins, go out and locate where these pins have been placed, and swap them out with another Olympic Pin should they desire the pin they find. Then, if they want to, they can go on to the next find and do the same.

 

The way I am looking at this is that people who collect Olympic Pins would probably enjoy the hunt and the find. It would give them a reason for doing this and in all likelyhood get a lot more people involved in Geocaching - that is part of my reason for doing this. There are Olympic Pin Collection clubs out there that i would contact should I decide to do this. I think it would be a great way to get more people involved in Geocaching.

 

I don't know if this is a normal thing to do when it comes to Geocaching but if more people can become involved the better -

 

It's finally clued in for me what I think is the fundamental problem.

 

Your research leads you to believe that geocaching involves "objects" that are placed, to be found by others.

 

I think the problem with the word "objects" is the hangup.

 

As per Groundspeak Guidelines, a cache must have a container and a logbook or scroll.

 

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding again, but I get the feeling that you think that you can drop just the pins somewhere and have folks find them.

 

The only way that would work is if you put the pins in existing caches, that are active and can be found by other folks.

 

Sorry if I'm still not understanding what you want to accomplish.

 

 

B.

[+niraD]

To expand on what Pup Patrol (and others) have written...

 

Here is my take on what I want to do. I have around 80 1966 Atlanta Olympic Pins that I would like to place in obscure areas around the Atlanta area. Not necessarily in Atlanta but location may not be that important. The idea is for people who are pin collectors or anyone else interested in Olympic pins, go out and locate where these pins have been placed, and swap them out with another Olympic Pin should they desire the pin they find. Then, if they want to, they can go on to the next find and do the same.

For this to work with geocaching, you would need to add a geocache, in addition to the Olympic pins. A minimal geocache includes a container and a log sheet.

 

Once you add a geocache, what you have is very similar to the existing concept of "themed caches" where finders are requested to trade items that fit the theme. I've seen holiday themed caches (trade items appropriate to the holiday), button themed caches, sport themed caches, pet themed caches, and various other themed caches.

 

But you cannot require that people trade the way you want. You're doing well if people trade fairly (leaving something of equal or greater value). In a geocache, your Olympic pins may be traded for geocaching pins, for random souvenir items, for advertising trinkets, for dollar-store toys, for foreign coins, for kid-meal toys, or for nothing at all.

 

The only times I've seen the theme survive on a themed cache have been caches where the owner regularly updated the trade items, swapping out the off-theme items for new in-theme items. If you're okay with that, then geocaching may work for what you're trying to do.

[SteveKJR]

So after reading the additional posts I understand where you are coming from. One thing I didn't mention is that the pins would be placed in a container and a log book. As far as "theme geocaching" that sounds like that would be the way to do it. With regard to people trading fairly I don't have a problem with that. The idea behind what I would like to do is get people who trade Olympic pins involved in the sport of Geocaching which I think would make doing it more interesting.

 

As stated you can't control what people will or will not do - however if it was noted when the geocache was listed at least people will know what to expect. I think it will work. Where I live there are a lot of parks, rec areas and other areas that are easily accessable when it comes to parking and exploring.

[+Ben0w]

I think it would be a great way to get more people involved in Geocaching.

I don't know if this is a normal thing to do when it comes to Geocaching but if more people can become involved the better -

No need to get more people into geocaching. There already are a lot of. Most probably one or more of your friends is a geocacher and you just don't know by now...

[+cerberus1]

I'd suggest finding a few caches, themed or not, to see the swag that's placed in containers in your area.

Yet to see a themed cache remain that way for any length of time.

Few seem to trade even/up (if they trade at all) today. Swag degradation is now pretty-much a given.

Maybe consider making your pins a signature item.