Finding a geocoin

[+TeamJakobsen]

From time to time, I have found a geocoin that was described as being a collectible object. When that happen there will be a logging option to move it in to my collection.

What does that meen? Can I take ownership over that coin? Or what?

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

From time to time, I have found a geocoin that was described as being a collectible object. When that happen there will be a logging option to move it in to my collection.

What does that meen? Can I take ownership over that coin? Or what?

Does it mean that you should move it to your collection or take ownership?

 

Not necessarily.

 

I find that most marked as being Collectible are done so by mistake on the owner's part.

Mostly because it is confusing to some as to when/when not mark it so.

 

Unless the Trackable page specifically indicates that you should keep it or move it into your collection, you really ought to be asking the Owner, first. -- NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING --

[+kunarion]

From time to time, I have found a geocoin that was described as being a collectible object. When that happen there will be a logging option to move it in to my collection.

What does that meen? Can I take ownership over that coin? Or what?

The owner still owns it. When you move it to your Collection, it keeps the Inventory list cleaner. With the permission or blessing of the Coin Owner, you've put it with the others to complete a coin set in a binder, or whatever (like loaning an artifact to a museum, the museum doesn't automatically own it). If it were showing in your Inventory, it's just more clutter when you try to log Dropping some Trackable into a cache. The "Collection" is a way to organize Geocoins that you are not circulating. It's simply a way to list things for the Coin Owner's convenience.

 

The Coin Owner should mark that coin "Collectible" only while actively getting the coin moved to a Collection. Therefore, the coin's page should have plenty of information on why it is currently marked Collectible. There should be no question about what "Collectible" means, on any given coin's page. If it's confusing, be sure you ask and get reply that it's OK to place it into your Collection. If you do, you must of course agree that at the Coin Owner's whim, you will place it into a Geocache and log the Drop.

 

99.999% (my own rough estimate ) of all Trackables marked "Collectible" are the result of people clicking buttons. People love to click buttons, but it has nothing to do with a desire to remove the coin from the game. When used properly, the "Collectible" option should be continually active only in highly unusual situations. Once it's in a Collection, the Owner should mark it "Not Collectible", since it has already been moved.

 

Some Geocachers believe that the "Collectible" box is what to click when you want to tell the world that "My Coin Is Pretty Cool!". And some less scrupulous finders have insisted that once the word "Collectible" is in play, the coin becomes Pocketable without logging it it at all (but that's not true, it's just another rationalization in one's mind to steal). The multiple meanings of the word "Collect", combined with sparse info, are the source of trouble.

 

If the Coin Owner wished to transfer ownership, there's a separate process for that. If the CO wanted any finder to keep a coin once found, it's good to not even activate it first. Less paperwork.

 

Unless the Trackable page specifically indicates that you should keep it or move it into your collection, you really ought to be asking the Owner, first. -- NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING --

^ This.

Edited July 15, 2014 by kunarion

[+Droo]

I just can't imagine buying a geocoin, going through the effort of activating it and creating a travel page for it only to have it deliberately taken out of circulation by someone else. If I wanted to make an anonymous gift to the next finder I'd leave it in the cache unactivated, and a clear description so there is no confusion when it can't be logged in and retrieved from the cache and how to go about activating it.

 

That said however, it has to be admitted that the checkbox marking a geocoin collectable or not is very confusing and suggests at lot more than it serves. A nice explanation of it next to the checkbox would be helpful.

 

A good rule of thumb is that an activated traveler is released to travel from cache to cache and is being followed in the tracking system by its owner. There are a few exceptions to this but they are best ignored as statistically insignificant.

[+kunarion]

the checkbox marking a geocoin collectable or not is very confusing and suggests at lot more than it serves. A nice explanation of it next to the checkbox would be helpful.

It's also one of the first decisions a new Owner must make when setting up the coin's page. Click, Click, Click, "I don't know what this is," Click, "A checkbox is unlikely to confuse finders..."

[+Maebius]

this thread was much more helpful to me actually than the FAQ, about coins. Particularly Droo's comments... those would be great stickied on the geocoin FAQ.

 

As a new cacher, I was a bit overwhelmed at whether Travel bugs travel, and coins stay in pockets or swapped around, even though both are"Trackable", then add the apparently huge amount of different coins that a quick skim of forums showed... wow! and it seems the Collection tickbox just confuzzled me even more. Glad to know I wasn't alone.

 

(I got a starter kit and came here looking for how the Coins worked, since it's a FTF coin, I assumed it was just pocketable for the first finder, but I really want ot have it travel a little bit... which happily it seems they still can!)