KrazyPete
Heck, we're even hosting GeocoinFest 2011 on the other side of Charlotte in October. I should run into several custome coin vendors there. I could research the cost and we could go ahead and start a little coin design contest on here.

Thats going to be awesome! Tell us what you find! Charlotte is too far away to make a trip for that kind of thing (two hrs), but give us a report and maybe some pics?

Edited by Sixdegrees (Aug. 25, 2011 21:38:39)

I've been looking over some of the rules for geocoins. There are two types. Trackable and non-trackable. The trackable ones have a code on them so they can be logged on Geocaching.com. I don't think I've ever enountered a non-trackable geocoin. I guess it would just be a collectible trinket since it couldn't be logged.

All designs have to be approved by Groundspeak before they go into production.

You can use the Geocaching logo on any trackable coins but you are not required to. You have to get permission to use their logo on non-trackable coins that are created for resale. Permission should be a non-issue since they have to approve the design anyway.

Trackable coins must say "Trackable on Geocaching.com" or "Track on Geocaching.com"

The most common size is 1.75 inches.

Groundspeak has rules against creating caches for promotion/commercial purposes but I don't see a similar rule for coins. If we make a coin it might be considered to be "promoting" Shadow Cities. If it's a problem that would probably come up when the artwork is submitted for approval.

The Shadow Cities art page is here http://www.shadowcities.com/art/ . The artwork is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC. That says that we can adapt, copy, distribute and transmit the artwork but not for a commercial purpose. I'd like to know if we can sell the coins at cost (not for profit) to recoup some of the production costs. They aren't cheap. If an Admin doesn't chime in here I'll email them.

Here's an idea. Maybe we could put SC stuff in certain geocaches, around the globe, maybe some custom coins and stuff from the store. Maybe Gabriel could donate a couple plush spirits. The only problem would be a risk of stealing, but I trust most SC players not to do that. We could also have trackable coins hidden by themselves in places. To get the funds, though, we would have to get support from GA. Admins, please speak your minds here. I'd would be awesome to get support from you and maybe you could contribute some of your own ideas, it would be much appreciated!

Edited by Sixdegrees (Aug. 26, 2011 20:47:23)

I'd be up for donating some spirits. My only concern is that I'm from MI, so any caches I release spirits into have a good potential to get wet, and little stuffed toys and cards don't hold up well in wet. I could put them in a plastic bag or two, but there is still a slight risk of damage if the bags fail...

But I could see them as travel bugs, perhaps, or maybe "Send me to another cache UNLESS you are a SC mage!" or things like that.

I'm pretty sure that if there is going to be any promotion of Shadow Cities in actual caches, Grey Area and Groundspeak would have to get together on that. Especially if there's going to be a new cache type with it.

I wouldn't be too worried about an SC player stealing the plush as much as I would a non-SC geocacher taking it, not even knowing what it was.

We might could do a series of "Energy Gateway" caches and hide them as close to SC energy gateways as we can. We could leave an unactivated coin as an FTF prize.

Edited by KrazyPete (Aug. 26, 2011 20:52:55)

Gabriel was responding at the same time I was.

Would the Spirits fit in an ammo can? Or, maybe we could put out some plastic cards that say the first SC player to find it gets a spirit. Then we could have them send their SC account name to verify that they are a player.

They would, yeah. They're about fist-sized. The problem with cards is that I could only put them near me, so only players near me would have a shot at them, and if I have other people place cards...

The more I think about it, the more I think a travel bug would work best for the spirits. That would keep them moving, spread them out... maybe then if a SC player finds one, he/she can keep it provided they drop me a line with their SC name?

I like the Gateway idea. And, Gabriel, other people can hide cards that they make and verify with you.

umopapisdn
for the geocachers who are uninitiated in the ways of shadow cities, maybe a QR code or something that takes you to the GA website, or the download page on the appstore?

That would be a great way to get people interested and we could design and make an equal number of Architect and Animator ones so people have a greater chance of picking one or the other.

I was thinking about that, but it seems like even more work, verifying each card and limiting how many people release them, and telling people no they can't make a card... :\