Manitoba Geocaching Association

[grnbrg]

Ok, I've got enough firm details that it's time to put this out under it's own topic.

There appears to be enough interest in creating a MBGA Geocoin to make it worth doing. I've had people express an interest in purchasing a total of more than 125 coins, assuming a cost of (roughly) $2.00 each. This total is likely to grow if we send out an email to the entire association membership and/or allow orders from outside the group.

I have a quote for a coin with the following details:

• 1.25 inches max diameter
  
• 'Antique' finish -- basically silverish, copperish, or goldish.
  
• May be a custom shape (ie: need not be circular)
  
• Distinct logo on each side (ie: MGBA logo on one side, GC.com logo on the other, pending GC.com approval)
  
• 1 element "stacked" -- see below for explanation
  
• 4 digit stamped sequential number
  
• Coins will not be trackable at GeoCaching.com
  

Setup costs for these options is $86.25. 100-249 coins will cost $2.72 each, 250-1,000 coins will cost $1.78 each.

Totalling the setup costs, per coin costs and taxes result in the following order size / per coin cost:

• 100 coins: $4.0841 each
  
• 150 coins: $3.7563 each
  
• 200 coins: $3.5924 each
  
• 250 coins: $2.4225 each (Volume price kicks in.)
  
• 300 coins: $2.3570 each
  
• 400 coins: $2.2750 each
  
• 500 coins: $2.0891 each ($1.66 per coin @ 500)
  

and so on. Moving to a 1.5" coin will add between $0.40 and $0.60 per coin, moving to 1.75" will add $0.80 to $1.20 per, depending on volume.

The "stacked" design mentioned above, which adds $60.00 to the setup, means that a single element of the design will be on a second 'layer' -- the coin we are looking at is essentially a black and white design, where the white is raised above the surface of the coin. The stacked design allows us to add a third 'colour'. My intent was to use this on the MBGA logo, and have the Manitoba outline rasied above the four squares, with the icons in the squares being at the base level of the coin. It addes between $0.20 and $0.60 per coin or so, but I think it's worth it in this case.

I should have confirmation by next week from Geocaching.com regarding their logo use and restrictions. I will also post some preliminary designs, which I'd like comments on.

To begin with, I'd like to people (including the ones who have already done so) to post how many coins they would commit to buying, and what is the most they will be willing to pay, per coin for this number. If the turns out to be lower, and people want to order more when the time comes, that's fine.

For my part, I'm willing to buy 20 coins, at $2.50 each.

I'd also suggest holding off on a mass-notification until we have a final design.


grnbrg

[grnbrg]

Well, I managed to mess up the poll.

Subtract my vote from "10 @ $3", "15 @ $4" and "100 @ $3", and add one for "20 @ $2.50".

Apparently you can't change your vote, once you've made it. And I couldn't zero it either.

We are NOT amused.


grnbrg

[junglehair]

I would likely buy 4 or 5 coins, no matter what the price ... at least within reason.

I've been collecting the various state and country geocoins and can tell you that the non-trackable geocoins generally sell for somewhere between $6 and $8 US each, including shipping.  GC.com trackable coins are usually between $8 and $10.

$2.50 or $4.00 Canadian seems very cheap to me.

[grnbrg]

I just got email from Groundspeak. We now have permission to use their logo, royalty free, on up to 350 coins, subject to the following conditions:

• Coins must be sold at no more than cost to our members.
  
• Groundspeak wants to approve the final design before the coins are minted.
  
• Groundspeak would like to be sent one coin for their collection.
  

All three are reasonable requests.

If we decide to direct sell to non-members (ie: open up orders to out-of-province collectors and geocachers) I'll need to ensure that such sales would be permitted under these conditions.


I'll spend some time with the Gimp this weekend, and see about posting a first draft design early in the week.


grnbrg

[grnbrg]

Ok, here's the first draft of the coin. (Yay, Gimp!) Click for a larger version.

As I mentioned before, the province will be laid over top of the four squares of the logo. The large bar on the back side is for the stamped numbers. The "of 999" will be changed to reflect the actual number of coins produced. I've used the copper/bronze colours here -- gold and silver are also options.

Comments and/or suggestions? Spelling corrections? Anyone want to submit a completely different design?

grnbrg

[ThreeTs]

I think the first draft of the coin looks pretty good!  Its great that we're able to use the gc.com logo.  Great work on all of this grnbrg!

 

[junglehair]

That looks great!  The number bar on the back is probably a bit bigger than it needs to be, but otherwise I love the design.

[MHz]

Count me in for 50 coins as I will find uses for them and spread them through my own caches and foreign caches. Don't really care about which ones I get except #42 would be nice but grnbrg wants it too so he has first pick. MHz

[grnbrg]

junglehair wrote:

---

That looks great!  The number bar on the back is probably a bit bigger than it needs to be, but otherwise I love the design.

---

Meh. I contacted the manufacturer and asked what they needed. The answer was 1 x 0.25 inches. When I asked if .75 x .25 would be suitable, given that we'll only need 3 digits, the answer was no.

But yeah, I'd like it smaller, with the GC logo correspondingly bigger. Oh well.

grnbrg

[junglehair]

Did you tell them the numbers don't have to be in size 18 font?

Seriously, it seems odd to me that they would need that large a space to do the numbering.  Are they stamping the numbers or engraving them?

-- Edited by junglehair at 14:11, 2005-11-14

[grnbrg]

junglehair wrote:

---

Did you tell them the numbers don't have to be in size 18 font?
Seriously, it seems odd to me that they would need that large a space to do the numbering.  Are they stamping the numbers or engraving them?-- Edited by junglehair at 14:11, 2005-11-14

---

Stamping. And it's probably a limitation of the stamper. Engraving is an option, but stamping costs $0.35 per coin, and engraving is $1.75 per coin.

So far people have said they're interested 170 coins, and the $$ commitment is $496. If we order 250 coins, we need to get commitments for another 45 coins. I think that's reasonable to expect. We might even get to the 380 coin limit Geocaching.com has imposed.

I'll contact Dani privately, and decide how the cash should be handled, but I'm going to ballpark an after-tax cost of $2.40 per coin. Watch this space.

And (to everyone) if you haven't filled in the poll, please do. Makes for a better estimate.


Thanks!

grnbrg

[junglehair]

If it's just open to MBGA members, I'd probably increase my order to at least 20 coins.  I could easily trade them with people in the US that collect coins.

[TheStuntman]

I know I posted this on another forum but I would like to get any 10 coins with sequential numbers 90-99 would be great.

I noticed in your poll that you have 10 X $2.25 =$25.00

If my math skills are working it should be $22.50

My son has hockey plaques cast in silver with gold accents and I think they look great. Otherwise the art work looks great. I do agree that the number bar is a bit big.

Thats my two cents     The-Stuntman

[TurdleEggs]

I'm in for 20 coins @ $2.50 ($50.00). The design looks great. What's the material?

[grnbrg]

TurdleEggs wrote:

---

I'm in for 20 coins @ $2.50 ($50.00). The design looks great. What's the material?

---

No idea. The company lists them as "Econo" coins. So, other than metal, I really don't know.

Note that colour options are Antique Gold/Brass, Antique Silver and Antique Bronze/Copper. I've used (sort of) the Bronze/Copper colours in the sample.