Caching Topics A to Z # 19 Signature item

Horus · Post by **Horus** » 09 October 06 9:44 am

fehrgo wrote:
Aushiker wrote: Not quite. Things such as sig cards left by finders would not be considered fair game.
Has the finder no longer "found" the cache if someone removes their card?

The only reason I could see for removing a card in the first place is to place it in a cache the card owner hasn't done yet, so when they finally get around to doing it they get awfully confused - not that I would ever do that

Richary · Post by **Richary** » 10 October 06 1:43 am

I don't mind finding signature items but could see how they could end up filling a cache so there is no room for swaps. Luckily they aren't too big yet here in SA.

The little cards are OK, I think I prefer the stamps or stickers people put on the log page though. My only claim to signature items is some wildkards that are available free online with whatever movie Disney wants to promote at the time, I put my caching name and mobile number on the back.

Perhaps it comes down to the owner having to clean them out occasionally? Then store or bin them as they see fit if they are stopping normal swaps.

TeamTandoori · Post by **TeamTandoori** » 15 October 06 10:11 am

We have a cache called leave your mark! thats just for this reason.
GCY118

The point of this cache is to be a signature item swap cache. Things like stamps, signature cards, coins, figurines, whatever you call your trade mark item.

There is a swap, but it's not traditional as when you leave your item you take one of our (Team Tandoori) signature cards. When the signature items start to come in we will periodically retrieve them and put up photos on this cache page.

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Team Wibble · Post by **Team Wibble** » 15 October 06 10:52 am

This thread reminded me about a sort of "reverse" signature item we came across in New Zealand. We ended up getting about 8 caches hidden by one team, Saff & Tiger. In each of their caches they had a stack of signature cards - more like souvenier cards, with the name of the cache and details of the team. The idea being that everyone who find the cache takes the card. The cards were really well done and very colourful, and made excellent souveniers to bring back to Aus.

I've always figured that'd be something good to do, but haven't been organised enough to actually make some up yet.

They're good because they don't fill up caches!

Papa Bear_Left · Post by **Papa Bear_Left** » 15 October 06 11:53 am

Team Wibble wrote:In each of their caches they had a stack of signature cards - more like souvenier cards, with the name of the cache and details of the team.

That's quite common here in Perth, too. There's quite a few placers who have special cards for FTF, or first three to six finders, and a few who have a heap of finders cards for souvenirs.

I generally take one, to add to the collection!

TeamTandoori · Post by **TeamTandoori** » 15 October 06 3:23 pm

I love the idea of calling cards in fact we have a series of four calling cards so far with a max number of fifty in each set, that we leave in caches we find , thanking the cache onwer for hiding the cache. All par one series are laminated, full color and have been designed with corel draw with many hours placed in the layout. we think it's somthing novel that people get a blast out of.
With some of the caches we have placed them in we have had the onwers asked us to design calling cards for them as well!
Hope to be placing one in your cache soon!

Spruce Mooses · Post by **Spruce Mooses** » 15 October 06 8:07 pm

I was doing some cache checkups and maintenance today and found a Team Tandoori calling card. I was thrilled to get it and took it home.

Nice work guys I think it's a great way of identifying good caches.

Nibs · Post by **Nibs** » 22 October 06 6:16 pm

setsujoku wrote:I know that some cachers in SA have started collecting one cachers signature item.

Hopefully by next years june long weekend, someone will have a complete quilt covered in team hurtle patches

Ahh ... that would be me

. I've collected 75 at the last count and have just started sewing them onto red cloth to make a 'Geocaching Fireblanket', almost 2m square.

WRT signature items, I have manufactured a calling card that I have taken to placing in caches that I have found to be particularly rewarding. They are intended for the cache owner, and as such not considered an item to remove - Except perhaps BY the owner on a maintenance visit, or whatever. It's my way of saying thanks for a great cache.

I did notice that in WA, it is somewhat of a custom to place a calling card in the cache and most of the ones I found had a sizeable collection in them.

hgmonaro · Post by **hgmonaro** » 13 November 06 3:54 pm

I have a signature swap, Postcards (black & white photos) printed by me, however I don't think they are a hit, never seen any evidence one has been removed from a cache (not that I've distributed many!). Of the last few caches my sons swap something, and I add a postcard.

fehrgo · Post by **fehrgo** » 14 November 06 1:29 pm

I'm currently caching in California, and I must say that the signature items can be a tad overwhelming here. I'd estimate that some of the "small" caches contain about half sig items, half swaps. I'm sure it would be more if people were not taking the sig items as swaps. I can understand why people take the sig items too, as some of them are fairly nice.

One particular signature item that is kinda cool is the digital fish, trackable here. I'm bringing at least one of them back to Queensland with me. Basically it is a trackable with a less rigid ruleset, you can do what you want with it.