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Luck and Protection Geocoin |
A little background for those who might not be in the know: geocoins are tokens, usually coin-like (but sometimes marvelously not) that are used in the game/sport/activity known as geocaching. Geocoins typically have a serial number engraved on them which can be registered (and tracked) using the tracking website.
Technically, the coin you see here is not actually a geocoin -- or, rather, it's not a trackable geocoin. The number you see there is a serial number, yes, but it is not a tracking number (as sold by, say, geocaching.com).
This coin is a mystery coin. There's a very active community of people who make, sell, buy, collect, activate, and/or release geocoins at the Geocaching.com Forums (message boards). Some of these people will, for some reason or another, occasionally mint coins that they then send, anonymously, to other
I went to the post office and found a parcel. I regularly order coins so this was not too terribly surprising. Still, I didn't recall ordering anything from the location indicated by the postmark and stamps (which I will not reveal here). What could it be? I ripped open the packet and lo and behold, out fell this coin!
I am particularly tickled because I have visited China (in 2000, before I joined the Navy). Note the "Great Wall" border. I have walked on that wall. I love the fu-dogs and am delighted that the coiner got this right: fu-dogs always come in pairs, one male and one female. The male has a globe under his paw, and the female has a baby fu-dog under hers. On the obverse are two beautifully-done dragons (I wonder if they, too, are male and female?).
I scored coin #78. Squeee! I've been carrying this around with me in my overshirt -- it goes everywhere with me, now. Thank you, oh Doubly-Lucky and Doubly-Protected mystery coin giver!