Design the 2010 GCGC Geocoin Contest (Updated 4/16)

[Harwell5]

CONTEST
   


Contest #1 - Design the 2010 GCGC Geocoin Competition

It's time to get your creative caps on and think GCGC, Geocoin, 2010 and "wow, that looks brilliant!" We are opening up the doors to all GCGC Members and asking for submissions for our next GCGC coin. We had a good start with our first edition GCGC 2009 coin - but now it's time to let the creative juices flow and see what we as a club can create.

Competition Rules:

• Each design must be submitted by email (below) no later than May 1st 2010 or at our "10 Years! Charlotte, NC" Celebration Event on May 1st. This will allow for a one month submission period. Designs emailed prior to the event will be printed in color and shown at the event as a "preview" to the voting period. Designs submitted at the event will also be shown as well, however, the same design must also be submitted in color by email before the end of that day (May 1st). If an email is not received with the design, that submission will be disqualified.
• Each design MUST contain the following…
       1) GCGC name (either GCGC or Greater Charlotte Geocaching Club)
       2) The year "2010"
       3) The GCGC geocoin icon which can be found here. It doesn't have to be identical to this icon. A similar likeness will be accepted.
• Space for a tracking # (normally six characters) and the words "trackable at www.geocaching.com"
• Coin designs must be submitted in one of the following formats: .JPG, .JPEG, .GIF, .TIF, .PNG or .BMP
• Coin MUST have a front and back design.
• Coin can be no larger than 2" diameter.

Prizes:

• The winning coin designer will recieve the 1st GCGC 2010 Geocoin plus one of the "proof" (sample) coins.
• 2nd and 3rd place coin designers will receive one "proof" coin of the winning coin design.

Coins submissions will be posted on our website on May 1st or 2nd and then voted on by all GCGC members who wish to cast a single vote. Only the designs will be posted. No member name will be labeled with the design so that there is no undue influence. All votes must be recieved by 12pm June 1st 2010 when the voting period will end. The top three coins will then be selected and designs submitted to a coin manufacturer. The winning coin will be determined by the GCGC Board who will take into account the cost to produce the three different coins and type of metal used for coin. (e.g. One coin submitted may get the most votes and look like the coolest coin ever created but may cost twice as much to produce than another coin). Coin submission should be emailed to admin@charlottegeocaching.com. The GCGC reserves the right slightly alter the winning coin design if necessary to allow for actual coin production. If needed, the alterations will be discussed with the winning coin's designer. This contest is open to all members of the GCGC including all Board members, however, should a board member's coin design be voted into the top three, that member will abstain from the final vote as to the winner of the contest.

If you have any questions or comments, please post them here for response. Good Luck!

IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL COIN DESIGNERS!!!!!!

Having seen all the coin designs coming in - i wanted / NEEDED to add this info to help everyone design a workable coin. Having designed the first coin - these tips may help save a lot of time having to re-work existing designs.

1) Check out as many existing geocoins and see what has been done and NOT done. This will give you an idea of what can be created physically by a coin producer.

2) KISS - keep it simple stupid, this rule is true. The more the fancy colors and shapes and arty things - the harder it will be to make the coins and not cost an arm and a leg

3) As far as our last coin producer - all colors HAVE to have metal between them - meaning two difference colors can't be done without having the metal split them up - so all designs may need to be re-worked to have this as part of your design.

4) The coin producer does have a fancy artist person who will tweak your design to make it work - but it helps to have it as close as possible to workable. 

See attached image of the artwork from last year for an idea of the format for your entry.  The light gray color in the image is raise metal that divides the colors.

[Harwell5]

Below is the sample coin that was produced for last years coin. You can use it as an example of the above referenced notes.

Speaking of last year's coin. For all the new memebers (and veterans too), we still have about 10 of these coins left for purchase. If you would like to purchase a coin (or two), please send an email to gcgccoinsales@charlottegeocaching.com. For more info and to view the original thread for our first coin, please go to this page.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Below are the entries for this year's contest. 

To vote, click this link (each member may vote one time only):
Ballot

(and yes I know a couple of them have different backgrounds... *@&%!, I'm a doctor, not a graphic designer, Jim) 

          

     

          

[david2400nc]

WOW!!!! This is going to be tough to choose, how many times can we vote???

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

   Only once.  However, the survey will be a "rated scale", so you'll select them in order of preference.  So you don't have to worry about picking 1 and that's it. 

Hopefully, a couple of clear cut favorites will emerge.

(on a more important note... "angel"?  "Dancing"?  Are we getting some new smilies, Mallock?)<see a couple of new ones in the edit box>

[rvstauff]

I see the "angel" and "dancing", but no smileys...

We NEED a "banging head on wall" smiley as well.  I would use that a lot!!!!!!!!

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

   agreed.  No chance we'll ever use the :angel: smiley with this motley crew. 

But banging your head against a wall... now THAT'S useful!

[Harwell5]

Back on topic please!

[rvstauff]

Boy - H5 is cranky today ...   

anyway...  when's the survey coming up?  Canny wait!

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Just added ballot link.  (see link right above the designs)

Reminder, each member may vote only once and voting period ends June 1st as specified in the original post.

Also, the ballot will not register unless you select a rank for all 7 designs.  If you leave one blank it will tell you.  After submitting, you will see a message that says "Thank you for taking the survey".

[foxult]

I ranked them 1-7 as instructed, but I felt bad at giving one of them a 7th place vote.  They were all pretty good.

[madkiwiman]

yeah hard to rank all seven - but its all done now

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Reminder:  Just a little over a week left to cast your vote for your favorite geocoin design.  Here's the link again in case you haven't voted:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9TSG2CX

Look them over closely, as you must rank all 7 to cast your ballot.

[rvstauff]

Sooooo


 

What coins made the cut?

 

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

The 3 finalists, in no particular order are (drumroll please...)

Design 1 - created by Harwell5
Design 2 - created by Mallock
Design 6 - created by rvstauff

Congratulations to these 3 and thanks to everyone who submitted a design!      All of them were excellent.  (and in the essence of full disclosure, my design finished dead last...  LOL)

We have submitted the 3 designs to different manufacturers, and upon receiving production quotes, the board will select one design as the winner.  Since 2 of the 3 are board members, they will be abstaining from the final vote.

Thanks again to everyone who participated!  We'll be announcing the winning design shortly.