I remember the first time I found a Pathtag in a cache, it was only a few weeks into my caching adventures. I had no idea what it was at the time, but my then five year old son, claimed it as his prized possession. It had a pretty possum design on it with the word ‘Posums‘. It really wasn’t until I attended my first mega a few years latter that I discovered Pathtag trading… and thought, oh my, this is a whole new side to geocaching!!

With the Whittlesea Mega only a few months away, I thought that it would be opportune to connect with Muzza aka Murray from our community who is known to have an awesome Pathtag collection and ask for his insights in what this Pathtag business is all about. Ironically, it was Muzza that actually gave me my second Pathtag all those years ago!

Thanks for speaking with me Muzza, I am keen to hear how you started Geocaching?

I have an interest in Electronics and used to subscribe to an Australian magazine called Silicon Chip. In September 2001 I purchased a Magellan Map 330 GPS so I could go solo hiking in the Alps around Thredbo. In December of that year, I was looking through previous magazines looking for some circuit ideas when I noticed a picture of my GPS model on the front cover on one of the editions. I read the associated article and right at the end it mentioned Geocaching. I went to the website and attempted two caches that day, both three part multis.

I didn’t know what I was doing, but found both in the end. After a few more caches I decided to get to the 50 mark and then decide whether to continue. (Back then, there were just 20 caches within 50 km’s of home, and about 60 in all of Victoria, so a goal of 50 was very much long term). Needless to say, the rest is history.

Can you please explain what a Pathtag is? How is this different from a Geocoin?

Pathtags are similar to small coins around 24 mm’s in diameter with a small hole in them. They are generally designed by and/or for a cacher to either give out (like calling cards), to leave in caches for other to collect, or to trade with fellow cachers. Until recently, they were all the same size and round, but now you can design custom shapes. The first custom Pathtag I was given was by Snap Happy in the shape of a camera. Pathtags are logged at pathtags.com.

Geocoins are much bigger starting at around 45 mm’s and each have unique numbers on them, with the idea of letting them loose in the wild for cachers to move from one cache to another, each being individually tracked. They can be logged on the geocaching website whenever they are picked up or dropped off.

Geocoins are not normally created for just one person, but are sold by the creators to anyone that wishes to purchase them, or by groups like Geocaching Victoria and they are much more expensive than Pathtags. While many of them are round, they do come in varied sizes and shapes and some even have moving parts. I have four megacoins at 12.5 cm’s in diameter and weighing a little over half a kilogram.

How do you collect and trade them?

I started collecting Pathtags when a few people starting giving them to me. I felt I needed to reciprocate, so created a “Muzza was here” Pathtag inline with previous stamps that I have occasionally used. I don’t trade Pathtags – I simply give them out to friends and new cachers I meet, and if they choose to give me one of theirs, all the better. I generally try to do new ones for each Mega I attend and give most of them out during the Mega. I also purchase Pathtag sets available at most Megas.

I initially stored them in special coin folders, trying to keep Pathtags from each cacher together, but that soon became difficult as some friends were very prolific with their different Pathtags. At the moment, my excess are stored in a box but may move to magnetic sheets on a back board. (see photo of them temporarily mounted).

Dare we ask how many you have in your collection? How do you store them?

According to what I’ve logged on Pathtags.com, I have 260 pathtags, not including 12 of my own (1 still being manufactured). This is a small number by comparison with those who actively trade pathtags, but I suspect I may not have logged all my earlier collection.

What if someone wants to get one made, what do they do?

To get one of your own Pathtags, the first step is to create a login for pathtags.com. Once there, the next decision is whether to create your own design or use a design partner. The pathtags.com/design web page gives you details about Pathtag specifications, and also includes a link to design partners who can create a design for you at a cost. There are a couple of Australian designers there – Ozglory and Omegaman Designs. I have always done my own Pathtags and have kept them simple, whereas designers can do a much better job than the average person.

Once you have your design, you need to go through the order process at pathtags.com/community/order_sk_start where you can specify things like the number required, the base metal, which design goes on the back, do you want vanity numbering and any other special features like glow in the dark or glitter paint, etc. As you progress through the ordering process, you can see the cost (in US dollars) the more things you add. Finally, you complete the order and pay the fee.

After a week or two, you will receive an email containing a proof of how the Pathtag will look. You need to check it for accuracy and for the colours. If you are not happy, request changes. Otherwise, approve the design and it will be sent to the factory for processing. Hopefully, you should receive your tags in 2 to 3 months, depending on how busy they are.

Any tips to getting started on a new collection?

First of all you need an idea that can translate into some form of picture – something about your caching name, your personality, your interests, or an event you are creating the pathtag for. Convert that idea to a design and order it. It’s easy to say, but not always easy to do.

I initially struggled to come up with a suitable signatory pathtag design – what does a muzza look like? In the end I just used a map of Australia in the middle, backed by the four geocaching coloured quadrants, with Muzza was here in the middle.

Not having a great imagination, for various Megas, I have tried to incorporate some of the mega logos into my own Pathtags. With the cancellations and postponements of the last couple of years, I have now learned not to incorporate the year in the Pathtags. My Wangaratta tags showed 2021, my Millicent was 2020 but never made it there, and my Whittlesea tags show 2020.

So in the end, just go with something you like.

Thanks Muzza for sharing some really useful tips for new geocachers! Thanks too for sharing photos of your collection, I am always fascinated by how varied and creative they can be. I look forward to seeing your most recent creation too at the next Mega.

For those that are attending your first Mega, be sure to visit the Pathtag trading, there will be one on both the Saturday and the Sunday during the Mega weekend. We also have our Mega Pathtag set currently up for sale in the shop, so be sure to check them out.

-heymissjo