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VTH3 signup thread (for Designated Diggers and Donors)

lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
It is almost time for our third Metal Detecting Forum VIRTUAL TREASURE HUNT!.

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I propose we try for a February 1st launch date for VTH3.

For those of you who weren't around for the last two, I will sum up in a nutshell: The idea behind the Virtual Treasure Hunt is to offer a little fun to those who might be snowbound or frozen in or just are unable to get out and do any diggin' themselves. The first VTH was in wintertime, but the second one actually ended up in the summer.

It's a contest. You have a certain number of designated diggers. In each round of the VTH, the designated digger announces he is about to go out detecting, and will dig up ten or twelve targets. The players choose targets ahead of time (one player for each of the targets in a given round). After the digger goes out and finds those targets, whoever picked the nicest one gets virtual credit for "finding" it. Players may only enter once in each round. Whoever picked the best target after all ten or twelve rounds wins the top prize, and there will be other prizes, just for fun. VTH1 was ten rounds, VTH2 was twelve, VTH3 will likely also be twelve rounds. The best targets are decided by the judges, who are the designated diggers, by mutual private discussion. I propose VTH3 be 12 rounds of 12 targets each, for a total of 144 targets overall.

From the archives, here are the past Virtual Treasure Hunts, just so you can have an idea of how they worked. Some of the photos are probably gone by now, but you should be able to follow how they went along, if you like. They were a huge amount of fun for diggers and contestants alike.

VTH1 (February 6-22, 2005)

VTH2 (July 30- August 6, 2005)


I will of course offer my services as a judge and designated digger for VTH3, meaning I will dig two of the twelve rounds. Let's get five other designated diggers, each of whom will take two rounds.

I believe John (goldrush00013), who was instrumental in both the past two, has decided to sit this one out as a judge or digger, though his experienced help is of course welcome. (Edit- nope! He's in! Hooray!)

Tim (phut), who found the best target in VTH2 that won somebody a new metal detector, would be my #1 pick after John. (Edit- bummer- Tim is out, and on the sidelines for this one, though he might be a player rather than a digger.)

Zot, we want you! It would be wonderful to have some European/Scandinavian targets dug in VTH3, along with your great photos and commentary! (Edit- Zot is in! Yay! The "coolness" potential of VTH3 is rising, and VTH3 will be international, unlike the first two!)

Jerry (CROCKofCOINS), we'd love to have you again! (Edit- Good- you're in!)

Purple73 was one of our fine members here and a designated digger in VTH2, but sadly, he seems to have vanished, so we'll need somebody to fill his shoes.

Here is what will be required of the five additional designated diggers:

1. Your time. Enough to go out and dig two rounds, photograph the finds, post them, and act as judge and prize donor at the end.

2. Photography skills. Need not be ideal, but you must be capable of posting photographs of what you find, obviously.

3. A second prize of some sort, and a small financial contribution towards the grand prize cost.
($20 from each Designated Digger and $10 from the Alternate Digger)

Each of the six diggers will ante up to pay for part of the grand prize, as we did before (though with six this time the individual expense should be smaller), and each will also offer a book, a coin, an interesting artifact or set of artifacts of modest value, or something similar as a second prize.

In other words, there will be one grand prize and six second prizes. The grand prize will be awarded to whoever the judges (the DDs) agree picked the best overall find of the contest, regardless of which digger found it. The second prizes will be individually awarded by each digger, to the person who chose what he considers to be his personal best find of the contest. (The digger who found the grand prize item will award his second prize to the person who chose his next-best personal find).

Confused? Questions? Most of you oldtimers remember how it worked the last two times.

Some of you who wanted to donate prizes the last time or two may PayPal modest donations toward the grand prize fund if you like. In VTH1 the prize was modest- a pinpointer probe. In VTH2 the prize was more valuable- a new $200 metal detector or coin(s) of equal value. I think a PCGS-certified gold coin will likely be the grand prize this time.

If you wish to sign up as one of the six Designated Diggers, or the Alternate (standby) Digger, and can donate your time and energy, plus a little money and a second prize, come on in!

What's in it for the Designated Diggers, if they have to put up part of the prize money, a second prize offering, AND their time and energy to dig the targets? Why, the prestige of it, of course. And the finds- they're only "virtually" giving those away. A lot of folks will be watching our DDs, to see who finds the target that ends up winning the prize for some lucky player.

If you wish to sign up only as a modest contributor to the prize kitty but not as a Designated Digger, please indicate this. Thanks.

Contributors will be recognized publicly unless they wish to be anonymous. Remember, we don't want fat contributions that would make the grand prize too grand. Just a modest sum, which you can PayPal to me (I will post receipt of funds here). Edit- my PayPal address is rwshinnick@hotmail.com. Be sure to earmark your payment as a VTH3 donation. Note that prize money donors can also participate as players. Since they will not be Designated Diggers and will have no inside knowledge of the finds in advance, they can play along in the contest like anyone else and potentially win a prize.




THE DESIGNATED DIGGERS AND JUDGES FOR VIRTUAL TREASURE HUNT III WILL BE:

1. Rob, aka "lordmarcovan", from USA/Georgia (Round 1 and Round 7)

2. Jerry, aka "CROCKofCOINS", from USA/California (Round 2 and Round 8)

3. John, aka "goldrush00013", from USA/Ohio (Round 3 and Round 9)

4. Earl, aka "eyoung429", from USA/Colorado (Round 4 and Round 10)

5. Eric, aka "Zot", from Finland (Round 5 and Round 11)

6. Tim, aka "phut", from USA/New Hampshire (Round 6 and Round 12)

7. Gary, aka "BentFork", from USA/California (the Alternate Digger, in case one of the six cannot dig one of his appointed rounds.)





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    and let me be among the first to sign up. Except I can't dig here until about April.
    "If I had a nickel for every nickel I ever had, I'd have all my nickels back".
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, if you can't dig until April, and we do this in February, I'm afraid you're out as a designated digger, but as a donor you'd be appreciated.

    I don't think we want any large donations. We'll see what the kitty contains as of Launch Day, and then, with the agreement of the other judges, I will likely go out and purchase (or offer up) a nice prize. I think it should be a coin this time, perhaps a gold coin. This way those that already have detectors won't get something they don't need, and non-diggers can have fun competing for the prize, too.

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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Note that in the original VTH1, what you picked was what you got, be it trash or treasure. For example, if somebody picked Target #12, and target #12 turned out to be a rusty bolt, well, that's the way it went. So it goes in real life for us diggers. We listed trash and treasure alike.

    In VTH2, the regular rounds were played the same way but there were four "bonus rounds" where only nontrash targets counted. I propose that VTH3 be all bonus rounds; in other words, we won't count trash targets. Not every target will be treasure, of course- a crusty zinc Memorial cent would count, as would an interesting doodad. But the obvious trash like pulltabs and rusty nails and foil would be eliminated.

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    >>Jerry (CROCKofCOINS), we'd love to have you again!<<

    :-) Put me in coach. . . ALL IN

    Jerry

    Hope my hunts can be on weekends :-|
    CROCK of COINS
    imageimage
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    As I recall, I had an old cent found by Phut, I think. Too bad it was beaten out by a better coin.
    "If I had a nickel for every nickel I ever had, I'd have all my nickels back".
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>>>Jerry (CROCKofCOINS), we'd love to have you again!<<

    :-) Put me in coach. . . ALL IN

    Jerry

    Hope my hunts can be on weekends :-| >>



    Well, yay! We have two of the six diggers, now. I will properly "deputize" you with a sigline banner to wear during the hunt, later. image

    Can your hunts be on weekends? Absolutely. Each digger will pick his own times. When your turn comes up, you go when you can, even if the contest has to wait three or four days.



    << <i>As I recall, I had an old cent found by Phut, I think. Too bad it was beaten out by a better coin. >>

    Tim was the 800-pound gorilla of our diggers last time, for sure. It was his high grade two-cent piece in one of the final rounds- one of the last few targets, actually, that cinched it, as I recall. The last-minute bang was an interesting feature of VTH2. I'll have to go back to the archived thread to remember the exact order.

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    Will not participate as I have no detector but It should be fun to watch.
    I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

    EDIT: I'm kind of confused a bit on the competition is it like, someone guesses what one of the 7 detectorists will find on their trip and if they guess correctly they get points?
    Someone help me out plz imageimage

    Thanks!
    Sounds cool though!
    TKC!
    Want List
    Proud member of the CUFYNA
    Need a Banner Made? PM ME!
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    TKC- that is basically it, though there are no "points", per se. The designated diggers will decide in the end and agree on what the best overall find was. Whoever picked that number before it was found wins the grand prize. Then each designated digger will award one of the second prizes.

    Just click one of the links above for VTH1 or VTH2 to get a basic idea of how VTH3 will go.

    Jerry- here is your official sigline badge for when the time comes.

    Arrrr! Welcome aboard, matey! image

    image

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    Awesome Sig!
    TKC!
    Want List
    Proud member of the CUFYNA
    Need a Banner Made? PM ME!
    image
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    PM sent. image
    Analog Rules! Knobs and Switches are cool!
    imageimage
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I believe John (goldrush00013), who was instrumental in both the past two, has decided to sit this one out as a judge or digger, though his experienced help is of course welcome. >>

    I'm glad I was wrong. image

    John:

    Harrrrr, Matey, Welcome Aboard! image

    image

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    marymmarym Posts: 713
    Besides the fact that I never unearth anything of great interest, I also live in the frozen Maine tundra, thus unable to dig. I will however be more than happy to be a monatary conrtibutor!
    Mary
    Be Still and Know
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    marymmarym Posts: 713
    oops...forgot to ask, can a contributor also be a player?
    Be Still and Know
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Contributions may be made to my PayPal address at rwshinnick@hotmail.com.

    I will recognize the donors and their amounts here and on the VTH3 thread after launch. No need to go overboard- I was thinking we could ask $20 of each of the Designated Diggers, $10 from the Alternate Digger (who will not need to provide a second prize like the primary diggers), and strictly voluntary contributions from everyone else.

    With the $20 from each Designated Digger, and the $10 from the Alternate Digger, we have $150. Anything else that comes from non-digging donors is appreciated, and the funds will go toward the purchase of a certified gold coin for the grand prize. But we don't want the prize to be too nice, where the just-for-fun contest becomes a greedfest and there are fistfights over target slots.


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    phutphut Posts: 1,087
    I enjoyed digging for VTH2, but I'll be snowbound, and frozen in, when February rolls around.
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Too bad. image

    Well, you can play as a contestant, then. After all, that's what the VTH was all about, originally- to give a little fun to the folks who couldn't go out digging themselves. And to wake things up in the sleepy, semi-hibernating MD Forum. If VTH2 was any indication, VTH3 should certainly liven things up around here.

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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>oops...forgot to ask, can a contributor also be a player? >>



    Mary- yes, absolutely- I don't see why not. The only ones who will be prohibited from playing as contestants will be the Designated Diggers and the Alternate Digger, since they will be the ones with inside knowledge. Their reward is the prestige and fun of being the digger while everyone waits in anticipation for their finds. Merely being a monetary contributor to the prize kitty need not disqualify someone from playing, since they will have no inside knowledge. For them it will be sort of like a raffle, I suppose.

    I even made up sigline badges for donors, though I would ask that nobody wear theirs until Launch Day:



    image

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    marymmarym Posts: 713
    Hey LM, now that's a fine and honorable banner! I just might have to find a way to print, paste on cardboard, attach a pin and wear it to work. lol I'm not too good at the paypal thing, but I'll give it my best shot.
    Mary
    Be Still and Know
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Though he hasn't spoken up here yet, eyoung429 has joined up as a Designated Digger. Says he has permission to hunt at three different 110-year-old sites. Hm. I wish I could say that. I have been doin' parks for too long. I think I might have to knock on some doors in our Old Town Victorian district.



    Welcome, aboard, eyoung429!

    Aaaaaaar, matey! Stow yer seachest in the foc'sle! I'd shake yer hand but me hook gets in the way! Haaarrrr! image

    image

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    ZotZot Posts: 825 ✭✭✭
    Woo hoo! imageimage

    I'm very honored about the designated digger request and would be delighted to do my part!

    Now, since there is an extremely high risk (almost certainty) that I may be frozen out in February, it would be highly preferred for me to dig my two rounds as soon as possible. At the moment the weather is OK, but it could turn - for the rest of the winter - at any moment. I would then post my rounds when it's my turn. Would this be acceptable? (I will of course decide before I go out that the hunt will be an official VTH3 round - come good finds or not.)

    I assume it's one standard round and one bonus round this time too? I see you're proposing 12 targets per round
    EDIT: Reading the thread in more detail, I see that you propose all rounds to be bonus rounds. That's a great idea I think.
    It's tough to find gold rings if one is limited to 12 targets... image This way every round will be exciting!

    I have good site in mind, assuming I can get in some 5 hours per hunt at least .... (some good stuff there for sure, but unfortunately lots of trash too)

    We can sort out the other details via PM image

    EDIT: Do we need to wait until February 1? I'm excited to get this going! image
    Minelab: GPX 5000, Excalibur II, Explorer SE. White's: MXT, PI Pro
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Danny/DesertRat- contribution of $25 received. Thank you! Here is your sigline pic for when the time comes.

    image

    Marym- sorry you are having PayPal problems- hope you get them sorted out.



    Zot- I am totally thrilled that you are joining as a Designated Digger, to give VTH3 some international flavor.

    Harrrr! Welcome aboard, matey! image

    image



    << <i>Now, since there is an extremely high risk (almost certainty) that I may be frozen out in February, it would be highly preferred for me to dig my two rounds as soon as possible. At the moment the weather is OK, but it could turn - for the rest of the winter - at any moment. I would then post my rounds when it's my turn. Would this be acceptable? (I will of course decide before I go out that the hunt will be an official VTH3 round - come good finds or not.) >>

    Pre-digging your rounds in advance is acceptable. Some of the others will be doing it and I might do it myself. Obviously, though, you will need to keep the target information secret, and not share that with anyone, even your fellow Designated Diggers (unless a game situation requires it).



    << <i> assume it's one standard round and one bonus round this time too? I see you're proposing 12 targets per round
    EDIT: Reading the thread in more detail, I see that you propose all rounds to be bonus rounds. That's a great idea I think.
    It's tough to find gold rings if one is limited to 12 targets... This way every round will be exciting! >>

    Yes, that is right. Obvious trash like pulltabs, foil, nails, screwtops, and so on will be excluded as targets this time. However, some "interesting junk" will count. So trash is out but junk is in. How will you tell the difference? That is up to the discretion of the individual diggers, but if it's old or remotely interesting, it's in.

    John asked if little whatzit gadget parts like harmonica reeds and so on would count. I am inclined to say yes, if you don't find a dozen of them on the same site. Another example would be an old rusted-out pocketknife. It isn't really "trash", but it is certainly junk. Technically such a thing is worthless and it might be ugly, too- but it is remotely interesting, so it would be counted. Only the obvious modern trash should be excluded (or such things like rusty nails, even if they are old). I think you get the idea. I may start my first round on a relic site here that is likely to produce mostly, if not all, junk targets, but many of them will count since they will be 150-year-old junk. A coin is a longshot on such sites but I keep trying, because as you know, when a coin does come up on such a site, it is usually quite old. Really, most relics would probably fall into the "junk" category, and many of them have little or no monetary value. But in the VTH, just as in the forum awards program, it's not about monetary value. Monetary value is a nice plus, but "coolness factor" and how interesting an item is counts more.

    As Tim proved to be in VTH2 (to nobody's great surprise), I believe you are the potential star, here, so don't be surprised if you get a mad stampede of people trying to get in when you open your rounds for entries. For this reason, I suggest you trickle out the signups for your targets, maybe three or four targets at a time, at varying times of the day, to allow a diverse group of wannabe virtual treasure hunters to get a slot in one of your rounds. I also suggest the same to the other Designated Diggers, to keep the pace and flow of the game running properly- not too fast. One round a day or every two to three days is good. If the contest takes the better part of a month, I'm okay with that. Better to have some fun with it than to have the whole thing over and done in a week. Each of us can judge when to allow signups for our rounds, and how many at a time we wish to sign up. I just don't wanna hear any sour-grapes whining from people who missed the chance to get into a particular round. Disappointment, OK, but grumbling, no. You can even have small, easy trivia questions or riddles or whatever to award the last dwindling slots in your rounds if they are filling up quickly.



    << <i>Do we need to wait until February 1? I'm excited to get this going! >>

    Maybe we can launch in mid-January if we get one more Designated Digger and our Alternate Digger on board soon. I have a few things I need to do (reopening my coin booth downtown) before I go back into pure "dig mode", but I hope to get most of that done this week. I also need to find the battery pack to my camera and get that working again. I hope your weather allows some nice outings, and I wish the same for all of us.

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    Thank you for entering me as a designated digger. On the sites that I am hitting I am limiting it to 2 of them.

    1 was a farmhouse that was destroyed by fire 2yrs ago. When we moved to Colorado, I managed to purchase 10 acres of the property that included the remains of the farmhouse that was built in 1882. The owners of the property at the time was a family of beef farmers that had 3 families onsite. The structure of the house was 2 story at almost 6300 sq ft!!!!!! They pretty much owned most of the property around them and sold most of it off in the past 10yrs. Hence, I own the property and have exclusive rights.

    2nd is a parcel of property that still has the house that was built around 1900 and has become a good friend in the past 6 months.

    Can't wait to get started!!!
    This is a very dumb ass thread. - Laura Sperber - Tuesday January 09, 2007 11:16 AM image

    Hell, I don't need to exercise.....I get enough just pushing my luck.
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    << <i> Thank you! Here is your sigline pic for when the time comes. >>




    My pleasure. Thanks for the cool sig-pic!
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, we have a DD from the Deep South (Georgia), one from the West Coast (California), one from the Midwest (Ohio), one from the Mountain states (Colorado), one from overseas (Finland), and one slot left (plus one alternate slot)!

    We have a great regional diversity on tap for VTH3! Too bad Tim will not be representing the Northeast this time around, but perhaps somebody else will, or maybe we'll get somebody else from the New England or Mid-Atlantic states or maybe the Southwest, for the perfect mix.

    I say again- it will be terrific to have an international digger with us. All eyes will be upon you, Zot. Maybe in future Virtual Treasure Hunts we can get another overseas digger or two, to give it a treasure-hunting Olympics flavor.

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    phutphut Posts: 1,087
    If it's ok to for me to dig this week, and put the finds on ice, I'll represent New England.
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hahaha, I knew The Mighty Phut, our VTH2 heavyweight, was gonna have a hard time sitting on the sidelines in VTH3. image

    Harrrr! Welcome aboard, matey! image

    image




    << <i>If it's ok to for me to dig this week, and put the finds on ice, I'll represent New England. >>



    Advance digging of the rounds is allowable, if you keep the results hush-hush.

    I might go crazy in anticipation and grill you privately for hints at what you got, but under no circumstances should anyone tell anyone else the exact results of pre-dug rounds- not even me or your fellow diggers. But you can give me some hints privately, as long you don't tell me the target numbers. image

    Since you are Designated Digger #6, it looks like you'll be the closing act, just as you were in VTH2. I wonder if the grand prize target will end up being one of the final targets, as it was last time. Interesting to speculate on.

    NOW we have a very interesting mix of diggers and geographic locations. All six Designated Digger slots are filled, but we still need an Alternate Digger, who will stand in if one of the DDs gets sick or snowed in or otherwise cannot complete his round(s).

    This is going to be a lot of fun.

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    ZotZot Posts: 825 ✭✭✭
    Alright!



    << <i>I suggest you trickle out the signups for your targets, maybe three or four targets at a time >>


    I'll keep that in mind. Also, remember that I'm in a strange time zone - so I can easily open slots at times like 3:30 AM image



    << <i>we still need an Alternate Digger >>


    How about Riccar? He's in digging-friendly climate and is finding great stuff...
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    LM,
    Put me in if you need an alternate digger. I can usually find something interesting in the desert.

    Gary
    imageimageimage
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    marymmarym Posts: 713
    I think I figured out the PayPal system. L, let me know if you are not notified of a donation to the cause!
    Be Still and Know
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Zot- I also thought of Riccar for the Alternate slot and almost shot him a PM the other night. I didn't, though. And yet when I returned to the forum today, I had one from him. He volunteered. However, BentFork stepped up first, so BentFork is our Alternate Digger unless the two of them decide differently. Either way it's good! Actually, I see no reason why we can't have two Alternates.

    The Alternate Digger(s) are required to put up $10 toward the Grand Prize purchase, but are not required to put up a Second Prize offering like the primary Designated Diggers. Because an Alternate Digger might get inside information, they are not permitted to play as a contestant like the Prize Money Donors are.

    BentFork and/or Riccar, whoever our Alternate Digger(s) is/are: Welcome Aboard, Maties! Arrrrrrr! image

    (I have an Alternate Digger sigline badge but it needs fixin'- you'll have one by gametime.)

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    GaCoinGuyGaCoinGuy Posts: 2,724 ✭✭✭✭
    I'd like to volunteer as an alternate alternate digger.........would give me a good reason to get the machine out and dust it off.
    imageimage

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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We're all full up now, but thanks. Don't let that stop you from goin' out!

    BentFork is our Alternate Digger, and we'll turn to Riccar and then GaCoinGuy if our Alternate goes down for some reason.

    Chances are, all the Alts will stay on the bench. We'll just keep BentFork and let Rick and Jeff play as contestants (since status as an Alternate would disqualify them from playing).


    Gary- welcome aboard, Matey! Arrrr! image

    image

    Forgive me for not updating the prize collection info- I have not yet gone to PayPal.

    Lots on my plate at the moment so I might vanish for a day or two. If so, don't be alarmed- I shall return, and we'll get this thing launched.




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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I am back. My coin booth is very nearly set up and ready for business, so that's good. Soon I will be able to devote more of my free time to diggin' and to VTH3.

    On the downside, I was in an accident yesterday on my way to the antique mall where my coin booth is. Had the other driver not swerved, he'd have T-boned me and I might be in no position to walk, let alone go metal detecting!

    As it was, however, neither one of us were hurt, but both are vehicles were pranged up on the front ends. Fortunately he was kind and understanding about the whole thing, as the accident was technically my fault (pulled out too far onto a fastmoving road at an intersection with poor visibility). Lord Marco's van is looking a bit messed up but is still drivable, so I'm hoping to drive it to some nice detecting sites soon.

    There was a roll call and secret meeting thread for Designated Diggers and the Alternate Digger on a Testing Forum thread that everyone was supposed to be able to have a private discussion on (fill it and let it sink). However, unbeknownst to me, CU has changed the Testing Forum rules since the last time we did this, so not all of our DDs could answer the roll call. We will have to communicate via PM or find another spot offsite to discuss the nuts-n'-bolts of VTH3. I only post the link now, since this far in advance of gametime we didn't really post any secret information there. (Unless a sneak preview of John's second prize offering counts as secret information).

    Therefore, THIS is the designated meeting thread for VTH3 Diggers, at least until gametime. Obviously, any privileged target information should only be shared with the other Diggers via PM, if at all.

    If you know what your Second Prize offerings will be, I have no objection to your posting them here- there is no harm in letting folks have a sneak peek ahead of time. Unless of course you want it to be a secret. Then you need only tell me (via PM), and PM me the photo of it before launchtime.

    Thank you for those of you who have sent me your photos and pics of your Second Prize offerings. I think most of you have sent your $20 entry fees to my PayPal account but I have not yet opened that to tally everything up. Once all the DD's entry fees are in, we might give it a few more days to accept outside donations and then I will take the prize funds and shop up a gold coin for our Grand Prize, with a little input from the other DDs. I will also recognize all the donors when the main thread is launched.

    DDs, many of you asked if advance digging of your rounds was OK. It is, as many of us have weather or work considerations to deal with. I also am of the thought that we could dig three rounds each and use the best two for our VTH3 rounds. ("Best two out of three", in other words). What say ye? Of course, you will need to keep track of the order in which things were found, since those things will have target numbers later.

    Remember, when the time comes, we want this to be as much of a "virtual" experience for the players as possible, so if you go long on storytelling that is just fine. Be sure to give us a few shots of the sites themselves, and maybe one or two closeup "action shots" of the better finds as they were being dug. (Zot and John are good for this, I know. I think I will carry my wife's small digicam in the field instead of my own bulky monster, so I can get some scenery and action shots).

    For those of you who have dug advance rounds already, do not number the items in your finds pictures yet, unless you can figure out what the target numbers for your particular round will be. Only Round 1 will have targets numbered 1 through 12, since the target numbers apply to the whole hunt and not just a particular round. In other words, Round 1 is Targets 1-12, Round 2 is Targets 13-24, Round 3 is Targets 25-36, etc. Have a look at the old VTH2 scoreboard if you want to know what your Target Numbers will be in VTH3, since VTH2 was also 12 rounds of 12 targets each, for a total of 144 targets.

    Use this format on your target lineup pictures.

    Questions?

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    I like the idea of "Best 2 out of 3".

    Gary Norris
    imageimageimage
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    ZotZot Posts: 825 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I also am of the thought that we could dig three rounds each and use the best two for our VTH3 rounds >>


    Hmm... I doubt I'll be able to get out more than twice myself anyway. One round is in the bag, but we have snow now... image
    Hopefully a weather slot will open up for the second round, or I get a hunt done abroad - but three is unlikely.

    By the way: Here's a summary picture of the 12 targets from my first round image


    imageimageimageimageimageimage

    imageimageimageimageimageimage
    Minelab: GPX 5000, Excalibur II, Explorer SE. White's: MXT, PI Pro
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, we know who the official VTH3 comedian will be! image

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    Zot,
    That's what I'm here for. I know I won't be able to match your finds - I've seen them! But I'm itching and scratching.
    Gary
    imageimageimage
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    ZotZot Posts: 825 ✭✭✭
    Just in case - BentFork is presumably referring to some of my previous finds, as the VTH3 finds have only been seen by yours truly image
    Minelab: GPX 5000, Excalibur II, Explorer SE. White's: MXT, PI Pro
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    << <i>Just in case - BentFork is presumably referring to some of my previous finds, as the VTH3 finds have only been seen by yours truly >>



    Yep! I foam at the mouth sometimes when I see what you manage to pull out of the ground.image Finding 12 little guys with Top Secret signs is cool though. image
    imageimageimage
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here's what has shown up in my PayPal account so far.

    Payment From Gary Norris ("BentFork") Jan. 7, 2007......................$20.00 (His Alternate Digger fee plus $10.00 contribution)
    Payment From John Boggs ("goldrush00013") Jan. 7, 2007............$20.00 (His Digger fee)
    Payment From Wayne Whatley ("Newbiecollector") Jan. 7, 2007.....$15.00 (Prize money contribution: thanks, Wayne!)
    Payment From Erik Rasmus ("Zot") Jan. 7, 2007.............................$25.00 (His Digger fee plus $5.00 contribution)
    Payment From Jerry Crocker ("CROCKofCOINS") Jan. 6, 2007....... $20.00 (His Digger fee)
    Payment From Mary Metcalf ("marym") Jan. 6, 2007.......................$10.00 (Prize money contribution: thanks, Mary!)
    Payment From Danny Bazzell ("DesertRat") Jan. 5, 2007...............$25.00 (Prize money contribution: thanks, Danny!)
    Pledge From Rob Shinnick ("lordmarcovan") Jan. 11, 2007...............$20.00 (His Digger fee)
    Pledge From Tim Buck ("phut") Jan. 11, 2007....................................$20.00 (His Digger fee)

    Collected so far: $175

    Tim Buck ("phut") is snailmailing his funds to me, so I will replace them with funds from my PayPal account when they arrive. Consider his $20 Digger fee already collected.

    My own $20 Digger fee will also come from what was already in my account, so it's collected as well. And my "extra contribution" will be to assume all the PayPal fees.

    Jerry (CoC) actually sent me $50 but $20 of that was the Digger fee and the other $30 was to pay for his Second Prize offering.


    Thanks, donors!

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
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    So now that we are "all in", when are we officially kicking off there LM?

    Gary
    imageimageimage
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Are we all in? I don't think so. I count... uh... five. Plus you as Alternate. That means we haven't heard from eyoung429 yet. But I'm sure we will.

    Once Earl's entry fee is in, then we'll give it a few more days to collect from anyone who wishes to donate, and I will buy the grand prize. In the meantime, you DDs make sure I have your mugshots and a picture of your Second Prize offerings.

    We can't kick off until midmonth at the earliest. No sooner than January 15th, but it might be a little later. It does look as though we'll be able to launch before February 1st.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
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    Yep, you got me again. Need to take some Tylenol now. Every time I think I get a headache.

    G.
    imageimageimage
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    ZotZot Posts: 825 ✭✭✭
    In the interest of keeping the thread active..

    Here's my prize:

    Finnish and Russian coins from three centuries
    1700's: Russian 5 Kopeks 1786 EM (this is a huge coin! A silver dollar is a baby compared to this bad boy image )
    1800's: Finnish 50 penniä 1889 (0.750 silver)
    1900's: Finnish 2 Markkaa 1907 (0.868 silver, mintage 125,000), holed image

    image
    Minelab: GPX 5000, Excalibur II, Explorer SE. White's: MXT, PI Pro
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    Nice stuff Mr. Z.

    Jerry
    CROCK of COINS
    imageimage
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭

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    Cool stuff there Zot!

    Gary
    imageimageimage
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    ZotZot Posts: 825 ✭✭✭
    image
    Minelab: GPX 5000, Excalibur II, Explorer SE. White's: MXT, PI Pro
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    << <i>image >>



    LOL Good One

    Jerry
    CROCK of COINS
    imageimage
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    lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It looks as though we'll be able to launch well in advance of the projected Feb. 1st date.

    Once I have a picture of Earl's 2nd Prize offering, all systems are go! And I have Round 1 dug already.

    Grand Prize purchased: yes

    Digger 1 (lordmarcovan):
    Entry fee: yes
    Mugshot: yes
    2nd Prize picture: yes
    Digger 1 ready!

    Digger 2 (CROCKofCOINS):
    Entry fee: yes
    Mugshot: yes
    2nd Prize picture: yes
    Digger 2 ready!

    Digger 3 (goldrush00013):
    Entry fee: yes
    Mugshot: yes
    2nd Prize picture: yes
    Digger 3 ready!

    Digger 4 (eyoung429):
    Entry fee: yes
    Mugshot: yes
    2nd Prize picture: no

    Digger 5 (Zot):
    Entry fee: yes
    Mugshot: yes
    2nd Prize picture: yes
    Digger 5 ready!

    Digger 6 (phut):
    Entry fee: yes
    Mugshot: yes
    Prize picture: yes
    Digger 6 ready!

    Alternate Digger (BentFork):
    Entry fee: yes
    Mugshot: yes
    2nd Prize picture: n/a- not necessary
    Alternate Digger ready!

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