Historical Archive

The Canadian Geocoin

The Coin That Launched the Commercial Geocoin Collecting Hobby

Why This Coin Matters

The Canadian Geocoin occupies a unique place in geocaching history. While an experimental personal geocoin was created in late 2001, the Canadian Geocoin was the first professionally produced geocoin offered for public purchase. This is the coin that started it all—transforming an innovative idea into a worldwide collecting movement and creating the global geocoin tracking hobby that followed.

The original Canadian Geocoin was conceived, designed, and produced by Canadian geocacher MrGigabyte (Vancouver, British Columbia). Released in March 2002, it became the world's first commercially available geocoin. Following its success, MrGigabyte produced the 2003 Texas Geocoin—the second commercial geocoin in history—igniting regional geocoin production worldwide.

📜 View original January 2002 announcement thread on Geocaching.com Forums →

Detailed History & Timeline

May 3, 2000
Dave Ulmer places the first geocache in Oregon; the global hobby of geocaching is born.
Sept 30, 2001
Moun10Bike (Jon Stanley) places the first personal experimental coin (#002) into a geocache in Washington State.
Jan 16, 2002
MrGigabyte announces the Canadian Geocoin project on Groundspeak forums.
March 2002
First commercial release of the Canadian Geocoin (tracked online via geocoins.ca). This officially establishes the commercial geocoin hobby.
2003
MrGigabyte creates the Texas Geocoin—the second commercial geocoin in history—paving the way for regional coin series.
2003–2004
Commercial geocoins begin emerging rapidly across states, provinces, and countries around the globe.
2005
Geocaching.com officially integrates public coin tracking codes and custom profile icons.
April 2006
Second Version of the Canadian Geocoin released on Geocaching.com.
June 2007
Third Version of the Canadian Geocoin released.
2013
Final Edition of the Canadian Geocoin produced.