If I could make a suggestion of making contact with MrCryptHodl if it comes to pass that
the project is resurrected. He is very active making coins or at least releasing coin projects
and he may be able to help!
With all due respect to MrCryptHodl and other manufacturers, I believe that no other coin can have the reputation of (in this order) Casascius, Lealana or Kialara. These were also Welsh's suggestions from OP, if you take a look. And, for such an emblematic event, like a 15th or a 20th anniversary, a special coin is needed, if the idea gets traction...
Everybody can print a coin at a 3D printer. But it's something to have a Casascius coin, as example, compared to a coin made by me or by you...
Yeah, finding someone willing to do it, with the required quantity was difficult. I can't remember all the specifics now, but I imagine theymos had similar concerns when thinking it up. If it was ever to be done, I'd think a 20th anniversary would be more fitting. However, it would probably need to be organised well in advance, since last time we didn't really give the manufacturers much notice to actualy be able to do it in the required timescale.
Welsh, by seeing how many users keep asking for these collectible coins, perhaps it would be time to talk to theymos about this subject... Maybe there is a chance to have this on the 15th anniversary... maybe for the 20th... but if he (you two) decide it could be done for the 15th anniversary, there is enough time to do it... There are still 2 years until then. I remember that on the 10th anniversary you started working on this idea with about 10 months before the event, and that amount of time was not enough. Perhaps two years would suffice...?
I wouldn't say it's completely off the table, but I imagine theymos will have cooked up an idea for the 20th too.
This is also what I had in mind: considering that, most likely, theymos would come with a fabulous idea for the 20th anniversary, perhaps the idea with a collectible coin can come to fruition for the 15th...?
If we find a manufacturer the whole process could go pretty smoothly giving it's done in time. So, if anyone knows of anyone then they can give me a message.
I am still thinking that one of these three manufacturers should be chosen: Casasciuns, Smoothie (Lealana) or Kialara. And, if possible, Casascius... If you want I can try to ping them and see if they would be interested in this event and also offer us some information about necessary time, costs etc.
I like the idea, but there's also the issue of sending it. Since, in the past there's been a ton of competitions with physical prizes, but the majority pass on it. So, I can't imagine there would be a ton of users here willing to give up their personal details, which is absolutely fine, and probably a good idea. However, it kind of defeats the point of giving a collectible coin to specific users, since you'd need multiple back up plans. The list would probably be as long as my arm.
I
already addressed this issue once... Can't we use
theymos' method for shipping?
Additionally,
krogoth also has a method, using privnote.com. I did not study it very well, but I think we can do something also about the shipping method.
In the end, I think there are much more users willing to own such a coin, than the ones not willing to, therefore, for this reason, I believe that the idea of such a collectible coin should not be abandoned.