Why Gold and Silver for SHTF?

[BigNick73]

Seems to me that in a SHTF situation things like canned food, .22LR, and these would make for better trading material than precious metals.

 

[biggin215]

Because Glenn Beck said so.

 

[Skiney]

Gold for your teefies (teeth bro) lol
Silver for trading for goods and services neccessary to survive??

 

[JadeRaven]

Yeah I don't understand that either.

Gold, silver, platinum, etc, to me would have the same value as the then theoretically worthless dollars. Practical would equal value to me.

 

[davidd]

Metals will only do you some good if the govt decides to revalue the dollar, i.e. go back to the gold or silver standard, or if inflation goes wild against the current federal reserve note. If the SreallyHTF, I cannot imagine anyone trading metals (except maybe lead) for anything that has a tangible, useful purpose. You can't eat gold or silver, though you can make really expensive bullets with it.

 

[Jack]

People are like birds, they are enthralled by shiny things. Its the only reason that gold has any real value now.

 

[davidd]

People are like birds, they are enthralled by shiny things. Its the only reason that gold has any real value now.

To some extent, you are probably dead on. I guess if I had lots and lots of bullets, and wanted to trade with someone post SHTF, I'd rather take gold/silver than dollars. That being said, if I'm trading bullets for gold, you are going to pay WAY more than 50cal prices for .22 LR.

 

[JadeRaven]

Metals will only do you some good if the govt decides to revalue the dollar, i.e. go back to the gold or silver standard, or if inflation goes wild against the current federal reserve note. If the SreallyHTF, I cannot imagine anyone trading metals (except maybe lead) for anything that has a tangible, useful purpose. You can't eat gold or silver, though you can make really expensive bullets with it.

Even then, the gubmint would prolly just set a low price and demand you turn it in.

 

[davidd]

Even then, the gubmint would prolly just set a low price and demand you turn it in.

Yep, the golden rule in action - he who has the gold makes the rules. All that buried gold will just land you in jail when you go to sell it on the sly.

 

[Sin-ster]

I get tired of parroting this, but...

There's probably a hundred possible SHTF scenarios. In some of them, hard, semi-portable assets (like gold and silver) will be excellent to have. When things settle down, they will have retained their value to a greater degree.

Weigh the most likely against the least likely scenarios, and make your own decisions. Make sure you've got some flexibility in your plans, in case you're wrong. The last thing you want to do is take some talking head's word for it and base all your decisions on what they've told you, without at least doing some research and *thinking* of your own.

 

[Jack]

To some extent, you are probably dead on. I guess if I had lots and lots of bullets, and wanted to trade with someone post SHTF, I'd rather take gold/silver than dollars. That being said, if I'm trading bullets for gold, you are going to pay WAY more than 50cal prices for .22 LR.

Even from a psychological standpoint, I'd assume it would still have value simply because it is ingrained in all of our minds that gold is a "precious" metal. It didn't need a practical purpose for the Mayans to be conquered for it, but it happened anyways. People, for some reason, have this fascination with what they consider beautiful, and all of those wonderful things that glimmer in the sunlight. IMO, even after SHTF, people will still be narcissistic greedy little animals. I've gotten to that opinion by watching people parking navigators in front of busted ass houses, SHTF in their own lives, but that shiny status symbol comes before getting the blue tarp off the roof.

 

[davidd]

NOLA_Jack, I agree to some extent, but if you paid $1600 per gold coin, and you are later trading it for a couple days worth of food because you are staving to death, was it really worth the price? Like Sin-ster said - diversification covers up lots of mistakes. Gold will always be traded, but what you'll get for it will vary with the circumstances. Back to the OP's question, I personally don't think you'll get $1600/ounce worth of gold if things go really really bad.

Now, if the currency if revalued, and you are very careful with your hoard...

Again, circumstances.

 

[mb504]

I get tired of parroting this, but...

There's probably a hundred possible SHTF scenarios. In some of them, hard, semi-portable assets (like gold and silver) will be excellent to have. When things settle down, they will have retained their value to a greater degree.

Weigh the most likely against the least likely scenarios, and make your own decisions. Make sure you've got some flexibility in your plans, in case you're wrong. The last thing you want to do is take some talking head's word for it and base all your decisions on what they've told you, without at least doing some research and *thinking* of your own.

I think you are right on this. There are many different things you need to plan for. Like you said, the EOTWAWKI one where you are trading food scrapes for 22LR rounds is pretty far down the list.

Gold/Silver is for protecting you current money from the gov devaluing it. If the value of the dollar crashes HARD, prices will go up. If gas went to $20/gal, bread $10 a loaf, milk $15 a gal.. etc.. having a few some gold worth $5k an ounce makes a lot of sense.

 

[Nomad.2nd]

Yeah I don't understand that either.

Gold, silver, platinum, etc, to me would have the same value as the then theoretically worthless dollars. Practical would equal value to me.

This demonstraights the suscess the Government has had at converting us to 'paper thinking'

ANYTHING can be money, but it needs to have a few properties:
Divisable, transportable, durable, etc...

Gold and silver have been "a" Primary choice for thousand s of years.

Is it going to buy my last Gal of water when we are croossing a waterless wasteland:
No.


Am I more likely to take it, than something I have to barter for something I can barter, for something I can barter for that I ACTUALLY want:
Yes.

Simple really.


It is not likely that a "Mad Max" scinario will exist, OR last long. But, during that SHORT IF AT ALL time, then yes, it will not be worth much.

TO get you out of Nazi Germany, to buy your way out of Russia, to buy food all over the world, to transport wealth across borders, etc etc...
Gold works.


-Caviot, I wouldn't/Am not buying at these prices.

 

[JadeRaven]

Yeah, gold, silver, diamonds, etc would be a good means of transporting the value *through* the tough times. But using it during them. . . I just don't see it.

 

[Sin-ster]

-Caviot (sic), I wouldn't/Am not buying at these prices.

This, for sure.

I'd be more inclined to look into alchemy. Then all of my bullets DO equal gold-- once that copper jacket is out of the way, at any rate.