Currency/money after TSHTF

[Frozen Tundra]

I have a test kit with the acids to test all grades of gold and silver, scale, loupe. They are not that expensive. Everyone that stores gold and silver should have a test kit. Both parties will need to agree upon the current value of gold and silver to be tradable.

This is a great point that I hadn't considered... I dont know anything about testing grades ect. I need to do some research!

 

[tmttactical]

Here is the definitive answer. If there is a market for precious metal, then it has value. If there is NO market, precious metal has base metal value. Cave man did not give a rat's azz about gold or silver. Sharp fire hardened stick was top of the trading list. If there is a demand there is value. Once the end of the world folks repopulate and start to banding together, then precious metal will once again move to the top of the value chain. The world around us maybe changing and morphing into something different but this is not an end of the world event. Governments still exist and taxes still get collected. With that statement in mind, precious metals (in hand) is a good thing. If we devolve into a WROL world, then lead is going to be much more valuable and precious metal will be be at the bottom of the list.

 

[GaRp58]

Rather have my $700 Knife in SHTF than your $700 gold coins. One of them is a definite value, the other has been discussed into a maybe value. Guess which one is the definite??? GP

 

[BillMasen]

You’re a bad person, and probably very messy!

But great fun at a party

 

[BillMasen]

I would say that we are in a TEOTWAWKI event right now. The world as we knew it three months ago has changed dramatically. And will change even more before this is over. That world is gone, probably never to return.

The excrement has certainly hit the fan.

But we are not in a WROL situation yet.

COMMENT OF THE YEAR SO FAR.

 

[Brent S]

Rather have my $700 Knife in SHTF than your $700 gold coins. One of them is a definite value, the other has been discussed into a maybe value. Guess which one is the definite??? GP

You have a $700 knife?!!

 

[DrHenley]

Rather have my $700 Knife in SHTF than your $700 gold coins. One of them is a definite value, the other has been discussed into a maybe value. Guess which one is the definite??? GP

Rather have my $60 knife in SHTF and $640 in gold coins than your $700 knife!

 

[BillMasen]

Rather have my $60 knife in SHTF and $640 in gold coins than your $700 knife!

Me too, but say a $100 blade, I would be terrified of losing the $700 blade.

 

[DrHenley]

Me too, but say a $100 blade, I would be terrified of losing the $700 blade.

I had in mind my USMC Ka-Bar, which was $60 back when I bought it. They are more expensive now.

 

[BillMasen]

I had in mind my USMC Ka-Bar, which was $60 back when I bought it. They are more expensive now.

I still of the superb AK 47 Bayonet and sheath I obtained some years ago, one of the few quality things Soviet Russia ever made.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Here is the definitive answer. If there is a market for precious metal, then it has value. If there is NO market, precious metal has base metal value. Cave man did not give a rat's azz about gold or silver. Sharp fire hardened stick was top of the trading list. If there is a demand there is value. Once the end of the world folks repopulate and start to banding together, then precious metal will once again move to the top of the value chain. The world around us maybe changing and morphing into something different but this is not an end of the world event. Governments still exist and taxes still get collected. With that statement in mind, precious metals (in hand) is a good thing. If we devolve into a WROL world, then lead is going to be much more valuable and precious metal will be be at the bottom of the list.

That's not entirely true. Early Man used copper and gold nuggets, and even platinum nuggets for tools, when they could find them or trade for them. They were much easier to hammer in to a tool than stone, plus they generally would bend rather than break when they hit something hard, like bone. This made gold very valuable to ancient Man.
A mining partner of mine years ago found a gold spear point in his wash plant. The end was bent, but even after untold years under many tons of gravel, he was able to strighten it. So the facts are, precious metals have always been highly valued since the beginning of time. That isn't going to change when or if we have a total collaspe of our modern society.

 

[DrHenley]

Shiny things have always fascinated humans

 

[tmttactical]

@Articdude : Ancient man is not "Cave Man". To make a spear point out of metal requires some technology, again requires some form of civilization. American natives were not running around with metal knives, until "Civilized" (?) man bought metal. So as long as there is civilization and organized society (for trade and barter) then precious metal will have value. If it become an extinction event, then the surviving population, as they crawl out of their shelters / caves, are not going to give a damn about the value of gold or silver. Lead for their black powder weapons will have a heck of a lot more value.

 

[GaRp58]

My favorite weapon is a knife. Never needs to reload, needs no silencer, no oil, no new mags, no license, no ammo, no moving parts or need to be sighted in......YES, It costs less than many of your alls' guns and is much lighter to transport. BUT, if my life in gonna depend on it and I want a good re-sale price; no crap for me, the best is almost as good as a short sword and fast as a dagger.......GP

 

[DrHenley]

American natives were not running around with metal knives, until "Civilized" (?) man bought metal.

And yet they were making intricate gold jewelry long before they ever met the "Civilized men that brought metal".

 

[Kevin L]

My favorite weapon is a knife. Never needs to reload, needs no silencer, no oil, no new mags, no license, no ammo, no moving parts or need to be sighted in......YES, It costs less than many of your alls' guns and is much lighter to transport. BUT, if my life in gonna depend on it and I want a good re-sale price; no crap for me, the best is almost as good as a short sword and fast as a dagger.......GP

I agree with all your points (no pun intended) about knives.

But . . . you'd bring a knife to a gunfight?

Did you ever watch "Raiders of the Lost Ark"?

 

[GaRp58]

Don't go to gun fights anymore, but I can throw up to 7 meters, average gun fight range and just need to hurt someone enough to get close with one of the other 4 knives I carry...GP

 

[GaRp58]

Did you ever watch "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

Indiana Jones and MacGyver were both taken from my memoirs, they are just copies of my tactics. I can even use a 9 ft. bullwhip. GP

 

[tmttactical]

And yet they were making intricate gold jewelry long before they ever met the "Civilized men that brought metal".

I guess I should have been more specific --- North American Indians. Yes the south American native (Aztec, Mayan etc.) did have metal smiths and yes gold was favored for it appearance and endurance to the elements. They also had pyramids and permanent structures --- society = Civilization = metal works. Nomadic tribes did not have metal shops of their own. They traded, bartered or plundered to get metal products. Which still proves the point I have been making. When there is no society, the value of precious metal will be the value of base metal. The extreme value of precious metal requires people have disposable income I.E. civilation -- permanent structures -- trade and a deciding body to establish prices.

 

[Mountain trapper]

@Articdude : Ancient man is not "Cave Man". To make a spear point out of metal requires some technology, again requires some form of civilization. American natives were not running around with metal knives, until "Civilized" (?) man bought metal. So as long as there is civilization and organized society (for trade and barter) then precious metal will have value. If it become an extinction event, then the surviving population, as they crawl out of their shelters / caves, are not going to give a damn about the value of gold or silver. Lead for their black powder weapons will have a heck of a lot more value.

Again, not entirely true. All it takes to make tool from a nugget is 2 rocks to hammer it in to what ever shape one wants. Gold is pretty soft. That's why placer gold nuggets come in every shape imaginable. I'm not saying that tools made from nuggets were common, but they did exist. There are places around the country where nuggets were fairly common. Example, there was a gold pocket (boulder) found in Oregon that contained over a million dollars (1850's money) in gold above ground. It was on an ancient Indian trail.
In pretty sure that even a cave man's mind could see the value in a workable metal.
When it comes to modern investments I agree that almost everything is more important than gold/silver. However, if you've already met your main prepping goals, what could be wrong with owning some real money?

 

[tmttactical]

There is nothing wrong with having some gold after you have met your prepping goals. In fact is would be a really good idea. It seems I have really failed to make my point. Precious metals do have a place, once you have met all your other needs. Even in a complete end of the world situation, gold could be used to plate lead bullets. It would just not be as precious as it used to be during normal times. I would not be stocking up on gold before I was completely self sufficient and completely independent. Once I had obtained that position, then I would consider collecting some gold, in physical forms.

 

[DrHenley]

Before buying gold and silver I paid off my loans, made sure we had enough money set aside to put the kids through college, and bought all the other preps I thought I needed first. It took nearly three years of bargain shopping to get as much gold and silver as I thought I could afford and then I quit buying it. I made some costly mistakes early on, but they were limited mistakes because I was going slow.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I got my first start in precious metals from my grandfather. In the early 60's he was digging a foundation where an old house used to be. While digging he uncovered a large metal strong box full of many hundreds of silver dollars. And I suspect there were gold coins in the box too because shortly afterwards he ended up with a couple commerical fishing boats. Anyway he split the coins with the family and I still have my share.
My family has always been in gold mining. During a bad layoff in the late 70's or early 80's I mortaged my house, cleaned out my bank accounts and bought my first placer mine. It did well enough to pay back everything I borrowed and then some. I still have some of the gold from that mine.
I'm currently thinking about buying another mine....just in case.

 

[Croaking Frog]

Buy gold. That is what they use for dirty wars. Never fails.

 

[lonewolf]

forget gold and silver, you cant eat it and post SHTF nobody is going to swap food for it.

 

[Mountain trapper]

forget gold and silver, you cant eat it and post SHTF nobody is going to swap food for it.

People have in the past BP. And there's no reason they won't again. I'd gladly trade a calf, eggs or chickens for a pile of gold.

 

[lonewolf]

that's the last thing I would do.
I suppose anyone who would is thinking that it was all get back to "normal" one day and they will be rich.
that is not my thinking or my plan.