Gold will be worthless in a SHTF scenario

People cannot eat gold anymore than they can eat paper money. In a SHTF scenario seeds, oil, medicine, clothes..etc.. will be the most valuable trade goods. What are you going to do with gold if you need to trade for something. How much will the gold actually be worth to the people you are trying to buy things from in the theoretical SHTF world? I can have your gold coins which will be a weight in my pocket... and I give you medicine and seeds to start a garden.. no thanks, I'd rather hold out and trade for something more useful.

Thoughts?

I realize gold would be valuable if the economy crashes and there is a strong government (actually no.. the government will seize most of the gold.. you can still hide some I suppose)... but in a true SHTF scenario gold will be utterly worthless for several years.. or for however long it takes for a monetary system to become practical again.

reply to post by Drezden


Worthless at the time because it does not help with basic needs.

Yet, if the SHTF and I came across gold, rings, or any type of valuables I'd still keep them handy. Just because they are shiny and one day I could use them for trade.

reply to post by Drezden

Ammo, medical supplies, food and most importantly water will be the new currency. Gold bricks will be used to weigh things down and prop open doors. If you truly believe that a SHTF scenario will happen anytime soon, get MRE's, plenty of ammo,Seed, and plenty of bottled water.

Right you are.... so take advantage of it. afterall gold is gold and it will be valuable after the shtf stuff has settled.

I have never understood the fascination with gold nor why it's valued the way that it is. Yes it is malleable, yes it doesn't tarnish and yes we are lead to believe it is rare (not so sure anymore), but so what? I remember reading the 12th planet and Sitchen talking about the ET needing to mine gold to fix their atmosphere or something, and not that I am entirely convinced that that is true, but why has it been universally accepted as something of such worth?

I agree 100% with the OP, in a SHTF scenario, people will realize just how worthless it is when you have no water, and no food.

reply to post by Drezden


You're right, when the SHTF I would rather have a bar of Soap than a bar of Gold.

Let's see Gold keep away disease due to uncleanliness. I do see a use for Silver because it can be used to deactivate bacteria in water.

Shoot I would trade supplies for gold depending on the scenario. You want that bottle of aspirin? 2 oz. please. What are you gonna do? Eat it? I'll be sitting pretty when society reforms.

If you don't have much money and are CONVINCED someday that a economic and societal breakdown are imminent then by all means invest in ammo, medical supplies, food, camping equipment and firearms. If you have some (or lots) of extra cash buying gold makes sense for the people who think a few steps ahead.

Society breaks down and gold is worthless. So are your stocks and cash. All those survival supplies are at a premium. Then later, when things start getting back to normal it's a smart bet that gold will still be worth something. Always think a few steps ahead.

Gold has always had value, even during the seige of stalingrad and bosnia and hundreds of other disasters.

Depends on if your old enough to have seen SHTF in other countries. I saw east africa in 72 and 73. Dont kid yourself. Gold was a hot trade item, and hand guns were just as good.

The biggest issue is you must buy gold in 1 and 5 gram ingots (or 1 and 5 grain tiny ingots to match silver value) or no one will have the value to trade anything. (match you) Or stick with silver coins. Case in point is several sites under essential skills sections now have gold pan sets along with the leather crafting and camp woodcrafting things.


But if your not stocked on medical supplies and the essentials, so that you have plenty of extra medical supplies for trade.....skip gold and silver. When you have enough med supplies for trade.....you have gold of a different kind.

Since I go prospecting a couple times a month gold doesnt have the same mystery to me. I know how to go and get it.

Thats not far from you Domo. Just up to the preston exit.

Yes, but gold carries a certain intrinsic value to people.
So I'd stockpile any I found for the "post-SHTF" era.

It may not be valuable at the time, but it will be valuable again.

Well, what are we expecting?
A hyperinflationary collapse of dollar and Euro.
It takes time for a hyperinflation to end. The first siqns will be gold silver and oilprice.
Everything will be on sale, houses, cars, everything.
Gold and silver are money, have been for thousands of years. gold and silver price must go up when papermoney supply increases or there will be shortages.
For example there are only 1/16 of an ounce of phys silver for every people on this planet.
with current silverprice of 32$$ you can now buy a lot of them.
So its the growing papermoney supply that drives the price of gold and silver.
When currency dies there will be a new moneysystem.


Sure you need food and water and a weapon
to protect you. But with gold and silver maybe you can benefit from this.

reply to post by Drezden


People that have all the supplies they need will be trading for gold because it will undoubtedly be the firsrt currency picked back up world wide. It has always been valued. One day we will probably find out it has more uses, but as for now it does have many uses in technology. It is just a good metal to have and to invest in. If you had to choose between gold and food, of course you choose food, but if you can have both it would be wise to have some gold.

reply to post by TheLieWeLive


When has gold been ever not held value?

I bet in a SHTF scenario you could trade that bar of gold for 100 bars of soap! Someone would want it. You know go ahead i'll make that trade if you want to

I keep silver. a little gold but only in actual currency such as silver halves, dimes, quarters or gold eagles.
No bullion. Only real currency. But I do suspect it will have little value.
People will seek what they need. Not what they want. But often times they get those things mixed up.
Some people if having to choose between cigarettes and food will choose the smokes. Same goes for alcohol.
People will not know what to do and in an attempt to escape their troubles will bury their heads in the sand.
They will want their smokes....they will want their alcohol...lots of it!
A bottle of Jack Daniels could be traded for enough food to feed you for a week.
But don't store it up, stick back the food. If you get caught with your head in the sand nothing is going to help you...especially Gold. Best to put yourself in a position where you will not have to barter if at all possible
DH

Silver. all im saying

www.silvermedicine.org...

In a SHTF scenario, gold is WORTHLESS. Cant even wipe your rear with it!!

The gullible gold hoarders have a hard time swallowing that one as they believe the delusion of its worth.

Food and ammo is MUCH more valuable than a shiny metal that brings the delusion of worth.

Gold is a SHINY ROCK.

USELESS!!

You my friend are as naive as they come, a ounce of gold will give you a loaf of bread, and shall always. Gold through history has always been the top trade of choice.

Like I said top trade of choice, however, think what you will, as a naive man, "saves his caps for a better day."\
\

Originally posted by allprowolfy
You my friend are as naive as they come, a ounce of gold will give you a loaf of bread, and shall always. Gold through history has always been the top trade of choice.

Like I said top trade of choice, however, think what you will, as a naive man, "saves his caps for a better day."

Naive is all on your side. I used to believe in the gold nonsense also. It is a DELUSION OF WEALTH. It is a SHINY ROCK.

Get it? A SHINY ROCK!

Hard to break the delusion isnt it? Heartbreaking, I know.

I'd rather own a roll of TOILET PAPER over a ton of gold in a SHTF situation!

Who in their right mind will trade their food, ammo, or TOILET PAPER for your SHINY ROCK in a SHTF situation? Only a DELUSIONAL IDIOT!! A delusional idiot who will eventually STARVE from their stupidity. But I guess they will have lots of SHINY ROCKS to make their grave-stone with!

reply to post by Drezden


Excellent!!! I was just talking about this with a friend. Used to be, we humans would barter. Now gold may be a shiny pretty thing, but can it feed, clothe, or shelter you? Not after the SHTF! In my opinion, the most useful barter material will be water, followed by food.

Originally posted by HangTheTraitors
In a SHTF scenario, gold is WORTHLESS. Cant even wipe your rear with it!!

The gullible gold hoarders have a hard time swallowing that one as they believe the delusion of its worth.

Food and ammo is MUCH more valuable than a shiny metal that brings the delusion of worth.

Gold is a SHINY ROCK.

USELESS!!

edit on 30-3-2012 by HangTheTraitors because: (no reason given)

True, however, as long as there are lots and lots of "delusional" people in this world (and there has been since the dawn of man), gold will always have value. Hence its ability to build empires, as well as tear them down.

And while gold may hold no necessity value in a world where men and women are cannibalizing one another for the sake of survival, once things resume a sense of normality, those who had the forethought to "hoard" all of that gold will be the first rulers of that new age. Man has always been attracked to precious metals and stones.
My guess is, it always will be.

Originally posted by HangTheTraitors

Originally posted by allprowolfy
You my friend are as naive as they come, a ounce of gold will give you a loaf of bread, and shall always. Gold through history has always been the top trade of choice.

Like I said top trade of choice, however, think what you will, as a naive man, "saves his caps for a better day."

Naive is all on your side. I used to believe in the gold nonsense also. It is a DELUSION OF WEALTH. It is a SHINY ROCK.

Get it? A SHINY ROCK!

Hard to break the delusion isnt it? Heartbreaking, I know.

I'd rather own a roll of TOILET PAPER over a ton of gold in a SHTF situation!

Who will trade their food, ammo, or TOILET PAPER for your SHINY ROCK in a SHTF situation? Only an DELUSIONAL IDIOT.

edit on 30-3-2012 by HangTheTraitors because: (no reason given)

Sorry, but if your so smart retrack through history what has always been the standard-weight for any nation-states currency


Thus, your answer.?

so simple a fifth grader could understand