Mad Mike wrote:Kathy in FL wrote:The answer is pretty simple really. You won't use PMs in a PAW situation except for LARGE purchases and you sure as heck won't be making change. For smaller purchases you'll either be using whatever the local currency is - which in actuality could be anything including bullets and food to salvage to some kind of scrip - or you will barter.
And if you are looking for an historical perspective on the use of PMs as currency please remember that areas like the ancient Roman empire and ancient Egypt and their trading partners used debased metal coins that were rarely pure in content. A "silver" coin wasn't necessarily 100% silver. A "copper" coin wasn't necessarily 100% copper ... etc. etc. etc. And when I say "debased" I meant that it was intentionally kept valued below its so-called intrinsic value plus they had problems with inflation and all that other junk just like we do today. It is an interesting study.
That's my point. Gold is of limited use in a PAW - and having a lot of it could mean you don't have enough of what you'll really need. That plus, if the word gets out somehow, will likely make you a target.

If you have anything in the PAW you describe you are a target the smell of your breakfast meal drifting to people a mile a way is going to make you a target more than a rumor of gold.
If you say gold is going to have limited use, that cuts both ways if you cant spend it, it is because people don't want it.
I have not seen anyone recommending not having a good set of preps or that you can use gold or silver to buy a full magazine in a firefight.
I feel It will be useful in the beginning of a slow to medium speed crash when people can't electronically access money banks limit withdraws and the people learn paper money is made out of paper. Something fast like being nuked not so much.
I also feel it will have use when things start again because there is the historical precedent of this literally going back to the start of recorded history. Even if the coinage is diluted you have the base metal and you could become the mint and be the next JP Morgan perhaps.
I do not know if I need 5000 .22 bullets or 300 lbs of rice or an extra water filter. The PAW is an unknown so I have prioritized my list of needs, this would make life suck less, and wants. I am sure most all others have as well. I feel PM's are on the list and can be a strong asset in the right times.
I have a rifle that should last forever It is also of use in the proper times, I have a back up even to that rifle. So if you were me would you spend another $2000 dollars for a back up to a back up? or move further down the list of PAW priorities to something else?
I have not seen anyone recommend skipping out on the basics.
I think it depends on your timeline you are preparing for I have not read anyone thinking that gold is useful in a firefight or buy gold instead of food.