Posted: 2/3/2009 12:11:17 PM EDT
|
Why do people believe that precious metals would be valuable in a survival situation?
I cannot eat it or shoot it. Why would I want it? It seems that other goods would be more useful in a time where the economy is so destroyed that paper money and electronic money are worthless. |
|
This has been on here a lot of times- a quick search will show lots of answers.
But a major theme is there are folks, including me, who will likely take it in barter. Want to deal with me and have only canned food? Sorry, I've already got more than I can ever use before three or four times the normal expiration period has passed. Only have ammo? Sorry, I've already got more than an entire platoon could ever need even during extended ops. Want some of my food or ammo, and have some gold to trade? I might indeed take you up on that, since I can then use that gold with my dentist buddy (who has more food and ammo than even me) if I need to do business with him later. But there's an almost universal caveat to this- PMs need to be way down on your list. Only consider them if you've got your other angles covered already. The big argument many have is that they think they are NEVER at that point, so here is where personal values and decisions come into play. YMMV |
|
We Americans have been sheltered so long, that we have a hard time even imagining what a "survival situation" is. Do you expect our situation to get worse than Stalingrad in the Fall of '42, or Berlin in the Spring of '45? Do you expect things to get worse than modern day Zimbabwe?
In those times and places, Gold represented wealth. It was used for trading, bribing and escaping. All through human history, Gold has been recognized as money. Nothing else is as portable, permanent and difficult to fake. |
|
True... Gold is wealth, but do you think those Poles/Jews/Russians and the like in WWII would have traded some of that shiney stuff for some food? And they did!!
PM should be down the list and is of use for those items you metioned. I would rather spend $15 now for wheat to make bread than one shiney coin. And if you can't bug out...(Where anyhow if the whole ecomony is the same across the country?).. You better have your basic needs set up. So, having food makes more sense. And of course your single gun to protect you and your food, since all the other guns & ammo had a tragic boating accident. 
My take would be, if things are bad enough, you will trade your shiney $15 coin for a loaf of bread if you are hungry enough. Like others have said here in SF, you cant eat PM. |
|
If guns are banned you have a pile them to surrender or risk arrest. What are they worth then? If due to disaster or other problem the authorities confiscate your guns & ammo to protect the citizens then what good are they. Can you hide them so a competent searcher won't find them? If you have to leave your home do you take your guns and risk them being confiscated at the first roadblock? If some official thinks you have to much food and takes a good portion to feed those that need it more than you what good will the big food stash do? You can easily conceal $10,000 worth of gold but try avoiding detection of the same amount of guns & food.
Precious metals are easily transported and concealed and gold needs no elaborate container to bury it in the ground. If you need a doctors help or fuel which do you give up food or guns? Precious metals are a more universally accepted for of payment and have been for thousands of years. In a real survival situation the ability to travel unnoticed & transport compact valuable items may be more important than many imagine.Ten 1/4 oz gold coins concealed in a belt,hat seam or concealed in the heals of boots would make it through most roadblocks set up by thieves or govt. If you were told to for reason of public safety etc to leave your home and load into a military vehicle parked outside you will be taking very little food and none of your guns. Many people in the world have been in that position. What you can shoot or eat won't mean a lot. In a real survival situation the ordered life we live today isn't something to base all your assumptions and possible future needs. Portable concealable assets may be more valuable in many situations. Dismiss that idea in a survival situation and you may be left with nothing. Its your call. Red |
|
WOW.... A lot to think about.
First off.... The searcher who found my weapons stash would also good enough to find your gold.... You dont think that at a road block put up by the .gov or a thief could not have a medal detecter for just such a scenerio? A $50 WalMart Special can be used to scan over you. And its likely you would not resist because of the guns pointed at you? 
If the .gov came in to take food or weapons and PM, the SHTF pretty bad. And at that point, they would likely have more things to do than look after little oh me who is minding my own business, and taking care of my family. And if there ever is a "Miltary Vehicle" outside my house wiithout some verifiable reason (not just .gov word) I sure as hell not go in that vehicle. It would be in my POV. Do trucks and trains to German gas chambers come to mind? This is a fun discussion, but if the things above start to happen. We will all do what we have to do. That is human nature. Some will be sheep, but some will be lions. Each need to find there place and how they will respond. And back to the OP. Yes, PM have a place. Just hope the .gov does not outlaw it. And BTW, the mint is not producing small denomination other than 1oz gold this year. Key thing is... Don't but all your eggs in one basket. Remember, two is one, and one is none! 
|
|
Quoted:
For me, I think precious metals are more for after SHTF than during. Once things calm down and some form of government emerges, I doubt your dollars will be worth much, but PM's would certainly have value and help establish you in the post-SHTF world. Nail on the head there.
Gold is traditionally a hedge against inflation in functioning economies, witness the run up in gold over the last few years. If you're thinking "The Road", then yes gold would be fairly worthless. If you envision post war Germany, then gold will be very valuable. As long as there is a functioning economy gold can be used to buy goods and services, at least here on earth. The best description of gold's ability to hold value was this, a twenty dollar, one ounce gold piece (when it actually represented $20) could buy you a nice suit. That same one ounce gold piece ($20 face) is now valued around $900,which can still get you a nice suit. Gold can't be eaten or used to kill the MZBs, but I think to completely discount its utility is foolish. |