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Why Gold Would Be Useless in an Economic Apocalypse: Seriously, stick with the canned goods
The Atlantic ^ | 12/27/2013 | JORDAN WEISSMANND

Posted on 12/27/2013 5:44:30 AM PST by SeekAndFind

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To: Harmless Teddy Bear; JRandomFreeper
“But you are right, what you want is what you will not have which is why doing test runs is vital. Hydrocortisone cream and gold bond powder are now part of my kit because of such a test run.”

I get a test run when a hurricane comes through and takes out power. Those times cause me to change this and change that and buy more “x”. Johnny says make relish out of sweet pickles and I noted I do have those in the fridge and in the pantry but in this case, those pickles wouldn't taste as swell as bottled. Actually, I do have bread and butter “stackers” which are thinly sliced sweets and they would be more like bottled relish if I used them. Okay, those are Plan B.

On basic needs, I have three ways to do everything and with some things, more ways. I have seven ways to cook and would never run out of one particular way.

201 posted on 12/27/2013 11:42:40 AM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: central_va
How much barter do you think is going to happen in the middle of SHTF? Later, maybe. And gold is much less useful than silver for retail barter.

/johnny

202 posted on 12/27/2013 11:42:52 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Marcella; Kartographer

Is this gonna turn into a ZOT thread??


203 posted on 12/27/2013 11:43:18 AM PST by Old Sarge (And Good Evening, Agent Smith, wherever you are...)
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To: MrB

Even during a collapse things will be bartered. The means of currency may be work, sex, and yes gold and other precious things. There is always an economy, even in the darkest scenarios, there will be trade.


204 posted on 12/27/2013 11:44:12 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: central_va
The local corner convenience store can't break a $100 bill. A one ounce gold piece? Great for bartering for a tractor. Useless for a few pounds of flour.

/johnny

205 posted on 12/27/2013 11:49:20 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: JRandomFreeper
And gold is much less useful than silver for retail barter.

I think prepping is good. It is just the thread's premise is a little out there. Yes, silver has smaller denominations so it would be easier. But let's say I wanted to buy a large quantity of your tobacco. You and I would agree on a price, say 500 pounds of rice or 6 ounces of gold? You would make the call. Lets say I live 50 miles from you, carry 6 oz of gold is a heck of a lot easier than carry 500 pounds of rice. There will be barter.

206 posted on 12/27/2013 11:49:34 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Old Sarge; Kartographer

Giving an opinion is one thing, but being nasty to Kart and Johnny and me and others, is asking for “suicide by prepper”. Someone who can’t be civil on a thread is likely not to be civil when an emergency strikes.


207 posted on 12/27/2013 11:51:48 AM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: central_va
6 oz of gold is over $7000 at today's prices. Rice was selling for about $450/ton in November.

That's a hell of a premium on 'easy to carry'.

Moot point anyway, since I've said I wouldn't do business with you, ever. Smoke your gold. I'll have other customers.

/johnny

208 posted on 12/27/2013 11:55:44 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Marcella

Nobody said prepping is not a good thing. But if you leave precious metals and jewels off your list then you are doing yourself a disservice.


209 posted on 12/27/2013 11:56:48 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: 3Fingas

The ATM suggestion is great. I forgot about that. Thanks.


210 posted on 12/27/2013 12:00:29 PM PST by MattinNJ (It's over Johnny. The America you knew is gone. Denial serves no purpose.)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Gold’s value will not be in terms of dollars. Dollars are useless. Gold’s value will have to seek it’s own level. You may be right and it might take a lot of gold to convince you to sell tobacco, or maybe you wont sell at all. But if you specialize in tobacco you will have to take SOMETHING in exchange. How will you judge the value of anything? How much is a can of tobacco worth in beans? In wheat? in gold?


211 posted on 12/27/2013 12:01:37 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: central_va
How much is a can of tobacco worth in beans? In wheat? in gold?

The ratio of value for rice/gold remains, but may vary over time.

I have a spreadsheet detailing the value of commodities, based on many factors, and grounded in reality of historic ratios. Not some made-up, off-the-cuff crap by an armchair warrior.

/johnny

212 posted on 12/27/2013 12:06:38 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Those ‘64 quarters and dimes are great for “collapse barter”,

mostly because they are a very well known value.


213 posted on 12/27/2013 12:06:43 PM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: central_va
“But if you leave precious metals and jewels off your list then you are doing yourself a disservice.”

I started prepping in 1998 and have everything I need - “need” is the operative word. The definition of “need” varies from prepper to prepper.

Don't presume you know what anyone on this thread has stored - we have talked about gold and silver numerous times and each has stored for their own needs in regard to gold/silver and we aren't telling you what we have in regard to anything. However, I do need sweet pickle relish.

Super great you have gold/silver, and what was that address again?

214 posted on 12/27/2013 12:29:51 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: Marcella

Order some from Walmart.com? You can probably buy a whole case.

Do you by any chance have some pickles, or even pickled green beans? Even canned green beans could be minced and combined with the appropriate seasonings to make a sweet pickled bean relish to use as a substitue.

Stay safe, and stay indoors.


215 posted on 12/27/2013 12:34:33 PM PST by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Gold or silver would be a way to protect against run away inflation, so that you can pay your real estate taxes etc.

I do think that food, ammo, etc are better for “investment” purposes right now, as well as helping you to survive the lean times that may happen.


216 posted on 12/27/2013 12:41:26 PM PST by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes
“Do you by any chance have some pickles,...”

After my frantic look for pickle relish and finally coming up with a small bottle, I've come up with Plan B. When relish is gone, will cut up bread and butter sweet “Stackers”, as they are thinly sliced and very sweet to make sweet pickle relish. The liquid they are in is really sweet so a bit of that in with the stackers cut up, will make a passable relish.

Or, if you don't have H1N1, you could drive from Missouri to here and hand me a bottle of relish at my front door - or not.

What really got me was looking at the stacks of canned chicken and tuna and no bottles of relish. And, all of you on the gardening thread can sweet pickles all the time. I have to think about how to make cucumbers grow without insects getting them. I'll mention this on today's gardening thread when it opens and maybe you already have it open.

217 posted on 12/27/2013 12:44:04 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: central_va
Nobody said prepping is not a good thing. But if you leave precious metals and jewels off your list then you are doing yourself a disservice.

Depends on how long your list is.

For most people the list consists of the basics of daily life, food, water, shelter, assets of immediate value in the interaction and trade between neighbors who are in the same boat, most of us can't afford the luxury of also amassing the assets needed to rebuild or maintain wealth after a recovery starts, assets that we can't afford right now anyway.

During an emergency I would rather have trade goods that the impulsive and wheeler dealer types would want, canned Spam and pints of Southern Comfort, or a box of 22 shells would be better than gold for most of us. Once things were over, then the rich would pull out their gold and regain their place, but only if they survived, and during many stages of an emergency of mass starvation, pieces of gold would not have widespread appeal, and might not buy what one needs to survive.

If I'm spending $100,000.00 on preparedness, then I will add some gold, but if I'm spending $2,000.00 on it, then gold won't be on the list.

218 posted on 12/27/2013 1:23:56 PM PST by ansel12 ( Ben Bradlee -- JFK told me that "he was all for people's solving their problems by abortion".)
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To: Jane Long
I would think glass would be much better than plastic.

Hmmm...I'll have to look into that. Since it is meant to store alcohol and not water, I would think the material would be intrinsically different than a 16.9 oz. water bottle. But I have no specific information to that effect.

A new weekend project!

219 posted on 12/27/2013 2:03:08 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts ("Gun horror is not a productive emotion, but learned helplessness disguised as moral superiority.")
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To: Polynikes

I don’t think most people who own gold and think about shtf t expect to use Golden Eagles for food! That’s what those junk silver dimes or quarters might be good for, for anyone who understands value of silver. Value of a junk silver dime is worth about a loaf of bread in today’s market, value of a couple Morgans will fill a gas tank

not that anyone needs to barter silver for goods while the merry go round of plastic credit and paper money is still spinning

Golden Eagles could be bartered for safe long term shelter or enough land to grow food - heck yeah someone will see their value and portability, take those Eagles and go get something they want, somewhere they want it, maybe a seagoing livable sailboat to take you where your skills and talents will be welcomed. “Home” is gonna have a whole new meaning for a lot of folks


220 posted on 12/27/2013 2:28:10 PM PST by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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