So I have been working nights lately. I work from 8pm to 4am and sometimes a little later. There is some down time when I am finished with all my work but I have to wait for the evenings results and I have to wait for all the traffic cones to get picked up. So far I have been doing 3 things. I play games on my iPhone, I read gun magazines and I listen to the radio. Mostly I listen to reggae but the stations usually play the same songs over and over and over again. So I have been turning on talk radio. I don't know if any of you have listened to LATE NIGHT and EARLY MORNING talk radio but it is much different than your standard conservative talk radio. The night brings out the weird and strange people and their thoughts. But one night there was a guy who was a serious prepper. He was not a local guy. But he has some theories that really made sense to me as they sounded well thought out. One of his thoughts concerned different levels of SHTF scenarios. For instance if the electricity went out for a few days to a week or two. The government would probably still have control and therefore money would still have some value as the situation would be corrected in a few days/weeks. But gold and silver would probably be of greater value as time without electricity goes on. But he also talked about the meltdown of society where the government loses control and it becomes an every man for himself scenario. In this case he was very adamant that gold and silver (like government issued money) would have little to no value. This is because if people feel there will be no civilization (meaning government and banks) for an extended period of time then things of value will be food, water and such. And gold and silver will be worthless trading items as people won't be trading for these metals. His thoughts were besides food water and drugs/medical/medicines that the best trading items will be alcohol, firearms and mostly ammunition. He was very serious about breaking up your boxes of ammo into smaller quantities such as 1, 2 , 3 or 5 rounds per bag/box. The longer things continue the higher value that ammo will have.

Just curious as to what others here think and feel about the value of gold and silver in a complete meltdown situation and what items do you think will be the best trading items?

Gasoline, water and ammo

what KK said, and babes, booze, and bandages

Gasoline, water and ammo

If you can't eat it, provide shelter, or protect your family with it....what are you prepping for?  Federally made money is already going down in value. Pretty soon it won't be worth the paper it's printed on. Society has determined the price for gold and silver. Right now it's a luxury and status symbol. When it all hits the fan, he who has survival skills and supplies will be the wealthy one. That's all I have to say about that.

Guns, ammo, medical, and water
I wouldn't be interested in gold or silver right away. If it was long term, then if I knew it was almost over I would trade for silver and gold.

Did you ever read Selco's account when  SHTF in Bosnia?  Interesting read. Maybe it was posted here before.

http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/shtf-survival-qa-a-first-hand-account.htm

Anyway, from his account, gold and silver wasn't worth much except when getting something from someone in the outside world where "civilization" was still intact.

But when law and order is not there for extended periods, commodities were worth more.

Gold & silver will be more valuable than the pieces of colored paper in your wallet!

Ammo (and booze) definitely regardless of the length of SHTF or WROL.  Gold & silver will have value if the scenario is for an extended time and bartering becomes more organized.

Ammo will be invaluable in a complete meltdown situation such as EMP or fiat crash.  Most people are not prepared and only have (at most) a few days supply of food & water.  What happens when that supply runs out?

Water will be a very important commodity and we are surrounded by it, albeit salt water.  I have been seriously considering buying a desalination unit (runs off of 12 volts DC - perfect for my little solar system), but it is a few thousand denaros.  I have purchased water filters and a water sterilizer (Steripen) so any source becomes potable.

Off topic:  Anyone read "One Second After"?

I would also stock up on tobacco and firestarting devices/lighters matches.  A while back someone posted an artical on a guy that lived through bosnia or one of those places.  It was a very interesting look at what will happen if civilization breaks down.

Ah yes!  http://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=2197.msg18383#msg18383
 
 
From the linked article...

...believe besides ammo food hygiene and energy things (batteries etc.) you need to focus on small things for trade, pocket knives, lighters, flints.
Also LOT of alcohol, kind that can stay long, i mean stuff like whiskey and that, does not important what kind, you can have cheapest kind, it is very good thing for trade in desperate time.
Also lack of hygiene things killed a lot of people, i ve seen that.
You gonna need to have some simple things, like for example lot of garbage bags, i mean a lot, many uses for that, and a LOT of duct tape, many many uses for that.

When the world goes to carp when precious metals aren't valued in relation to basic survival items, I wouldn't want to live in that world. I want my fast food drive thrus, my TV, internet and A/C.

When the world goes to carp when precious metals aren't valued in relation to basic survival items, I wouldn't want to live in that world. I want my fast food drive thrus, my TV, internet and A/C.

Don't worry, people that rely on McDonald's to feed their families won't live long when the SHTF.

You'll get your wish. 

in full meltdown stuff will only be worth what someone wants to give you for it.....basic necessities for basic necessities of several basic necessities for one luxury.  gold and silver do not seem like necessities......unless you can melt them down and make bullets.

Why is it that the gold sellers tell me so hard that US dollar is worthless and gold is the way to go...

But yet they have no problem taking my US dollars to buy gold from them?

Water, ammo and bacon!! everyone loves bacon

Your gold is worthless... wtf you gonna do carry it?

water, food, survival supplies, protective devices.

mmmmmmmmm.....bacon

protective devices.

Condoms?

Condoms?

The condoms protect your gun! 

Condoms?

The condoms protect your gun! 

From impregnating other guns?