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Best currency for the comming superstorm

Best currency? I would say stuff that you can trade, which means stuff that is worth something to the other people that you could trade with. For many here that would be spare knives, fishing equipment and paracord.
Services would obviously be good because if you have 5 spare knives that you are willing to trade then once you have traded them what do you have?

How about knife sharpening services? Many here know how to sharpen a knife well (and should learn if they don't) and if society has broken down with people having to hunt game and stuff - a sharp knife would be pretty damn important.

The other useful trading item for an outdoorsman skilled in hunting & fishing would be meat & fish. A wild boar or deer has a decent amount of meat, if you are able to get more than you need then you could trade the surplus. Once the supply of mass produced clothing starts running short then the ability to make a coat or jacket from animal skins could be useful too. Also leather tanning services and trading leather made from deer skin makes a lot of sense.

What about cooking services - many people don't know how to cook without a microwave! Someone that knows how to cook with more primitive means would have a useful and maybe even tradeable skill!
 
Ammo, heirloom seeds, gardening tools, junk silver, salt, honey, and non-perishable food.
 
The
Fallacy of gold
V Shrake
- Skills and guides - Bushcraft and Survival -


Fallacy of gold

One thing has always intrigued me about the preparation we all go through for surviving the end of the world. While there is no disputing the logic of stocking up on food, guns and ammo, and the other sundries of everyday life, lots of article have been devoted to the usefulness of gold in these TEOTWAWKI scenarios. Indeed, these pundits would
have us believe that gold is all we need to survive any calamity.

Not surprisingly, most of these articles have been written by a man with an interest to sell you gold and numismatic silver.

Let us look at a hypothetical situation. We're a few years into the future, four years after the disaster of your choice. It doesn't matter what brought us to this strait, just that civilization as we know it today no longer exists. You, like those around you, survived. Unlike some others, you took precautions; like Aesop's ant, you laid in enough to see you through the lean years. Some of your neighbours weren't so foresighted, and one of these benighted souls, cold and hungry, has shown up at the door to your
retreat. He has a box of 9mm that he scrounged somewhere, but owns a .38 special revolver. Your Browning can always use a little more ammo, so you ask what he wants in trade.

At this point, let's ask ourselves what we would want in the above scenario. A box of .38's, and maybe a can or two of beef stew? Or a two ounce bar of 99% pure, shiny, worthless, gold?

Gold, like most things man has based an economy upon, has no intrinsic worth beyond what we assign. While it is quite handy in the electronics industry, and the jeweller's of the world wish us to believe it's the only way to buy true love, it has no other real uses. In a collapsed society, items of real worth will be those that we can use. Unpolluted
water, food, ammunition, any number of manufactured goods such as soap and toothpaste will be much more in demand than gold. It will be many years, if ever in our lifetimes, (depending on the severity of the situation) before gold is used again as a currency. Fishing weights and musket balls will be about all that gold would be good for.

But wait, you say. What about something other than a system-wide collapse, say a hurricane or other natural disaster of limited duration? Surely a stash of gold or pre-1965dimes and quarters will come in handy then?

Wrong again.

While it is true that unscrupulous shop owners will charge many times the going rate for goods and services in such a situation, how many of them do you suppose will take your word on how much a Krugerand is worth? How many people, outside of coin collectors and survivalists, even know about the value of pre-1965 silver coins? And even if
they do, how do you propose to buy a loaf of bread with a two ounce bar of gold? Take a wheelbarrow along to cart home your change in greenbacks? Far better, if you live in flood- or tornado-prone areas, is to have a wad of bills to supplement your food and fuel reserves.

Which brings us to the meat of the matter. Now that I have hopefully dispelled the notion of gold being a wise investment (besides, how many of us can afford to have gold on top of everything else we need to put in our larders and lockers?), I'll give you some idea of what would be handy to have on hand for trade purposes.

As I said above, anything that you use on a daily basis will likely be in demand after a disaster, whether man-made or otherwise. Soap, paper towels, toilet paper, vitamins, toothpaste and toothbrushes; all common, everyday items that we take for granted now which may be impossible to scavenge. And there surely won't be any more being made.

What I do, so as not to break my budget but still lay in supplies that I myself will use, and possibly barter with, is this:

Every month, while doing my regular shopping, I buy an extra bar of soap, roll of paper towels, toilet paper, a bottle of analgesic, three big boxes of strike-anywhere matches, and Q-tips.

Every three months I lay in the following: a package of disposable razors, multi-vitamins (a jar of 133), tube of toothpaste, toothbrush, and a box of ten or twelve large, plastic garbage bags.

These are all things that I use on a daily basis, and wouldn't want to be without. While the toilet paper and Q-tips might seem to be pure comfort items, the soap and toothpaste are not. Basic hygiene is going to be more important than ever in a world without pharmacies and doctors. And those garbage bags may well prove to be the most
versatile thing in your stock of survival goods. While they can be used for their intended purpose, they will also do yeoman service as emergency rain slickers, waterproofing the roof of a shelter, disposing of diseased animal carcasses or human waste, waterproof sandbags to shore up a leaking dike... While they might not be ideal for some things, you'll at least have them to improvise with.

Other trade goods you might wish to lay in follow the same basic principles. What do you use on a daily basis, or see a possible need or use for in an emergency? If you can see a need for it, someone else will too. Only maybe they didn't have the foresight to have it on hand before the world went blooey!

What about extra ammo, preferably in a caliber you use yourself. That way, if you can't trade it (not too likely), you're not out anything. Food would be good, but remember, you need to eat, too. It's unlikely that you could have such a vast stockpile of stuff that you could trade away canned goods. But what about raising your own meat and trading that for something you don't have?

I live on two acres, and keep goats and rabbits. The goats provide me with meat, milk, and skins. The rabbits are tasty, and perhaps the easiest meat animal to raise. They take up next to no space, eat comparatively little, and breed... well, like rabbits. Two does and one buck can provide you with a lot of protein. But there is very little fat in
rabbits, so don't count on them alone. But the milk from the goats has a high fat content, and can be drunk as is, or made into butter or cheese.

Having a few fifty pound boxes of nails around wouldn't be amiss, either. People might be able to scrounge plywood and boards from other structures, but they won't find nails so easy to come by. Anything that is comparatively cheap today, and versatile or indispensable, would be a fine trade item.

A few cheap knives, such as those seen in catalogs, would be good, too. A stout fixed-blade knife of a bowie design would be much in demand in a world where we have to butcher our own food.

And don't forget services, either. A mechanic or general handyman would be a good man to know in an emergency, where there will be no manufacturing of new parts. An old-fashioned blacksmith would be a boon right about then.

So think about the possible future we're planning to survive, and what might be entailed in that brave new world. And gold won't figure prominently at all.
 
Im a beans and bullets kinda guy... To me 22LR and 12G shells would be worth way more than silver coins in a SHTF scenario.. Just about everyone has a 22 or SG tucked away somewhere... I also like pasta, rice, beans, etc.. Lots of bang for the buck if people are starving.. Spices are a great barter item, salt, pepper, allspice garlic salt etc.. Cooking oil would be worth alot too..

Funny how priorities will change once things go sideways.. I'm reminded of a book that was called Triple Aught at the time.. At a barter fair a guy was wanting to trade a new Corvette for some fishing gear...ha!! Probably not far off the mark if it ever really happens...
 
The thing to remember is to go "primitive".

Modern things will "wear out'. You have to able to improvise and make your own stuff,
example, "bow drills and hand drills for fire".

Start studying about herbs to replace traditional medicine.
Start storing non-hybrid seeds to plant the next year.

Learn to brain tan to make your own clothes that will last a lifetime.
Learn some primitive blacksmithing skills or make sure you have good quality knives that will last.

If anything "Silver is Simple", silver coins are cheaper and will be easier to trade with in my humble opinion, silver is still affordable to buy, but I would be gear and food before silver, that is just me.

I started planting 2 years ago in preparation of things to come and have helped friends can food as well. We just need to simplify out lives NOW before we have to simplify later, if we do it now it won't be so hard when we have to for real.
 
Personally, I'm looking to have skills that will make other people want to have me alive. if someone stockpiles lots of food, weapons and ammo, the have to defend it to keep it, and you can't trade with someone unless they know what you have. however, skills cannot be taken away, and in a SHTF economy, any headstart is a good one. Granted, there are a lot of smart people in this world who will be able to scrounge a book or two and learn some things, so you'll have to keep one step ahead, but there are few people will become generalists. Most will find one skill, or related skillset and hope that they can slot into a community that needs it. I suspect that most people will become labor for those with skills and knowledge, kind of a feudal system. so the simple thing isn't to be the guy with everything, its to be the guy people don't want to live without, and social skills will go along way towards this. I could see a lot of cult leaders doing really well in fact.....
 
gadgetgeek said:
Personally, I'm looking to have skills that will make other people want to have me alive. if someone stockpiles lots of food, weapons and ammo, the have to defend it to keep it, and you can't trade with someone unless they know what you have. however, skills cannot be taken away, and in a SHTF economy, any headstart is a good one. Granted, there are a lot of smart people in this world who will be able to scrounge a book or two and learn some things, so you'll have to keep one step ahead, but there are few people will become generalists. Most will find one skill, or related skillset and hope that they can slot into a community that needs it. I suspect that most people will become labor for those with skills and knowledge, kind of a feudal system. so the simple thing isn't to be the guy with everything, its to be the guy people don't want to live without, and social skills will go along way towards this. I could see a lot of cult leaders doing really well in fact.....
Click to expand...

As an infantry vet, I'd gladly trade my "services" to become a "samuari" for a feudal lord.
 
I don't remember if I read it hear or somewhere else, but I think its worth saying again.
Sure gold and silver is nice, but you can't eat it, use it to heal wounds or even stop aggresion aimed at you.
I realize you may be able to use it to purchase food and water, but if it gets that bad no one is going to want to give up their food or water for some gold! What good would it do them?! How would you pay for something with gold either? Are you going to carry around a scale and then peal some flakes off and somehow say that this amount of gold is for what they have.

If I know that food and water is in short supply or maybe doesn't exist in part and you come to me with a chunk of gold and want to barter for my necessities, I may very well say scram or ok, but I want ALL your gold. I mean, you are starving and you have gold, but I have food. Whats MY food worth to you, its not whats your gold worth to me. You gold is worthless to me.

Monetary systems would all be in shambles....is gold now worth $2000/oz or $4000/oz maybe way more...maybe a lot less? How could you convince someone that they are getting the correct amount of gold for what you want in exchange?
How would they be able to know if YOUR gold is real? Don't you think people will be extremely suspicious?

EVERYONE will want/need stuff! Food, water and shelter will be the most valuable! Do you think that for one instance, the survivors of Katrina wanted gold and silver instead of food, water and shelter?
Hygiene will be of secondary importance after the basic necessities have been taken care of. No one wants to stink or not brush their teeth for any length of time. I won't care if I have my gold necklace around my neck, but I sure will be concerned if my family that relies on me, is in need. A full stomach will beat a HUGE gold stash any day of the week when food is in short supply!

Here's the Bacon report of the top 100 items that will disappear and so be needed the most because they wont exist anywhere.

Top 100 Items to Disappear First During a National Emergency

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.)
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Livestock

Plenty of cheap items on that list that you could stock up on and not break the bank. Once you have some of these items, make use of them and then replace them when you've used them up.
 
I have some serious, serious reservations about arming people or trading ammunition to them. If I had my choice, I would live in a place where everyone had guns so it would be a joke to do so, anyway.

But here? Uhm...NO. :D
 
Think what you'd want if the shizzle hit the fizzle and you have a commodity there. Some rare items and some items that will be used fast. Lots of possibilities there. I do see one problem though. I think if it came down to a situation or circumstance where the barter system and not currency was used, there may be a different train of thought. People will try to TAKE what they want rather than earn or trade for it. Be prepared to defend yourself and your supplies. It'll be hard times if it comes to that.
 
Slowly accumulate rolls of silver dollars.

American Eagle silver coins, 1oz. of 99.9999% pure silver. Still recognizable as valuable, much cheaper than gold and easier to use as currency. Most people can slowly accumulate these easier than gold because of the price of silver v. gold.

Easier to lay out a few silver dollars if you need some bread, gasoline or a ride in the back of a truck outta town. Handing out 1-oz or 1/2 oz gold coins may be more than needed.

I'm talking about localized emergencies or Katrina-type events where normalization will eventually come back, if it is really TEOTWAWKI, a can of beans may be worth its weight in diamonds.
 
Some of that list would be immediate needs, but how long is it going to take for a saloon to pop up, so that playing cards are actually in demand? and how long is the propane really going to last? not though the first winter I think. remember anything in mass storage has to be pumped, so that means power=generators=noise=attention. some of the items are good, but IMHO if you stocked that list, you have a large amount of crap.
And I agree with Don, any ammo traded to someone I don't know would lead to many long nights waiting for them to bring it back, one round at a time. no thanks.
 
To the original question, the best currency is a predatory mindset. Since the rules fell out it; seems all these "hard to come by" items would be easier to stock up on after the fall.
 
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