What use is gold in say an EMP strike?

a reply to: InceyWincey
Ok, no problem. Buy what you feel you need. I will continue to own gold and silver to trade with the institutions and warlords who will control the ownership of the resources you will be scavenging for.

Statements like what your saying to me make it seem like you infer that those of us who acquire metals do not save anything else?

Seriously, are you just now planning for your future?? Because many of us have been preparing for years and are well over the 70% threshold of preparedness for supplies, land and water. Even power generation. Some are already at 100%. Does it really matter if we have tens of thousands of $$ worth of gold (literally only about a pound at current market price) with our pallets of canned goods, ammunition, and basic medical supplies?? A single ounce of gold in your hand right now will get you at least an entire pallet of canned goods.

Unless God turns it all into dust before our very eyes, there will be zero issues liquidating gold in a post apocalyptic future, let alone a meager financial meltdown that is simply a scheduled transfer of wealth from those who allow others to make their investment decisions, to those who wisely direct it themselves with careful research and study of the markets.

Its perfectly fine that you have zero urgency or desire to hold metal. Its not as anybody in the world can force you too. Just do not make the blind assumption that those of us who do choose to freely hold metal do not also already have lots of food, ammo, sustainable clean water systems and seeds for crops. Some may not, but many of us do.

Historically, gold and silver always find its way to the top of the food chain. Any thoughts on how you believe it always seems to find its way there?? Surely they did not just finding it laying around the land, tossed out by survivors who believe such things are futile paper weights, did they??

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I haven't assumed anything about gold hoarders, that is your added assertions, quote me.
I only assert that in the OP scenario gold would be useless to me. If gold is useful to you then that pleases me.

a reply to: InceyWincey
well then thats swell!

a reply to: InceyWincey

The link is in that post and in a previous post.

You said worldwide destruction of electronic devices.

Nuclear EMPs are local so that isn't going to do it and solar events don't affect small devices so those are not going to do it either.

a reply to: daskakik

Your future science link?
I didn't read anything there saying electronic collapse couldn't happen. Maybe I missed it, perhaps help me out and quote the bit which says it could never happen? You could help the rest of the class as well as me

a reply to: InceyWincey

Gold was worth something before electronics, and currency will always return to a steady base. Keep gold, and when the power grid is restored you'll have a better starting point. Or, shucks, travel to a place that hasn't been impacted, and you have a better shot at getting in with money. Or, simply go there and exchange for said products. Either way, gold is a decent thing to stock up on.

a reply to: InceyWincey

You missed this:

Myth: Severe solar storms can damage automobiles and trucks.

Fact: Solar storms, no matter how severe, will not damage vehicles. This is a myth that has arisen in the past few years, and that just will not go away. (If you have an electric car, and it is plugged in to the electrical grid for charging, it is conceivable, though very unlikely, that it could be damaged.) A nuclear EMP can damage automobiles through the E1 component, which is not present on the surface of the Earth during a solar storm.

The voltages induced in automobile wiring by a severe solar storm would be less than 0.1 volt, and would be slowly increasing DC-like voltages. A typical automobile experiences voltage changes that are much greater, and that change much more rapidly, every time that the engine is started.

Severe solar storms have been experienced in relatively small areas of our planet at high latitudes during the years since automobiles have relied heavily on microelectronics. There were billions of dollars in damage to high-latitude electrical grids in the solar storms of 1989. That damage was mainly in Quebec, in northern Europe and to one very large transformer in New Jersey. In 2003, a solar storm in South Africa damaged at least 14 major transformers in the South African power grid. That solar storm left large parts of the South African power grid crippled for months. None of these solar storms resulted in reports of damage to automobiles.

a reply to: InceyWincey

I have often thought about this, it also reminded me of the old Twilight Zone episode where the guys steal gold then get in to these capsules that are supposed to put them to sleep and preserve them for a couple hundred years, unfortunately when they wake up they soon learn that man has since learned how to make gold cheaply.

and as to your question I'm with you, medicine, tobacco and food and water would be my priortiies.

a reply to: InceyWincey

my view is that gold will only be usefull if there is an expectation that " normality " will be restored

a reply to: InceyWincey

Large denominations of gold will be mostly worthless for bartering for food at first. Smaller denominations of gold will also be worthless for bartering for staple items of food, but will be good for bartering for large ticket items like generators and fuel, or lot items, so don't toss the gold just yet. Believe it or not ammunition will be a valuable currency. So will regular money, because that is what people know. Change will still be passed around and still worth something. Consumable commodities will also be valued, like tp, bandages, meds, etc. For food items, like a loaf of bread, no one is going to take 1oz of gold for it. Some would but most would avoid it because you can't buy beans, bullets, and bandages with it, unless you're buying the truck load.

a reply to: arcnaver

Some would but most would avoid it because you can't buy beans, bullets, and bandages with it, unless you're buying the truck load.

and that right there is the point. If you own it all, then you get to set the price, and demand how you want it. Everyone is a capitalist when in the apocalypse.

Well if I'm not mistaken..

Gold protects from electromagnetic radiation and can be used to create non-corroding electronics

Therefore it's inherent properties still make it pretty valuable

originally posted by: InceyWincey
So ATS, all you hoarding gold in the event of total societal collapse, what do you think anyone else will want it for? I can see no reason I would ever trade useful life saving items, or even alcohol or tobacco products for your shiny element.

It's probably already been discussed, but gold is not hoarded in preparation for a societal collapse, its hoarded because it's a safe investment. Sure, the items you mentioned are valuable in a global economical collapse, but there isn't really much you can do to prep for that. Get the items you mentioned (you forgot guns and ammo though) and buy a house on a good piece of property with resources in a remote location and make it self sustaining and you've done just about all you can to prep for when the # hits the fan. But, rather than assume the civilized world is going to come to an end, people make more sensible decisions and invest in precious metals.

On another note, people should really be investing in silver instead of gold...

a reply to: InceyWincey

here is one of the books I got from my grandfather its an original printed 1886
its seen better days though I was going to get it a new cover and spine not sure how much it would cost though

Techno-chemical receipt book

it also contains the elixr for life (I havent made it yet but I'll give it a bash ) page 17 of the book

Dissolve 2 Fluid Ounces of wormwood
and 1 fluid ounce each of cardomon oil , oil of calamus , oil of nutmeg , oil of orange peel , in 3 1/2 Gallons of 90% strong alcohol , add 3/4 gallon of water , colour the fluid brown with burned sugar


and live forever

a reply to: scojak

I have been thinking about joining the clyde valley gun club so that i do have some arms in case # happens !

there is a waiting list for new members

This kind of preparedness is passive and depressive. Isn't it better to start being political about the infrastructure so that part of the military money goes there? It's called a defence. Otherwise it will find its way to another kind of solutions. Offensive ones. Because of the fear. No one likes living in the fear

a reply to: worldstarcountry

everyone is a capitalist in the apocalypse and everyone profits from others misery as well , thats the bit I find disturbing , people will just quite happliy abandon any sense of compassion for other humans when # hits the fan.
It's my group vs your group, but the thing is there is safety in larger numbers and also work is less intense with more people sharing the load. It makes sense to form the largest groups possible , especially when it comes to sheer man power
say if it came to combat , the better equipped larger groups will always prosper , and not even have to fight if need be (preferred option), it just goes to show how selfish and self obsessed we are as a species that we would be unwilling to share without having to get something in return . Compassion goes a long way , and is not a sign of weakness its a sign of strength , which the world today seems to be against the idea and its somehow considered weak

just like now , only it would get alot worse , anyways whoever controls the water is king.

in an apocalypse situation we are all #ed when the nuclear plants malfunction

Don't forget to store yeast, that's what makes alcohol, which is damn good for cleaning wounds, also some sugar for the yeast to feed on, or sugar beets, sugar cane seeds, or even potatoes, for Vodka, to use or trade.

EMP? Gold as well as other non ferrous materials are magnetic wave proof hence *tinfoil hat...

Some examples of Non-Ferrous Metals we deal with are:

Aluminium & Aluminium Alloys.
Copper.
Brass.
Lead.
Zinc.
Stainless Steel.
Electrical Cable.

*More options than just tinfoil

a reply to: InceyWincey

I think you could trade your gold doubloons for just about anything. But then again, you can't eat a piece of gold (well, you can. It's just not filling, though).

In all seriousness, if American society were to collapse, there's not going to be anyone or anything to trade with. In an unlikely collapse event, one group would get their hands on a cache of WMDs and launch them at their countrymen. Their countrymen would do the same. Everyone would lose.

If the government is still in control, martial law would be declared. Then there may be a black market economy that crops up.

It's interesting to think about.