Silver for barter

Cladiator

If you had to chose one type of silver to use as barter what would it be. Assume you will be bartering with everyday, average people that make up American society.

gecko109

For everyday bartering purposes, its the U.S. fractional junk all the way.

sbeverly

90% current design. It's more recognizable.

Cladiator

<< <i>90% current design. It's more recognizable. >>

Quite true but is it more recognizable as silver to the average 21st century American Joe Schmoe? Or would this average person just think of them as standard coinage worth face value?

Baley

I don't see the choices for bottles of beer or packages of beef jerkey, mints or chewing gum, bottles of wine or olive oil, or water filters or disinfectant tablets.

Keep your silly coins

PerryHall

Ammo will be useful for bartering but to answer the OP's question, 90% junk silver coins.

KUCH

I live fairly close to the canadian border, thus my vote for the Maple. I'll barter with our friends up North thank you very much.

RedHerring

I answered, "Name brand silver bullion rounds". Mainly because I prefer them.

However I agree this is a good question:

<< <i>Quite true but is it more recognizable as silver to the average 21st century American Joe Schmoe? Or would this average person just think of them as standard coinage worth face value? >>



I was born in 1964 and to U.S. citizens older than me? Hands down 90% junk is the winner. To people younger than me? It's amazing how few realize that pre-1965 means 90% silver and that's where my favorite rounds come in.

The shell game with the USD and credit default swaps could last 15 years if the cards are played correctly. By that time you should be well stocked in food, water, guns AND PMs should the SHTF and by the that time most of the U.S. population will likely not know a Mercury dime from John Glenn.

Weiss

<< <i>
I was born in 1964 and to U.S. citizens older than me? Hands down 90% junk is the winner. To people younger than me? It's amazing how few realize that pre-1965 means 90% silver and that's where my favorite rounds come in.
>>



Wait. Though they are precisely the same size, weight, and shape as later 90%, have a familiar face value on them (with its corresponding fractional relationship), have similar designs on them, indicate they're American coinage on them, etc., people born after 1964 *might* not recognize mercs, walkers, Frankies...

...so instead you're putting your trust in those same people to understand what a "round" is, with entirely unfamiliar designs, weights, and sizes, produced by unknown (to them at least) companies, with no face value, and no corresponding equivalent coinage?

I don't follow this logic. In a SHTF scenario, IF silver was to become commonplace for exchange, people would learn tout suite what a merc dime or a franklin half dollar is. They might eventually understand what a round is. But in my opinion they wouldn't trust it anywhere near as much as they'd trust US 90%.

RedHerring

<< <i>I don't follow this logic. >>



It was somewhat in jest but not entirely. I'm looking 10 to 15 years into the future and have a feeling the 90% will be fine (no pun intended) but name-brand, full 1 ounce rounds will be almost as good and maybe better.

One such situation might be a mad scramble where time is not available to "review" coins that may or may not not be of any value. Another possibility: The purchasing power of fractional pieces might be so low that you'd need a handful of them to buy anything of value (and each piece would have to be examined). If I'm holding a few rounds, I get it first!

There are other scenerios but you get the idea. I'll hold some 90% and some rounds to be diversified. Of course ASE might trump both of these but a few dozen tubes of 20 rounds will be good to have!

meluaufeet

I know... it must be the silver proof state quarter... in the state you reside... uncirculated... proof... full weight... recognizable... shiney... pretty... blah, blah, blah...

Well at least the premium was/is dropping...

What am I going to do with those things... I really over thought that one.

Overdate

For coins as barter items, everyone seems to overlook everyday pocket change.

All our current coins are worth a significant fraction of face value in their metal content. Dimes and quarters are 18%, zinc cents are over 50%, nickels are over 100% and bronze cents are over 200%.

In a hyperinflation, paper money would turn to dust, but base-metal coins would have some intrinsic value and would be useful as "small change" in a barter economy. There would be the added advantage that if a new "dollar" were to be created by lopping off a bunch of zeros from the old one, current coins would probably be revalued to the new "dollar".

sbeverly

For coins as barter items, everyone seems to overlook everyday pocket change. All our current coins are worth a significant fraction of face value in their metal content. Dimes and quarters are 18%, zinc cents are over 50%, nickels are over 100% and bronze cents are over 200%. In a hyperinflation, paper money would turn to dust, but base-metal coins would have some intrinsic value and would be useful as "small change" in a barter economy. There would be the added advantage that if a new "dollar" were to be created by lopping off a bunch of zeros from the old one, current coins would probably be revalued to the new "dollar"

I agree with the above intrinsic value of todays pocket change part, because any metal is worth more than a piece of paper with ink...

It reminds me of my favorite Ludwig Von Mises quote...I'll paraphrase due to the fact that I am doing this from memory.

"Only a government can take a worthwhile commodity like paper...add ink, and make it totally worthless.

1jester

<< <i>"Only a government can take a worthwhile commodity like paper...add ink, and make it totally worthless. >>



That's good; I hadn't heard that before.

sbeverly

Or would this average person just think of them as standard coinage worth face value?

I agree with this statement.

but,...with that being said.

I think that across ALL bullion products, an educational process would have to happen
to bring the masses on board the ship of understanding.

I believe that they can come to more easily understand and accept something that is already somewhat
familiar to them.

edited to add: I just realized that I don't practice what I preach. I am overweight in ASE's.This thread has made me
reconsider my position.

gecko109

<< <i>Or would this average person just think of them as standard coinage worth face value?

I agree with this statement.

but,...with that being said.

I think that across ALL bullion products, an educational process would have to happen
to bring the masses on board the ship of understanding.

I believe that they can come to more easily understand and accept something that is already somewhat
familiar to them. >>





This is precisely the reason why its actually a good thing when neighbors and friends and co-workers start talking about PMs. The standard line of thinking is that when many people start to talk about a particular investment vehicle, its time to get out fast! But with PMs, I simply see it as a much needed primer to get as many people familiar with metals as possible to make the transition a bit easier.