The new currency: guns, ammo, gold and real estate?

[PALADIN85020]

Many economists are predicting a sudden collapse in America's economy, with the sudden devaluation of the dollar and a severe dive in the stock markets. The same thing has already happened recently in Russia. Political pundits are predicting that the U.S. government may move to take over individual savings accounts as collateral against our skyrocketing national debt, which is now in the multi-trillion dollar stratosphere. The signs of a coming depression are being seen by many experts.

Many of these same economists are suggesting that individuals take heed of the danger signs, and protect themselves by acquiring items that have true value and which will hold that value through tough times.

Here are some of their suggestions for acquisition:

1. Guns. Along with economic depression, the possibility of strong civil unrest will become very real, and the perceived need for self-protection will be widespread. As a bartering item, defense and sporting guns will be at a premium. These can be traded for food, shelter, transportation and clothing against the elements. They will also be useful for killing game for food.

2. Ammunition. Concomitant with the demand for guns will be ammo for them. .22 long rifle rounds will be especially in demand. If you think the prices are high now, the experts say, just wait. Large quantities of .22s can be carried with little weight penalty, and in a pinch, the round can be used for self defense or game.

3. Gold. The price of gold has gone up and down over the past few years, but if bought now, gold has the potential to be ultra-precious for buying anything in times of need. Should an economic catastrophe occur, gold will be one of the few precious metals that will actually have some worth. To a lesser extent, silver will also have real value.

4. Real estate. Land and shelter will have real worth. A place to live and land to live off of will be immensely valuable.

Please understand - I am not predicting all of this. I am simply throwing this out there as a possibility. "Survivalists" even now are preparing for the worst, and if such things come to pass, people may praise them as being far-sighted. I just don't know.

I think the emphasis on guns and ammo as survival tools and bartering items is very interesting - perhaps yet another reason for us gun aficionados to consider enhancing our stocks.

Open for discussion!

John

 

[mojave30cal]

Well, I hope it doesn't come to that. But, you never know. Being
prepared for such an eventuality would be a good place to be.

I might add, don't forget junk silver (90%) in all denominations
so it will easier to make small purchases if the dollar collapses.
It would be hard to buy a loaf of bread with a $20 gold piece
or a 1 oz. gold American Eagle coin.

Boy Scout motto: Be prepared.

 

[walnutred]

I'm neither a preper or a hoarder and I'm more concerned about my stock of medications running out than my stock of ammo. However my kids have convinced me to make token preparations because if things really fall apart they are coming home as fast as they can. One cheap thing I stockpile that gives me a fragile sense of security is seeds. At the end of the season the local garden store sells off leftover seeds for pennys on the dollar. $5 buys enough heirloom seeds that I have plenty to plant and give away.

 

[venomballistics]

I'd focus on guns and ammo.
silver and gold hold no nutritional value, so while you trying to offload it for food, not only is everyone else doing the same, but he who has the food will eventually figure it out too.
Guns and ammo are a route to food, and a means to protect them.
The precious metals, don't really mean much till we hit recovery and return to the age old game of chasing shiny things.

 

[venomballistics]

I'm neither a preper or a hoarder and I'm more concerned about my stock of medications running out than my stock of ammo. However my kids have convinced me to make token preparations because if things really fall apart they are coming home as fast as they can. One cheap thing I stockpile that gives me a fragile sense of security is seeds. At the end of the season the local garden store sells off leftover seeds for pennys on the dollar. $5 buys enough heirloom seeds that I have plenty to plant and give away.

seeds make some sense too. but you have to lead the target pretty good for them to save you.
60 days to food don't mean much when your hungry now.
if you think about it 60 days prior ... thats a different story.
Hate to say it, but the pot heads have this game down with their indoor growing operations.... Worth a little research

 

[Mule Packer]

John, I think you've pretty much hit it right on.

I was reading a "survival blog" several years back, and even then, someone was touting the value of .22 ammo as bartering stock. In fact, as I remember, this person was saying that many folks who didn't even own a firearm were stocking up on .22 ammo to use as trading stock. It sure makes sense to me if you think about it.

For those individuals who only own one gun, that gun will probably be a .22. If you think .22 ammo is scarce now, just wait until the proverbial ship hits the sand and it will be rarer than hen's teeth.

Like you, I also think gold will be a trading item, but maybe not as much as some people think. Gold, in my opinion, is not to be considered an investment. No, it's a hedge against inflation.

Here's what I mean. Back in the late 1800's a one-ounce, twenty-dollar gold piece would buy a Colt single-action revolver or a man's tailored suit. Today, a one-ounce gold coin will buy a new Colt single-action revolver or a man's tailored suit. See? Not a real investment in the true sense of the word, but a hedge against inflation. Still, because of that, it will be worth something in trade.

Land? Again, you're right on. As Will Rogers said, "They aren't making anymore of it." Even if a person just has a small backyard where they can grow vegetables, it will be to their advantage. If they're living in a rental, the landlord can always come in and kick them out because his daughter and worthless son-in-law need a place to stay...and there's really not much you can say about it.

Should we be "enhancing our stock" when it comes to guns? Hmmm. That's a darn good question. I know what I'm doing. I'm making sure that all of my kids have enough firearms of their own. Some of the guns that they were to receive when I die have been given to them already. I figure they might as well have use of them now. I'm also giving ammunition to them as "stocking-stuffer" gifts as I did last year.

As mojave30cal mentioned, "Be prepared."

 

[old bear]

I'm going for a reasonable amount of long term storage food and Water. I've got more than enough handguns and ammo. The only "defensive" firearm I've put off buying is a 20 or 12 gauge coach gun. I've also, stashed $2,000.00, in small bills, in a number of secure locations.

I don't see the need to hoard gold, silver, or gems, other than the jewelry I purchased for the "Lovely and Charming" over the years. If the SHTF, and I have $20.00 gold coins and I wish to buy a gallon of mike and a loaf of bread, am I going to get change from my gold coin? I really don't think I would.

As I posted some years ago, "if you have gold, gems, or silver you MAY be able to get a firearm of some sort. But if you have a firearm you have a very god chance of getting gold, gems, and silver." The aforementioned may not be a nice thought, yet there is more than a little truth to that.

Happy Holidays All.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I imagine the email lists advising such probably sold gold or obscure land in Montana too. Or carry ads for dubious collections of seeds. Or are written by a guy who can't make his money back off his stash of .22lr and ARs.

I get those all the time. Have since at least 1998. Before that it photocopied zines and newsletters. Used to be a decent living to be made selling subscriptions to those newsletters.

During the Depression, gold was basically outlawed. I would expect that to happen again. The police and Army are larger and better armed now and finances more easily controlled.

If I were to stock up on something, it would be poppy seeds. Times get tough and people are going to want their opium.

Note that Russia has not imploded, was on shaky economic ground for a while, and is subject to assorted sanctions that made things worse.

 

[Jack Flash]

A little perspective on this...

I remember the first time I heard the term "Survivalist" was back in the 1970s. I actually knew people who moved to remote mountain areas because they believed the total collapse of the financial and social structure of the US was immanent. Obviously, that was 40 some years ago.

Short term disruptions seem a lot more likely. Taking steps to be able to protect, shelter, and feed yourself and significant others until order is restored is always prudent.

 

[walnutred]

We just say it will not happen here because collapse has not happened here in almost 100 years. From the experience and viewpoint of most of the world we are way past due.

 

[SC_Mike]

If you're not stocking up on some weapons and ammo, then you're just gathering supplies for the guy who did.

 

[mc5aw]

When envisioning the mass panic that an economic collapse could trigger, I think back 18 months. A nutjob shot up a school and killed two dozen people. Politicians and anti-gun fanatics screamed about the evil of firearms, and the public was led to believe ammo would become unobtainium, as well as every semi-auto rifle imaginable. People lost their minds in a buying frenzy, driving ARs and AKs skyward prise-wise, as well as depleting the nationwide stock of ammunition, of which some calibers are still feeling the adverse affects. Compare that mania to one that a legitimate financial collapse would cause ... I think 2013 would look like the good ol' days in comparison.

 

[30-30remchester]

I'm going for a reasonable amount of long term storage food and Water. I've got more than enough handguns and ammo. The only "defensive" firearm I've put off buying is a 20 or 12 gauge coach gun. I've also, stashed $2,000.00, in small bills, in a number of secure locations.

I don't see the need to hoard gold, silver, or gems, other than the jewelry I purchased for the "Lovely and Charming" over the years. If the SHTF, and I have $20.00 gold coins and I wish to buy a gallon of mike and a loaf of bread, am I going to get change from my gold coin? I really don't think I would.

Happy Holidays All.

An excellent point. I used to keep a couple $100 bills in case of economic unrest. These were in my wife's and my fully loaded and ready backpacks. Then I tried to imagine trying to buy a can of beans with a $100 bill. Since change may not be available, will you fork over a C note for a can of beans just because you are hungry? Just imagine the guy selling you an item and you hand over a big bill. Will he be thinking, If he has one, does he have more? Now our backpacks have several hundred dollars worth of wrinkled one dollar bills.

Another excellent point is storing some of your extra at different locations. I had not given that much thought but am now making plans.

Above I mentioned my ready to go backpacks. We all have plenty of camping gear, but seldom is it in one spot and ready. I live in a heavily forested that have a history of catching on fire. Rapid evacuation is my goal. A spare suitcase is loaded with clothes that the wife and I really didn't care for. Within 5 minutes the wife and I can load our backpacks, emergency suitcases, our get away guns, any extra money, into my spare 4x4 that is always fully fueled and ready.

 

[James&theGiant1911]

not going to happen, not any time soon. They just continue to print more money, allow increased immigration for they hope, increased tax revenue. The biggest mistake, IMO was allowing the largest investment banking firms to dictate the governmental financial policy. With that said you are preparing for something that more than likely will NOT happen. I know people think that but they are mostly displaced workers and employees out of work in this new environment. The markets reset, it happens every so often and IMO should be allowed to happen. The great depression is a 50 year cycled event, inevitable to happen once a lifetime.

With that said, play how you want but know this the markets are not going anywhere anytime soon. Continue to invest in the stock markets and do not worry. The GDP is strong, it is just governments large size that causes our debt to go over our revenue but a new fiscal congress should get that under control. I would not worry about it, eventually it will change but I still do not think it will be in mine or your lifetimes. (could be wrong)

 

[JohnSW]

Many economists are predicting a sudden collapse in America's economy,

[Insert hysterical laughter here.]

 

[just jim]

Pretty sure they have been predicting a collapse since the 1960s. I guess the guys that stockpile are doing it for an insurance policy against a collapse. Fear is a big motivator.

 

[ladyT]

Depression? No. Deflation? A very real concern. While many may be concerned with sovereign debt there is one thing that needs to be understood. That debt can be wiped out with the swipe of a pen.

 

[Grayfox]

I've never understood the hoarding of precious metals. If the SHTF and I have something to trade, don't come to me with cash, metals or gems. If I can't eat it, drink it or have a practical use for it, you're just SOL.

 

[Maddog 521]

An old guy back in the 70's told me, "hard money, guns and ammunition and trade-able goods" should be enough. I'm pretty well set but I'm still adding to the stash.

 

[Jack Flash]

I am an economist. I have the degrees and the same questionable ability to predict things. ...

1) I would recommend saving money ever month.

2) I would invest it wisely. Stay with A+ rated bonds and blue chip stocks.

3) Do not borrow money foolishly (like credit card debt).

4) There is nothing wrong with investing a small amount in alternative investments such as guns and ammo. It's a hobby to me.
...
I am staying with what I know.

I wonder about the folks in the '70s who went up into the mountains in survival mode.

Forty some years is a long time.

Where would they be now if for all those years they had been investing in blue chip stocks and A+ rated bonds instead?