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Using Coins to Barter after The Sh** Hits the Fan

I read survivalblog.com on a regular basis (condolences to Rawles' family) and an interesting article caught my eye today. From Russell in Dallas, Texas. He brings up some great points about how even tho pre-1965 coins are the best coins to store for After-Times, most people won't know that. There won't be internet to research. There won't be open bookstores to find coin reference books. The knowledge will be among those few who prepped but will it do any good among the masses?

I have to say that I agree with Russell from Dallas, Texas. Look at our basic needs to survive: food, water, shelter, clothing. If I take care of our family's needs for these, then I can barter similar items for others: sewing kits and fabric, salt, boots, etc. Anything else and a small stash of all kinds of coins would work just fine.

In my real day-to-day life, I know of only 1 family who actually preps, and I'm sure they don't know about coins. If they do, they don't talk about it. But of course, I don't either. But when I ask for rolls of nickles at the bank, they always have some.

Perhaps I'm naive. Perhaps a bit practical.

Read the article at http://www.survivalblog.com/2009/09/letter_re_will_junk_silver_be.html then come back here to comment....

Are you hoarding the recommended pre-1965 coins?

Are you saving all coins?

Are you "buying" rolls of nickles as fast as you can?

Are you hiding your stash in a safe place?

What do YOU think will be the best "barter item" after things hit the fan?

8 comments:

Trashdigger said...

Heck no I am not. What a waste of time.. Great for yuppies but we got to keep going.

Anonymous said...

Just got hip to this about a month ago. Although I thought it was pre-1964 any silver. I'm going to research that one. Thanks for the info.-shelly

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen any pre-64 coins in a long time. It's hard to stock up on them, though I do save pre 82 pennies and recently started saving nickles.

Anonymous said...

I have a small stash of pre '64 silver. I think this will be useful for barter along with Ammunition.

Anonymous said...

I think . . . T-paper.
Yep.
Imagine what someone would give for one nice, soft roll.

Anonymous said...

LOL, T-paper, true, and feminine supplies. diapers... think about it.
Baby stuff in general, there WILL still be babies. :)

ThrtnWmsFam said...

I'm learning how to make paper soft enough to be used as toilet paper, plus putting by lots of wipes, baby things and feminine products. Meanwhile, we regularly buy a few rolls of nickles at a time. Vikki

Carborendum said...

You have to keep in mind that there are various stages of societal decline. It could go all at once. Or it could go in stages. Or it could be a gradual process that only those who are awake will recognize.

For gradual decline scenarios, they will indeed be useful. People will still be able to look up values. Communications will be such that people will find others "in the know".

If it is a sudden, complete breakdown, gold and silver will be worthless as a medium of exchange. They have some aesthetic value. But that won't mean much in a survival situation. Their utilitarian value (such as water purification) will be known only to those familiar with them. But as a medium of exchange--worthless.

A medium of exchange requires several things to be functional:

1) Wide acceptance.
2) Recognizeable and verifiable.
3) Commonly agreed values.

In a SHTF scenario, do any of those exist?