I've read through the PM's & Collapse thread. Really interesting (however I find it strange that people cannot read & take in the opposite argument to their own.)

Initially I thought that PM's would be the fall back option at least until the baby boomer generation dies off. But it would be contextual - which direction a society takes under such strain is hard to know. This would depending on location, type of collapse:

- War, eg in China would see generational gold enter society as payment for safe passage etc not traditionally trusting government like pre WW2 where 'Yamashita's Gold' was looted from China, Philippines, Malay & "stored" for future use in Luzon, Mindanao, Bagiuo, Manilla.

 - Financial, like the great depression whre infrastructure remains

 - Or war as in Serbia where cigarettes, food & alcohol were used (terrific book McMafia by Misha Glenny shows how both leaders enriched themselves as their people died by trading behind the scenes)


But iamnotback makes some great points, namely:

during ww2 gold was used because it already the backbone of the system, unlike now.

as long as infrastructure survives (indicating a financial system collapse) the internet & the speed at which solutions can be engineered outside of governmental avenues. and crypto is blooming, could soon be as ubiquitous as mobile phones. if crypto overcomes onramping obstacles it could serve as the path of least resistance ie stored & sent via mobile phones.

that a total financial system collapse could shove us into a dark age of food shortages (4 meal theory) and need for weapons. in isolated or war torn areas, are PM's more viable than food or ammo.