And folks always remember the words to the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank sing along song if the ATMs stop regurgitating that fiat paper, if that ever happens...within the next 12-18 months.

I have, sometimes still do, barter for goods and services. Even before any apocalyptic national/global economic meltdown. When cash is short and many businesses are suffering cash flow problems barter can allow you to still do business.

The viability of ammunition as a barter item depends on how much call for it there is (how much is being used, how much anyone desiring it may have on hand), your willingness to give it up to a potential competitor or opponent, their ability to give you something you desire in return, their ability/willingness to let you know they are in the market for it, and the location/transport to make any trade.

Lots of ifs, maybes, conditionals, provisionality in all that. And a decent chance you end up with an investment you can't gain from any time soon if you have to wait for a major meltdown that may never come.

Of course there are people out there right now with more ammunition than money. Unfortunately landlords, grocery stores, and utility companies are still demanding that worthless fiat money. Twice I've seen ammunition, at very attractive prices, at garage sales. I've seen an add for 500 rounds of 30-06 in the Discount Shopper ad sheet. I've even seen short quantities of pistol ammunition discounted on pin-up sheets on local bulletin boards.

Make of that what you will. If your sure we are heading for a Mad Max world where negotiations are conducted with lead traded hand-to-hand, or down the barrel of a gun, then you might want to check out garage sales. My estimation is that a fair number of people who were thinking similarly are now hurting because they are heavy with ammunition and light on cash. You can make a nice deal.

This isn't anything new. The whole Ruby Ridge debacle came to a head in 1992 when Randy Weaver, who was sure the revolution was near at hand, moved into a remote cabin and over a period of months found out he had a greater need for cash than he had estimated. Desperation for cash led him to make a very foolish, and quite illegal, gun deal. It was a setup but one he was vulnerable to because his predicted future was late in coming. The money ran out before the revolution, in whatever form it might take, rolled around.

Some of the original survivalists from the 70s are pushing 70. The revolution they were preparing for is running a little late. The imminent collapse of the fiat money system has been, evidently, waiting in the wings for a fairly long time.

Laying in supplies for barter I think that the most reasonable approach is to simply stock up on what you use. That way if the barter situation never develops your not stuck with your resources locked up in something you can't trade, or use yourself. Toilet paper doesn't go bad if stored properly. Everyone needs toilet paper. Buy by the case and you can get a deep discount. Look up commercial paper product suppliers to get the best deal on 96 roll case. Last I bought was $.20 a roll compared to better than $.50 a roll retail. But you have to buy a case, maybe two or three.

Needles, thread and clothespins are cheap and keep forever. Also good stuff for a low-energy/low-carbon economy. If you regularly use ammunition, a lot of people do, you could buy a few extra boxes in calibers you use. As money gets tight check out garage sales and bulletin boards for good prices. Older guys with a can full of ammo under the workbench are kicking off regularly and their widows just want it out of the house.

Carrying more of what you use, but never more than you realistically can use if things don't get apocalyptic, makes a lot of sense to me.

Another good one Art.

But don't forget the nickels...;^)

Hah! Funny you mention that. My buddy sent Rawles an email posing a serious question about his nickel article and got a bit of a nasty gram back from him, not answering his question at all.

Guess he doesn't like his posits questioned or debated.

FYI - we're reading Patriots in our book club.

The thing that got me about the nickles is the perception he has that for some reason a bank teller is going to worry about why you want $500 in nickles. It's not illegal, and they're not going to worry about it if you don't tell them. Gimme a break, the world isn't out to get you. Those bank tellers don't make enough to care wtf you're going to do with a wheelbarrow full of change.

Agreed, it is generaly accepted that whiskey only improves in the cask, and not in a glass bottle.
Still well worth stocking though, since although not improving in storeage at least it does not go bad.
Many people believe that Scotch improves in bottle and will therefore pay a higher price (in cash or goods) for a long-stored bottle.
Other spirits such as brandy, vodka, rum, etc are also worth keeping, for barter or own use.
I keep 25 bottles of Scotch whiskey, 25 of vodka, and 5 each of gin, rum, and brandy.
Bottles of spirits should normally be stored upright, unlike wine which should normally be laid on its side.

Beer does not keep that well, but it would be sensible to keep as much as you can without risking spoilage. For example if you drink a case of beer a month, and it keeps for 2 years, then consider keeping 24 cases.

Why would someone want $500 in today nickels? The whole Rawlesian opinion of junk coin is that pre 1964 Quarters and dimes had a decent amount of silver in it. Pre 64 nickels had a lesser %, (I think a 1/3 of content). But todays coin has none.

I think it is due to the metal content in the nickel, which now costs 7 cents to produce.

USA Today - Cost of Making Money

Pete

He also says they are the easiest type of coin to stockpile since there has only been one version of the nickel since WWII, so no sorting by date necessary.

In addition, he says that if the currency is ever officially devalued and old currency must be traded in for new bills, coins will likely be left alone because of the hassle. So, after the devaluation, you would've instantly made a tidy return on your coins. But really, if you seriously were thinking of that possibility, collecting nickels is a pretty inefficient way to take advantage of that particular situation.

And how many nickels would have to be melted down to pay for a large latte through the value of the metals? Sounds like trying to save up for 30 years of retirement by collecting aluminum cans. It's kind of a neat idea on paper, but very impractical in real life IMHO.

An asset will be either more valuable or less valuable during a SHTF situation. The more valuable stuff will be good for bartering. When the time comes, you're either right or wrong.

By the way, why is it that whenever anything firearms-related is mentioned on this site, there are always a few (anti-gun) people who have to start talking about an apocalypse, zombies and whatnot? It's strange and annoying. From what I've seen, gun owners on this site have never gone anywhere in that direction. If they have, then post a link to a thread where gun owners here were talking about unusual apocalyptic scenarios. If you can't post a link, then just stop going there because it's left field territory. Ignorantly assuming that all gun owners are like David Koresh only makes you look small and narrow-minded.

I welcome anybody here to become part of the wonderful gun owner community and learn something. I became a gun owner five years ago in my mid-thirties. I've learned quite a bit since then. My education in the gun owner community has been just as valuable as my education for becoming a patent lawyer and a real estate broker. Every gun owner I know personally in real life understands how firearms are useful self-defense tools, valuable hunting devices and just fun to shoot. Gun owners are some of the most logical, most level-headed, most capable people I know. Having said all that, if all you can think about are the apocalypse and zombies when it comes to firearms, then I retract my welcome mat because we're all better off if you kindly leave the guns for us grown-ups.