I'll use the $ until it wont buy anything anymore. That day aint far off, in my opinion. I also have gold coins, but not all that many, cause I'd rather be making 40% per year (after tax and ss) with the money. That can be done, year in and year out, by investing 100k at a time, in a used 18 wheeler with a "reefer" trailer, by the way. Now, in the last 6 years, gold has gone up from $450 an oz to over $1300 an oz, so if you weren't making the sort of money I make on your investments, you lost out, big time. The trick is in getting a team of drivers who will be dedicated to the job, for 50k a year less than typical drivers. That can be done. The rig goes for 60k or so, with 1/5 million miles on it. You'll be putting 1/4 million miles a year on it, so it will need repairs every year or so.

I agree. Also, inflation (or whatever you call it) is slow enough such that people don't notice it relative to other traumatic events in their lives. As an example, it's not uncommon for a mid-level lawyer in the Bay Area to be living with a roommate in an apartment or condo. (I'm sure this wasn't the case 25 years ago.) Most pre-law students are not thinking about that type of lifestyle when they're applying to law school. They're still thinking they'll have the nice big house with a pool and two Mercedes in the garage. The inflation is subtle enough such that the masses are not in an uproar.

Well, maybe not "lemonade stand" but yes, the connection to physical wealth quickly fails when you consider most economies. When you first learn about the reality of money - especially fiat currency - it can be disorienting because it's just not something that works at an individual level. Well, sometimes it does.

Real world example: a partner in an ad agency decided they want to exit the company. They want to get paid their share of the company value. How much is the company worth? Do you add up the value of all the desks, computers and light fixtures? Do you add in all the money in the bank? Do you add in outstanding invoices? No, none of these. You value the company at a multiple of earnings. So if the company earned 20 million dollars, the valuation is from 6 to 9 times that. Why? Because that's what you agree it's worth...so it's worth 120 to 180 million dollars. The executive takes their payout based the valuation they agree to, and thats it. The 100 million dollars of valuation over the 20 million in earnings don't exist - but they are real enough to force the company to cut a check or take on a debt obligation to the departing executive for, say, 5 million dollars, based on the severance settlement.