In a prolonged SHTF scenario, even the most prepared people will eventually need some form of currency to purchase the goods or services they need.
You might run out of something; something might break and someone else has the replacement parts you need. Someone in your group might be sick or injured so badly that you need someone else’s skills to help them recover.
During times like this, a sense of community is critical and simply taking what you need by force doesn’t always work. Worse still, it could cost you more in the long run than it’s worth.
In times like this, you need to understand the currency value of things like gold, silver precious metals, and other things you can barter.
Gold
Historically, gold has been a universal standard for currency, valued for its intrinsic worth. It can be a viable currency in a prolonged crisis, especially if there’s hope for recovery. However, not all gold holds the same value.
Gold-plated items and low-karat gold, like 10K to 14K, are often not worth much, especially in a barter situation. High-quality gold, such as 22K or 24K, not only holds significant value but can also be practical for tasks like repairing electronics.
The challenge lies in the average person’s lack of knowledge about the purity of gold, which can complicate negotiations.
Silver
Silver, while not as common in modern jewelry, has a historic precedent as a currency. Silver bars and bullion coins, such as the American Silver Eagle, can retain significant value.
However, the prevalence of low-quality silver and counterfeit coins can make it a less reliable currency.
Related: Why You Should Put a Silver Coin in Water
Silver’s long-term value is contingent on the restoration of normalcy in society, making it less practical in a prolonged crisis compared to other assets.
Bartering
I honestly believe in a prolonged SHTF scenario that bartering will be the best everyday equivalent of currency. Yet this is the sort of thing that requires a deft hand when negotiating. With every transaction you make, you have to consider that there’s also relationship value being built.
If you rake someone over the coals in one barter, they’ll likely want more from you the next time you barter for something you need. In a like-minded community, village, or banded-together neighborhood, you could end up with a bad reputation.
The currency value of specialty items like radios, solar panels and generator parts is going to fluctuate depending on the local need and supply. However, there are some common bartering items that pretty much everyone will need. Thus, making them more like traditional currency.
Antibiotics
Once people realize the danger of infections in a SHTF world, antibiotics will take on a high barter value. However, stability is key, as some antibiotics are only viable for a short time without refrigeration, or you need to source them as a rehydrating powder or pill form to trust their effectiveness.
Consider stocking up on commonly used antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or ciprofloxacin, to meet the needs of your community during challenging times. Since antibiotics are typically not available over the counter, here is an ingenious way to stockpile antibiotics without a prescription, before it’s too late.
Non-Perishable Food & MREs
When bartering as a form of currency you can rest assured that everyone in a SHTF situation will see food as being valuable. Canned foods are going to be the new coins in this sort or currency system. A multi-person MRE with something tasty, like dehydrated lasagna or similar comfort foods is going to be the new $20 bill of SHTF currency.
Food is universally essential, and canned goods and single-portion MREs are easy to trade. However, you’ll deplete your supplies and risk others trying to take more once they know you have food.
Chickens and Domestic Animals
The chickens, ducks, dairy goats, and pigs you raise can have currency-like value in a SHTF world. Especially, if you’re breeding them to be able to sell to other people who are struggling with their own food sustainability.
Even cats and dogs will have value in a prolonged SHTF situation. Barn cat kittens will always be in demand in rural areas. The puppies of sporting breed dogs like labs, golden retrievers, and hounds will have enormous value in areas where small game is plentiful.
Ammunition & Firearms
Guns and popular types of ammunition are always going to carry a currency-like value when SHTF. Unprepared people without any firearms of their own will likely trade away a lot for even a basic gun like a 22 or a .410 shotgun.
Even people who are well-stocked, but don’t have the means to make their own rounds or shells will also see ammo as being barter-worthy.
The best currency value ammo is going to be things like 9mm, .223/5.56mm,.22 LR, .45 ACP, and 12-gauge shotgun shells.
Of course, the problem with bartering guns and ammo to other people is that now you’re arming them. Thus, increasing their ability to later take from you, and increasing their temptation to do so.
While ammunition and firearms hold significant value, they also come with risks, particularly the potential for conflict or theft. This is where knowledge becomes invaluable. Understanding how to protect your assets and loved ones in such unpredictable times is crucial.
That’s why I recommend the Special Forces Home Defense Academy. It’s more than just basic security; it’s about mastering advanced techniques to safeguard your home and family, taught by the seasoned Green Beret Terry Schappert.
The academy offers practical advice on everything from setting up discreet traps to reinforcing your property with everyday materials. As you consider your options for staying safe and well-prepared, this comprehensive guide could be the crucial element that ensures your readiness in the most challenging situations.
Fuel
Gasoline and diesel fuel will be treated like currency in the early days of a catastrophe. People will need it to run generators, vehicles, and equipment. Unfortunately, without stabilizer additives, these fuels will start to break down after a few months.
However, once someone has been disgruntled by bartering for degraded fuel, they likely won’t trust fuel for trade again in the future.
Fresh Meat
Fresh meat will become a form of barter currency that will have an impressively high value in a SHTF world. Historically, pioneers traded valuable items for fresh meat.
If you’re a proficient hunter or farmer, you could be sitting on a gold mine, especially if you have some way to maintain proper cold storage.
But what happens if the power goes out and you’re left with a freezer full of food? Learn here how what to do with all the frozen food once the power goes out and how to live without refrigeration.
The other advantage of fresh meat as currency is that you can barter with it, and it’s not taking away from your non-perishable stocks.
Skills & Labor
The concept of “Will Work for Food” or anything else of tangible value will also be a very popular means of exchange when SHTF. There are going to be special events and one-off tasks that people will need done. These are too hard to predict when it comes to their negotiable currency value. Yet some skills and labor jobs will be in high demand.
Various skills, such as wood cutting, ice cutting, blacksmithing, and electronics repair, will be in high demand. Firewood will be essential for cooking and heating, but felling trees can be dangerous.
As refrigeration becomes scarce, ice cutting will be crucial for food preservation, requiring a team effort. Blacksmiths can barter their metalworking skills, crafting items like knives and tools, which will be highly valued.
Electronics repair will also be vital in the early stages of a crisis, helping maintain radios, generators, and solar panels, though the demand may decline as technology degrades over time.
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