A scenario - after the collaspe.

I have 1 oz of gold and the last gallon of water for miles.

You have the last 50# bag of rice and no water.

So I offer you 1 oz of gold for 2 cups of rice OR 2 cups of water for 2 cups of rice.

Which would you take ? 

Depends on how much water and rice I have.. I can't eat gold. 

So I offer you 1 oz of gold for 2 cups of rice OR 2 cups of water for 2 cups of rice.

I would take the gold and pray for rain... 

Water and rice...my kids can't eat gold.

Sad to imagine how much unprepared people will be willing to pay for a cup of rice. Hate to fathom women trading in their wedding bands for a week's worth of food...IF they're lucky. 

Food, water, gun, ammo, (optional) fuel 

Precious Metals have been a last prepper item for us. Once I got close to my 1 year's worth of food, we began investing our money in PMs. I know we missed out on the lower prices, but like I said, my kids can't eat gold. 

I'd like to think in a bug-out situation I would be leaving everything behind, prepared to live entirely off the land. (Eat whatever I can kill, catch, pick or grow.)

My survival-kits have been toiled over for hours upon hours and tweaked to just the right contents.

But as far as most valuable, I'm going to say .22lr ammunition above all else. It provides the ability to acquire food and possibly even defense in tough situations. 

I'm going to say .22lr ammunition above all else. It provides the ability to acquire food and possibly even defense in tough situations.

Well, I have to disagree a little.
.22LR allows for a greater AMOUNT of ammo to be carried, but at the cost of power, range and defense.

A good 5.56 rifle and ammo will let you take down much bigger prey. A .22LR you can get squirrels and birds, but nothing much bigger. The 5.56 gives you greater range and take down as well as defense capabilities.

A 22LR is practically usless as defense. Sure a VERY well places shot may take down a human assailant, but center of mass shots will do very little to shut down the immediate threat.

5.56 causes much greater tissue trauma and will incapaciate or kill the threat and at a greater distance.

I believe these advantages more than make up for the added carry weight.

A .22LR is indeed a superb survival option, but for me it is a 2nd choice or optional choice, never a 1st choice. 

So I offer you 1 oz of gold for 2 cups of rice OR 2 cups of water for 2 cups of rice.

Which would you take ?

I would like to take you up on the offer for 1oz of gold for 2 cups of rice. I will even throw in the 2 cups of water.

Thank you!
:P 

Wonder how many non-preppers are sitting on SOME form of PM. I'm not suggesting taking advantage of people, but I can see someone caught off guard when the SHTF willing to part with a pair of silver earrings or an old Roosevelt silver dime to feed their family for a couple of days!

Just a thought....