Silver question

[Indiana_Dave]

One unfortunate thing about silver and gold is that congress has seen fit to include it in the "collectibles" definition and capital gains on it are taxed at 28% instead of 15%. Even your paper ETF fund holding silver or gold - nothing more than an account - is a "collectible". The cynic in me says the wall street lobby wants to penalize people who invest in something else; and (b) the boys at the fed don't like when we take our money out of the game and put it toward something real. Remember in FDR's time they made it illegal to privately own gold coins.

 

[fyrefyter101]

Take care of you and your family first! (food water and so on) and then see about stocking up on silver, if you are not prepared for a shtf situatuation a pocket full of silver wont feed you if there is no one to barter with.

 

[E5RANGER375]

yep screw silver or gold. if i need something for my family in a SHTF situation i have guns and ammo that lets me dictate to any seller what they are gonna sell me and for how much. the strong and trained will live, the weak and vulnerable will starve and die. simple as that! in a SHTF situation it is you and yours (including friends you can RELY ON!) against everyone else. anyone who thinks its gonna be people sharing crap and communal living in the first 6 months are wrong. it will be fight or die. simple. those of us vets that have been to 3rd world countries already know what it will be like because weve seen it. people watch the news and call people in africa and other 3rd world countries barbarians and animals, well you just wait till you see some americans go a week without coffee and a computer. you havent seen animal yet. if the grid ever goes down in this country it will look like the movie "the postman" for real!! it might sound un human, but i will live on what i have stored until it gets close to low, and then i will take whatever i need from whoever is weaker from that point on. sorry my family is gonna live.

 

[Field King]

I am skeptical of the current "buy precious metals" sales pitch because gold and silver are at historic highs! I want to buy at the low end, not the high end! Plus your question mentioned using silver in a shtf situation, metals are heavy!

 

[E5RANGER375]

if SHTF here, then the only place metal will be worth anything is trading with other countries. if the dollar falls and is worth ZERO then the government will try to confiscate any gold and silver you have!!! because they will need it to buy from other countries who will only take gold or silver payments. skills and barter items will be cash.

 

[Field King]

if SHTF here, then the only place metal will be worth anything is trading with other countries. if the dollar falls and is worth ZERO then the government will try to confiscate any gold and silver you have!!! because they will need it to buy from other countries who will only take gold or silver payments. skills and barter items will be cash.

I agree!

 

[E5RANGER375]

just look at how many times in history that people were starving and tossed gold asside, it was worth as much as sand. you cant eat gold and survive. food will be cash. those who have stockpiles of canned goods and such will be RICH!!! those who have their laptops and prius cars will be slaves and poor

 

[Field King]

Just looking thru the prism of our current time, I have to assume gold/silver is at an all time high, not the time to be buying? I like cash and cash equivalents at this time,cash, food, ammo, tools, water is good!

 

[CarmelHP]

... then i will take whatever i need from whoever is weaker from that point on. sorry my family is gonna live.

That will get very dangerous very quickly. Looters and thieves will be executed.

 

[sur+rifle]

Silver is still well below the historic dollar highs seen in the 1970s. And this isn't "inflation adjusted". Inflation adjusted, silver is still slightly below its historical average. That is, a given weight of silver buys just under the historical amount of goods that it has in the past. Gold is pretty much right at its historic average. If the printing presses continue then both should exceed historic averages soon. Net, silver and gold are still good counter plays against inflation.

 

[sur+rifle]

Discussing with the wife about getting silver and the question came up, "junk silver" coins, or bullion?
The purpose of the purchase is two-fold, limited protection against hyper-inflation, and trading currency if SHTF.
What are your thoughts and opinions?
Links to other discussions would be good too.

Bill, I just ran across this article. It may be helpful:

Buying silver: buying silver bullion, buy silver coins, buy silver bullion

 

[E5RANGER375]

That will get very dangerous very quickly. Looters and thieves will be executed.

you will eventually have to do it. we will all have to do unimaginable things that today we would never do. i wont take pride in it but i will do it to keep my family alive as a last resort. im pretty confident in my training, not to be the one executed, but if someone is better then let the strong enherit the earth. i was just trying to explain what it will be like. to me looting means stealing TV's. a person stealing food to survive isnt a looter in my mind, they are smart and a survivalist in a dissaster senario. i mean you have to realize there wont even be any cops on the streets, they will abandon their post to go protect their family's too, and i dont blame them. so it will be kill or be killed. steal or starve.

 

[Indiana_Dave]

you will eventually have to do it. we will all have to do unimaginable things that today we would never do. i wont take pride in it but i will do it to keep my family alive as a last resort. im pretty confident in my training, not to be the one executed, but if someone is better then let the strong enherit the earth. i was just trying to explain what it will be like. to me looting means stealing TV's. a person stealing food to survive isnt a looter in my mind, they are smart and a survivalist in a dissaster senario. i mean you have to realize there wont even be any cops on the streets, they will abandon their post to go protect their family's too, and i dont blame them. so it will be kill or be killed. steal or starve.

They aren't as smart as most people reading this forum. If they were, they'd have been preparing and wouldn't have to steal food from those who did.

 

[Field King]

you will eventually have to do it. we will all have to do unimaginable things that today we would never do. i wont take pride in it but i will do it to keep my family alive as a last resort. im pretty confident in my training, not to be the one executed, but if someone is better then let the strong enherit the earth. i was just trying to explain what it will be like. to me looting means stealing TV's. a person stealing food to survive isnt a looter in my mind, they are smart and a survivalist in a dissaster senario. i mean you have to realize there wont even be any cops on the streets, they will abandon their post to go protect their family's too, and i dont blame them. so it will be kill or be killed. steal or starve.

With all due respect, and I know all scenarios cannot be covered here, but I can survive hunting, fishing, planting crops, vegetables, bartering, I will not have to steal!

 

[Indiana_Dave]

yep screw silver or gold. if i need something for my family in a SHTF situation i have guns and ammo that lets me dictate to any seller what they are gonna sell me and for how much. the strong and trained will live, the weak and vulnerable will starve and die. simple as that! in a SHTF situation it is you and yours (including friends you can RELY ON!) against everyone else. anyone who thinks its gonna be people sharing crap and communal living in the first 6 months are wrong. it will be fight or die. simple. those of us vets that have been to 3rd world countries already know what it will be like because weve seen it. people watch the news and call people in africa and other 3rd world countries barbarians and animals, well you just wait till you see some americans go a week without coffee and a computer. you havent seen animal yet. if the grid ever goes down in this country it will look like the movie "the postman" for real!! it might sound un human, but i will live on what i have stored until it gets close to low, and then i will take whatever i need from whoever is weaker from that point on. sorry my family is gonna live.

So, do you think it's ok to take from someone weaker than you now? What's the difference between being a thief or killer now; and after shtf?

 

[E5RANGER375]

With all due respect, and I know all scenarios cannot be covered here, but I can survive hunting, fishing, planting crops, vegetables, bartering, I will not have to steal!

realy???? maybe now you can, congrats!! but after a dirty bomb, or nuclear fallout?? when all the land is contaminated for possibly hundreds of miles away. where is all the safe food and water?? Its in peoples houses because all of the stores will be empty within minutes.
you have no idea what you will have to do to live. anyone who has been through training for disasters knows what to expect, and if you choose not to listen then thats your right, but remember all ive said when you have to bust down your first door to get a meal for your family.

 

[E5RANGER375]

So, do you think it's ok to take from someone weaker than you now? What's the difference between being a thief or killer now; and after shtf?

no i dont believe its right to steal or harm weaker people now for my own gain. I am not a criminal in a society of laws. in todays society there are PLENTY of LEGAL ways to get a meal. lots of generous people and organizations will buy you food if your hungry. so there is no excuse for that type of behavior now.

DISASTER HAS STRUCK::::: see now is where you need to turn off your current mindset. you are assuming that stealing to live after there is no law will make you a criminal. its not criminal to survive if you have to break what before was a law. if there is a long term disaster then even if you have food stored, what if your house was burt down and you lost it all?? I have food and supplies stored too. probly enough for a year for me and my family. so i wont be going out and taking others possetions as long as i dont need to. What im talking about when i say take it from whoever is weaker to live. i am talking about a situation that there isnt gonna be any government coming to your aid for a long time if ever. im not reffering to a katrina situation where the animals were looting TV's before the storm even hit. That was wrong. but the ones who were stealing food and water to SURVIVE, i dont blame them one bit!!! they were right for doing it. i hope you understand what i was trying to say before a little better now. im not saying after a tornado hits go break into your neighbors house and steal his food and if he dont hand it over beat him. thats wrong because its a short term disaster with help arriving in hours if not minutes afterwards. so if you did that you would be a criminal and go to jail.

 

[Indiana_Dave]

DISASTER HAS STRUCK::::: see now is where you need to turn off your current mindset. you are assuming that stealing to live after there is no law will make you a criminal. its not criminal to survive if you have to break what before was a law. .

If you are willing to kill in order to take food away from someone else, that's murder, and it's wrong. It doesn't matter whether our current system of laws or law enforcement is in place, wrong is wrong. I'm glad you are storing food b/c the "I'll take what I want" is actually the biggest danger to people, if shtf. Growing food will very likely be possible, if people have prepped long enough.

 

[Libertarian01]

To All,

Even though there may be no law enforcement does not mean there is no law.

Every human being has been born with and raised with a certain social code of conduct that guides us in our daily lives, with or without John Law looking over our shoulder.

I know this because I, and most people, have something called a conscience. This conscience tells me when I have come close to a line or crossed it. Those few who do not have a conscience have a name: sociopaths!

And then there is another law: You shall not steal (7th commandment); You shall not covet your neighbors wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor (10th commandment).

Doing wrong in a crisis is still wrong - just with an excuse behind which weakness of character will hide.

Of course, there are those who in a crisis will show weakness and who will break the LAW.

The question returns to: Is silver a good investment? I maintain that it is as good as any precious metal for investment purposes.

During a crisis silver will have little value, on this I think we can all agree. But crises do NOT LAST FOREVER! Katrina ended. The black plague ended. The great depression of the 1890's is OVER. Events that rock the foundations of stability and national sovereignty pass through history as water through the faucet. During the time of crisis food and shelter will be what is most valuable. When the crisis ends so too will the heightened value of survival goods.

Survival goods will have great value during and immediately after the "event." As time passes things will either return to normal or will form a new normal. As stability returns people will seek normal trade and commerce.

Precious metals are an investment that hedges against a total loss of value. Stocks of companies that did not survive will become worthless. Who can predict with 100% certainty which companies those will be? Survival gear will loose value as new trade markets emerge and become stable.

I don't think that in planning for SHTF precious metals should be a first priority. However, one cannot overlook that POST SHTF will arrive and if you want to restart your business or get the "new" currency precious metals will have value.

If there never is a SHTF scenario that affects us, great! Precious metals such as silver may not increase as much as some stocks or mutual funds, but they will increase in value.

Regards,

Doug

 

[CarmelHP]

you will eventually have to do it. we will all have to do unimaginable things that today we would never do. i wont take pride in it but i will do it to keep my family alive as a last resort. im pretty confident in my training, not to be the one executed, but if someone is better then let the strong enherit the earth. i was just trying to explain what it will be like. to me looting means stealing TV's. a person stealing food to survive isnt a looter in my mind, they are smart and a survivalist in a dissaster senario. i mean you have to realize there wont even be any cops on the streets, they will abandon their post to go protect their family's too, and i dont blame them. so it will be kill or be killed. steal or starve.

In that scenario, fool stealers will be worse than thieves, they'll be murderers trying to starve women and children. If anyone expects to live lone doing it, I advise you think again, what will happen to the family left behind then. It'll be work together or starve. It'll be work together to kill the thieves and murderers and other scum or be killed. Anyone planning this is not a smart survivalist. If I couldn't trust you in a disaster, I can't trust you any other time either. Character and honesty doesn't come and go.