Zombies won't want your brains.

Small amounts of each weigh a lot...you can't eat gold, but you can get food with lead.

Long term storage food stuffs and lots of ammo for your guns is a better prep, but you cannot look like you have anything.

Personally I will be going up. And those left behind will believe that El Ron Hubbard was a prophet.

Once upon a time, it was spices: salt, pepper, and the like (frankincense and myrrh), honey. A knowledge of edible and medicinal plants will come in handy (while they exist).

Hand tools and the ability to use them would be more valuable than gold or silver during a collapse. Skilled workers might become slaves for some warlord, but they would keep them healthy.

I'll take the position of benevolent war lord.

The only way you will possess gold is to quietly find it or accumulate pieces of jewelry.

But what good is shiny metal in the midst of an economic collapse - what are we, raccoons?

There are many companies that will sell you physical gold that you can keep in your own safe. The gubmint will even let you call it your IRA.

But the question remains. Will gold and silver be viable? Whether it's a total economic collapse or a post nuclear world like Fallout.

Not likely, should the warlord find out that you have something he/she wants you are dead.

Be the benevolent warlord.

Yep...has to be an agreed commodity. Seashells comes to mind...B.C. Comic strip

Empty sea shells are useless. Bring me clams, oysters, and scallops and we can talk.

I stand (actually sitting) corrected.