I think people forget that gold is incredibly useful especially as a conductor. It’s not just for making pretty rings, our modern world as we know it would not exist without gold!
Yes, the issue with that though is it is used in very advanced conductors. The kind of conductors that can only be produced in advanced factories by advanced large societies. If a collapse actually happened how do you fancy that factory works exactly? You gonna run a conductor factory to sell those conductors to who exactly? The potato farmer you are trying to convince to give you potatoes for that very same gold?
Low grade electronics that would be valuable in even a simpler smaller community like basic generators and light bulbs use exactly zero gold. Copper on the other hand is needed for almost all of that
Actually I work with electronics just about daily, and I can tell you lots of connectors get gold plating for corrosion resistance that doesn’t effect continuity. But yes in a post apocalypse setting I’m sure it wouldn’t be of much value… In the apocalypse I suspect if any metal holds a high value it would be copper for its usefulness in making tools and electronics. Making bronze tools and weapons is easier than steel so I suspect it would be in very high demand. Hopefully we never have to find out!
Lots of things are conductors. That gives gold some inherent value, yes, but there are probably dozens of materials that are more useful and thus more valuable.
I think people forget that gold is incredibly useful especially as a conductor. It’s not just for making pretty rings, our modern world as we know it would not exist without gold!
Yes, the issue with that though is it is used in very advanced conductors. The kind of conductors that can only be produced in advanced factories by advanced large societies. If a collapse actually happened how do you fancy that factory works exactly? You gonna run a conductor factory to sell those conductors to who exactly? The potato farmer you are trying to convince to give you potatoes for that very same gold?
Low grade electronics that would be valuable in even a simpler smaller community like basic generators and light bulbs use exactly zero gold. Copper on the other hand is needed for almost all of that
Actually I work with electronics just about daily, and I can tell you lots of connectors get gold plating for corrosion resistance that doesn’t effect continuity. But yes in a post apocalypse setting I’m sure it wouldn’t be of much value… In the apocalypse I suspect if any metal holds a high value it would be copper for its usefulness in making tools and electronics. Making bronze tools and weapons is easier than steel so I suspect it would be in very high demand. Hopefully we never have to find out!
Lots of things are conductors. That gives gold some inherent value, yes, but there are probably dozens of materials that are more useful and thus more valuable.