Will there be a gap between a jump in precious metal prices and total SHTF?

[Tibbs735]

The recent thread by Me_Again got me thinking. Sorry for the long question, but...

Do you think there will be any significant amount of time between a jump in the price of precious metals (as many people in the alternative media suggest) as people scramble to get into tangible assets during the our slow slide into oblivion (however fast that is, years or days) and the total disintegration of law and order?

I ask because I am pondering the use of silver before, during and after SHTF. I think that it will have some value during, but will be below food and other essentials in terms of demand, and it will probably make you a rich man in the long run, if you live that long. But before SHTF, would it be worth buying silver to sell when the price jumps, turning it into paper before putting it into preps, clearing debt etc? This also poses another question about whether silver would jump in price before conventional prep items, like food and other supplies, because if it didn't, you would lose out on much of its value.

Any thought/opinions would be appreciated.