We Need Money

[Timelord]

Exactly! Representation of wealth by media such as gold or silver or any other is only worth anything if there is a surplus within the society and then only to those that can afford to hold a representation of the surplus. Without that, it is as you say - worthless.
I see two conflicting avenues of approach to the situation here. 1) is the approach to it ATSHTF in a big way - So no surplus = needs no artificial wealth storage/representation
and 2) ATSHTF but later when some local level of society forms and starts to rebuild. Once a surplus is produced by the society, then some type of wealth representation may be of value to a limited degree. -- or may not be required as seen fit at the time.

Money is a different ballgame and is the enterprise of social elites for population control & their own financial gain. You could argue that a more complex civilization could not run efficiently or even exist without money, but that scenario is not really the crux of the debate here.
Regards, TL.

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After reading the posts again, I have another point of view (or opinion - yes again - groan!!)

If we are talking about PTSHTF, then don't think in terms of money and equivalent value. Money is artificial... A ferrari is not worth £150,000 to me because I have no desire for it. It is worth whatever it is worth to me. Probably PSHTF, then nothing at all, except for the petrol in the tank and any other parts I could cannabalise off it. Paper money will take on its real value & that is as kindling. After all, paper money is only an I.O.U. linked to the itemised wealth stored in the nations central bank account.
An important point is that a status symbol etc is not in reality worth an amount in pounds. The pounds are artificial. It is only worth what the person wishing to trade it for and the person wishing to aquire it believe and then again only after a compromise is reached or not. So What you are really doing is bartering using an artificial counting system to represent real world goods or labour. real world goods or labour are classed as wealth. wealth is not money. Money is only an abstract representation of it as a surplus.
A nations regulated money value is based on an amount of gold held by the nations central bank (This is somewhat corrupted over recent decades and is part of the reason for the present economic meltdown). This is a nationwide reference or a standard that all monetary transactions can be standardised against. The Gold Standard as such. (Ask Gordon Brown for clarification - lol)
So gold or silver coins as originally devised are in value worth their own measured weight. The shape & stamping are just a regulatory issue. So they are physically the same as the precious metal in bar or any other form for trade.
Now if the nation as an entity ceases to exist, then this standard collapses with it - as has happened times over in history. Then all that matters is food, fuel & shelter etc. When & IF some order is restored even just locally and a community surplus is generated over time, then precious metals, namely silver can be used to represent any wealth created that is surplus and traded - if necessary. Weighing out small amounts of silver as value representation for trade is not a monetary system and does not cause inflation or come with any of the other sinister effects of a regulated money system. Any material could be used instead of silver in theory, but it has to be fairly rare or if say it was crimped beer bottle tops, then they would be easily obtainable and so would have no real value.
Happy musings & I try to cover the basics for all, I am not trying to teach any grandma's to suck eggs. TL.