I've only bought coins, US Eagles at that, because in a SHTF scenario, the common rabble will likely understand and trust minted coins far more than bars. When the chips are down, you don't want to be dependent on something questionable or suspected by the very people you're bartering with. Just MHO.
Which I have also considered.
The reality is, we don’t know what people are going to think or do in that sort of crunch. Because we are now seriously considering a world wide version of what could be anarchy. Kosovo gone global. You could be a tribal king with sufficient stores of toilet paper for all we know. That’s assuming you could protect those stores.
I’m re-reading the classic apocalyptic “Lucifer’s Hammer” at the moment. Lot of very hard choices will have to be made.