It’s not gold going up....it’s the dollar going down...
I'll be honest ... I really don't know what the fuss is about. Gold, like anything else, is worthless until and unless you can find somebody who will pay you something for it that is worth more to you than the item that you're selling. Gold and silver has no more intrinsic value than paper money. Unless you can find someone is willing to accept your gold for something that you want, it's just another rock in your pocket. My talents for handyman- and repairman-type work .. construction, plumbing, electrical .. are what I would be using in a SHTF situation to gain items of value to me. My military and survival training is an asset. I am armed and trained on how to use the weapons that I have, have a wife who knows how to use a weapon, and we have enough acreage and house-room to help and house her children and their families if necessary.
But gold? Lead, gunpowder, casings or whole rounds will be a more practical medium of exchange than gold, silver, or something else that's shiny. At least that's the way that I see it. As I wrote earlier, an item is only as valuable as what someone is willing to pay for it. If I'm hungry, I'd rather have a 30-06 round in my pocket to shoot the deer that's across the field than hoping I can find someone who will take my gold coin or piece of jewelry for a meal.