how many canned goods and sacks of flour fit into a bug-out bag if the situation dictates re-location?
not everyone (actually very few folks) can build a long term fortress to defend their stash). eventually the zombies will find the fortresses and eventually the ammo will run out
easier to use junk silver to buy some sugar, aspirin, or a gallon of fuel, than figure out how many cans of peas to trade for it
So how long do you trade your junk silver until someone decides they like to see just how much junk silver you have?
There’s no one answer, but human nature being what it is most thieves will lust after gold and silver first and foremost, even when they haven’t had a decent meal in days.
And depending on what it is and the nature of the event there are somethings I wouldn’t trade for all the gold that use to be in Fort Knox.
Where exactly are you going to "purchase" those items? The other guys fortress that has been raided by the zombies?
Realistically, we will need to survive for a year or so after a total collapse. By then, many will have starved off or died of disease and it will be safer to garden out in the open and move about but there still won't be places to purchase anything. I would much rather trade heirloom seeds and ammo over a hunk of metal.