Silver is no more intrinsically valuable than paper money. That people across the world value it as a unit of exchange does not make it different--just more accepted as a unit of exchange. Its only intrinsic value is for what it can be used for--in electronics, or as jewelry. In that, it is no different than copper, uranium, oil or platinum. But when you try to calculate its value as a unit of exchange, it is the same as paper--perhaps plus its value as a useful metal.
Corn has intrinsic value, because you can eat it. Silver has intrinsic value for jewelry, but in times of trouble, you sure can't eat it.
I agree with you. I probably didn't get my point across well enough the first time. Silver is valued as a metal, as well as coinage. Usually, there's a bit of a spread between the two values. Paper is also valuable as just "paper". But given a choice of trading plain silver as opposed to plain paper, I'm "reasonably" sure that people are going to choose silver.