Gold an Asset of Last Resort in Time of War(con't)

     As a precious metal, gold has been - always - in scarce supply, even during the days of the Gold Rush. The Gold Institute popularized a few years ago an analysis that showed that if all the gold mined since the beginning of civilization was melted in a crucible, and poured into a mold the shape and size of the Washington monument, only about a third of the mold would be filled.
     Gold's use as a metal - it does not rust and is highly malleable - as well as industrial and jewelry uses (the latter since ancient times) seals its position as a source of wealth and value. In troubled times, its portability is a godsend because it allows substantial wealth to be moved without attracting attention.
     Just 45 pounds (troy pounds) of gold convey $200.000 worth of assets. Imagine trying, to do that with currency - which in a war of the kind that is being contemplated could well be worthless, or nearly so. That's the value of gold.
     For those looking at opportunity in a crisis like that which we are facing, there's some measure of hope in circulated gold coins of lower mintage coins. For example, an 1844 $2.50 gold piece in about uncirculated is a $5,000 coin; as a VF-20 it is in the $468 range. The mintage for this rarity: 6,784 coins only
     Gold coins for inflation, for recession and for war. As America moves down that perilous path, it is some comfort that a hobby can be what one write termed "Financial Survival."