Not one financial expert I follow agrees with me, they mostly think gold and silver are totally decoupled, and the GSR has no meaning in the modern era. Currently the GSR is around 103-1.

Personally, I disagree with most analysts, because I foresee a period after a fiat currency system collapse when the government will not be able to swoop in and immediately install some kind of a workable replacement CBDR or Stablecoin system that satisfies all monetary functions. For some period, and this could last for weeks or years, supply chains will break down and many of our cities will probably burn, after all the stores are looted to bare shelves and never restocked.

During the interregnum between fiat collapsing, and a new and currently unknown system coming into being, barter and precious metals will be all that's left. Obviously, factories, agribusinesses and supply chains will not be able to restart on a PM basis, so it's going to be a very tough period. Governments can declare an emergency and order businesses to continue as before, but history shows that rule by decree will not work. During this period, PMs will be a key to survival until a new financial system is established and takes hold. That is, PMs, along with barter, and already living in a secure location with a reliable water supply and so on.

During the period I'm describing, gold will not serve well for retail buying and selling. The smallest practical gold coin is 1/10th of an ounce, a gold dime, and it's currently worth $330. (Actually, fractional gold coins cost more than the spot price per ounce.) How are you going to buy a bag of food at a farmer's market with a $330 gold dime? How will you get change for your purchase?

Also, flashing any gold coins in a retail setting is likely to get you noticed, and maybe ambushed or followed home by criminals. This is why I believe the GSR is going to move closer to 50-1 or even 30-1 during the period of financial chaos I’m positing. “Stackers” who hold most of their PMs in gold will want to trade gold for silver to use for everyday retail commerce. Simple supply and demand for silver coinage will drive the GSR lower.

So, what kind of silver to buy? I recommend junk silver, because it's immediately recognizable and easily valued. I prefer silver half dollars. Why? Silver-coated copper dimes and quarters are still in wide circulation as pocket change. This means each pre-1965 dime or quarter will need to be checked closely, slowing down transactions. Junk 90 silver dollars, due to their size, can be confused with 1 oz "silver rounds," so their value is more questionable. Are they worth the same as an ounce of silver, or not?

The most practical option is the silver half dollar, IMHO. Half dollars are no longer in common circulation as pocket change, and they are easily recognized and fairly valued. A junk-90 silver half dollar contains .362 ounces of silver. Period. There is no question what it is, or what it’s worth. In the past I bought .999 pure one-ounce "silver rounds" but now I'm just buying junk 90 half dollars. Currently one of them is worth about $12. This will be perfect for making retail purchases without attracting the unwanted attention that gold coins will bring. Gold will be for buying vehicles, land, or a quick private plane trip out of a bad place. This is all just my opinion, YMMV.

A great website for following the current spot prices of precious metals is Kitco.com.

Here is a screen capture from this morning:

Another useful website for finding the current value of various PM coins is coinapps.com. Here is a screen capture showing the current value of one half-dollar junk 90 silver coin:

Bracken-out.

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