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Old 04-21-2017, 08:19 PM   #1
Boomerang
 
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Default Post Apocalyptic Economics

This thread is for discussing possible economic systems and currencies for the types of post apocalyptic, after the end scenarios featured in RPGs.

I think gold would be a good currency option for the basis of an after the end economy. When I get a minute I will detail why I think that.
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Old 04-21-2017, 08:59 PM   #2
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

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Originally Posted by Boomerang View Post
This thread is for discussing possible economic systems and currencies for the types of post apocalyptic, after the end scenarios featured in RPGs.

I think gold would be a good currency option for the basis of an after the end economy. When I get a minute I will detail why I think that.

Start with the fact that it isn't perishable. One thing you don't want in a medium of exchange is a tendency to rust or rot on the shelf. Gasoline, ammo, food, these are barter commodities but they aren't currency. Even if you don't use them they'll become worthless in a few years.
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Old 04-21-2017, 09:08 PM   #3
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

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Originally Posted by Boomerang View Post
This thread is for discussing possible economic systems and currencies for the types of post apocalyptic, after the end scenarios featured in RPGs.

I think gold would be a good currency option for the basis of an after the end economy. When I get a minute I will detail why I think that.
Gold can work, if things have come back together enough for a monetized economy at all. But it can be too rare. That's one of the reasons some societies historically have chosen to use silver.

Note that it's conceivable that refined metal in general in such a setting could be valuable enough to make a viable currency.
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:28 PM   #4
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

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Originally Posted by Johnny1A.2 View Post
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Note that it's conceivable that refined metal in general in such a setting could be valuable enough to make a viable currency.
Most refined metals are too useful to make a currency. If it can be made into a saw or a knife or a plow or a spear, nobody is going to make it into a coin.
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Old 04-22-2017, 01:01 AM   #5
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

Why I think gold is a good after the end currency:

1) Historic acceptance: through much of recorded history gold was money and even in modern times with fiat currencies backed by strong governments about 40% of all gold is held by investors. In ancient times gold ownership was a sign of status.

2) Durability: as mentioned before in this thread, gold does not tarnish, is resistant to acids, is non-flammable and does not spoil.

3) Non-consumable: gold that has been used, for example for jewellery and dental fillings can be recovered fairly easily.

4) Appeal: polished gold is beautiful. Gold is valued even when it has no mundane practical purpose.

5) Rareness: gold is rare enough that small quantities can represent large amounts of value. Although as discussed earlier in some cases it could be too rare to be practical. I think it would depend on how the end came about.

6) Easy to verify: gold has a number of properties that make it difficult to forge and relatively easy to validate.

7) Quantifiable: gold is easy to quantify by weight.

8) Independence: gold's value isn't tied to any particular commodity, unlike for example ammunition which depends on the availability of compatible firearms. And it's value is independent of government unlike fiat currencies.

9) Storage and portability: makes it handy for transactions.

10) Security: a small amount of gold is worth a lot so it is easy to hide a large amount of wealth or even the fact that you have any.

11) Malleability: gold is soft enough that it can be split into smaller denominations with hand tools but not so soft it falls apart.

12) Future proof: as civilisation rebuilds the relative value of gold increases.
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Old 04-22-2017, 09:20 AM   #6
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

The main problem I see with precious metals is availability. I don't have little gold beads sitting around to trade with people. All the gold I own is tied up in jewelry of highly sentimental value (wedding rings and such).

Additionally, I don't know that the skills in an after the end setting support the fine weighing and checking of precious metals. Though if you have enough of a society to have an official metal of exchange you might have those skills.
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Old 04-22-2017, 12:06 PM   #7
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

Money requires much more societal infrastructure and stability than I normally connect with post apocalyptic settings.
Most are about survival, so an object's value is completely connected to how much it will help that. Specks of shiny rock or metal seem like silly luxuries. Individuals may want them, but not everyone and certainly not enough to spend real resources to get.
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Old 04-22-2017, 01:15 PM   #8
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

Also a valid point; how long after the apocalypse are we talking here?If it's less than a couple decades there probably won't be any currency at all.
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Old 04-22-2017, 01:17 PM   #9
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

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Originally Posted by Dalillama View Post
Also a valid point; how long after the apocalypse are we talking here?If it's less than a couple decades there probably won't be any currency at all.
I was just preparing to ask the same question. For the first few decades, "valuable" will pretty much mean the same as "edible" or "useful". Fripperies like "pretty metal" only matter when you've got the basic needs of survival covered.
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Old 04-22-2017, 02:18 PM   #10
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Default Re: Post Apocalyptic Economics

Take a page from Fallout and have something generally worthless as a type of coinage... bottle caps anyone? :)
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