Survival Silver

[Recyclersteve]

Those who are downwind from a nuclear power plant and concerned about possible radiation might consider having a supply of potassium iodate on hand. I've had bottles for a number of years and they don't expire til 2021. They are not too expensive now (I'm guessing $15-20/bottle) but I remember them selling for at least $600 each on eBay shortly after the March, 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. Stock up while it is cheap.

[Bigjohn]

Some of the things you learn on this site are truly priceless. I believe silver might come in handy in a survival situation but food, booze, pain killers, propane, survival gear, guns and ammo will really be the hot commodities that everyone will wish they had more of. Oh, and coffee

[Changechecker]

Different perspectives add to the knowledge base. Having barterable items above and beyond basic needs is very prudent. A friend and fellow prepped I met years ago gave me, what I consider, good ideas. If we find ourselves in a situation where we become home based, protection of our stash is priority#1. Beyond that medical needs could become essential. He suggested I think like a doctor (what do doctors need?). Most doctors and medical professionals don't have skills to do home repairs. My friend suggested having basic home repair items and skills to perform home repairs. He encouraged me to find a medical professional in my community and get to know them just in case.

[neilgin1]

two documentaries........"Collapse" is good, just because Michael Ruppert is an interesting man, God Rest...he committed suicide few years back...the other is okay...its not boring....its just that the "dad" character is kind of a soft boy, petrol boy...with the situational awareness of a garden slug.........and that makes me very impatient. But you guys will find fruit , I think, n

[everything]

It looks like entry level radiation detectors are 150-200. We probably think never need. But you never know, certain levels are going to mean get underground now or get sick. You want to avoid the exposure on that crap. I know people who were downwind chernobyl which of course gave out a shitload of radiation. It gets you, just not right away, she was exposed in 86 of course, her daughter immigrated/married an American, and her Mom came here for treatments, I think she lasted until 2012, maybe in her mid 50's, still she looked so young and beautiful. Of course can never prove it was Chernobyl, I'd have to ask for details on the whole situation.

Forgot to mention the 40% half dollars, I was told preppers were into those, but I see them as heavy lunkers, but maybe they see them as part of being able to make change, as they are barely a touch over two dimes in silver content.

[68Camaro]

Pros and cons of 40% are well documented. Lowest value to face risk. Certainly not the most space or weight efficient form of silver, but given that this is a heritage cent board there is interest in the essentially "free" 15 lbs of copper that come with every $500 face.

[Recyclersteve]

Pros and cons of 40% are well documented. Lowest value to face risk. Certainly not the most space or weight efficient form of silver, but given that this is a heritage cent board there is interest in the essentially "free" 15 lbs of copper that come with every $500 face.

I know the odds of this happening anytime soon are VERY SLIM to none (and Slim has left the building). But...

What if things flipped and copper was worth more than silver for a change. Can you imagine what that would do to 40% halves? You say that is impossible? Consider this. In the late 1800's, aluminum was actually worth more than gold! Look it up if you don't believe me.

Totally thinking out of the box here. What could cause it? Let's say that someone like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos discovered a fairly "cheap" way to go to Mars and they discovered a huge amount of silver there. Or let's say someone discovered a huge amount of silver in one of our oceans. That could cause silver to go down sharply in price. I totally agree that it would likely be VERY VERY expensive to get anything in quantity back from Mars.

The only thing I've gotten in quantity from Mars is candy bars and they don't last long at all!

[oktyabyr]

Amazon had a sale the other day on pelican cases... I picked a few up to cram with silver and gold so I can grab and go without having to sit and sort or collect. I just thought about it, I should put a paper in each one that lists what it contains, so I have easy reference without having to dig through to count.

[oktyabyr]

My goal is :

1 ton of copper
100 oz silver
10 oz of gold.

the original thought was to gather my first ton of copper and then continue sorting and selling to use the profits for buying PM. Should have sorted and sold when the selling was good.!!

I love this idea. I think I may be past the silver, long ways to go on good lol. And long ways to go on copper. Guess I need to start looking for a local bank to start sorting pennies again.

[Recyclersteve]

My goal is :

1 ton of copper
100 oz silver
10 oz of gold.

the original thought was to gather my first ton of copper and then continue sorting and selling to use the profits for buying PM. Should have sorted and sold when the selling was good.!!

I would consider adding a nickel component to this goal, but not U.S. nickels (which are only 25% nickel). Instead I'd use .999 nickels from Canada or coins from some other countries such as the Netherlands, France, So. Africa, etc. Note that these coins are not produced anymore, but can still be acquired. It would take a little longer to get even 100 lbs. or so of .999 nickel, which is currently $5.54 a pound (per kitcometals.com).

[68Camaro]

Diversification in wealth protection is good, as is goal setting. If we're going to suggest a round number wealth protection goal (just a goal, which people can customize), why make it a multiple of:

200 lbs copper
20 lbs nickel
20 toz silver
2 toz gold (or Platinum group metals)

Depending on family size and location, someone with modest needs might leave it at that.

Another with greater needs might multiply that by 5 for their situation, to end up at:

1000 lbs copper
100 lbs nickel
100 toz silver
10 toz gold (or Platinum group metals)

Someone else with still greater needs might set their goal at 20x

2000 lbs copper
200 lbs nickel
200 toz silver
20 toz gold (or Platinum group metals)

[Pachucko]

Amazon had a sale the other day on pelican cases... I picked a few up to cram with silver and gold so I can grab and go without having to sit and sort or collect. I just thought about it, I should put a paper in each one that lists what it contains, so I have easy reference without having to dig through to count.

I hate I missed that sale. I've been thinking about picking up a few for a similar purpose.

I have a few questions I'm not sure where to get answers from...

Does the foam react with silver?

How about the "o" ring in the lid? Is it rubber or something else?

But mostly I'm concerned the handle won't handle a lot of weight. I asked what they're rated for on pelican.com and never got a response.

[oktyabyr]

Amazon had a sale the other day on pelican cases... I picked a few up to cram with silver and gold so I can grab and go without having to sit and sort or collect. I just thought about it, I should put a paper in each one that lists what it contains, so I have easy reference without having to dig through to count.

I hate I missed that sale. I've been thinking about picking up a few for a similar purpose.

I have a few questions I'm not sure where to get answers from...

Does the foam react with silver?

How about the "o" ring in the lid? Is it rubber or something else?

But mostly I'm concerned the handle won't handle a lot of weight. I asked what they're rated for on pelican.com and never got a response.

I haven’t tried it yet to see if they react, although I usually keep my silver in something. Plus keeping it wrapped up would be less likely to give it away from sound.

The o ring is usually rubber, they just came in so I haven’t checked, but they are almost always some type of rubber.

The handle just depends on the type. Most of the ones I picked up were smaller, so they aren’t as heavy fully loaded, in case spouse or children need to carry it. I have a couple large ones for firearms, but those have wheels.

[oktyabyr]

All the tubes in this are full. Not too large of a case. Apparently I have more coins than I thought lol. $110 fv in there, and room for some generics, ets.

[Recyclersteve]

get underground now or get sick. You want to avoid the exposure on that crap.

Random question in behalf of those who don't have basements- Do you thing going to an underground garage (preferably at least a couple of stories underground) would be a decent underground shelter, even though you might have to share with others?

[oktyabyr]

get underground now or get sick. You want to avoid the exposure on that crap.

Random question in behalf of those who don't have basements- Do you thing going to an underground garage (preferably at least a couple of stories underground) would be a decent underground shelter, even though you might have to share with others?

Certainly better than being out in the open I would think.

[IdahoCopper]

I've thought and read about shelters. There are two kinds, blast and fallout. The first is usually both at the same time.

A blast shelter is built where there is a chance it will be within a few miles of a nuclear detonation. It is designed to not collapse from the blast wave overpressure. It if course contains survival supplies for 2 or more weeks, air filtration for outside air, and electrical power. It also has tools to dig out in case the entrance(s) collapse. The early re-entry warheads were not very accurate, so blast shelters were required with 20 miles of a target. Except for NK's toys, targeting is much better, so the "blast shelter required" radius around a target is a lot smaller.

A fallout shelter is for any other area. It is an enclosed space that stops random air movement, it also should have thick or dense walls and roof as a barrier to stop or reduce radiation passing through, from locally dropped fallout particles. Water is a very good radiation barrier in storage drums or tanks. The fallout shelter also contains survival supplies for 2 or more weeks, air filtration for outside air, and electrical power.

A good, easy blast shelter can be made from large concrete pipes. Use a backhoe to dig a very large hole, drop in a gravel drainage pad, and put two sections of 10' or 12' diameter concrete pipe into the hole and build up cinder block end walls, with an entrance tunnel/ladder. Bury it in gravel for drainage, put a couple feet of soil on top and plant turf to hide it. Build out the inside to be comfortable and to store the supplies.

[johnbrickner]

I've thought and read about shelters. There are two kinds, blast and fallout. The first is usually both at the same time.

<snip>

A good, easy blast shelter can be made from large concrete pipes. Use a backhoe to dig a very large hole, drop in a gravel drainage pad, and put two sections of 10' or 12' diameter concrete pipe into the hole and build up cinder block end walls, with an entrance tunnel/ladder. Bury it in gravel for drainage, put a couple feet of soil on top and plant turf to hide it. Build out the inside to be comfortable and to store the supplies.

Initial product design brought to us compliments of Uncle Ho: https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom ... 0007-8.pdf

Who also brought us the foot wear we will all be using after the exchange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT-WWCJNtXc

My compliments to Uncle Ho and the NVA for their creativity, and persistence to hand us our first major war loss bringing our
W-L record to 6-1-2 at the time.