I don't think its possible anymore. As I understand it there are only 5 billion ounces of above ground gold in the world. With a population approaching 7 billion we are talking less than one ounce of gold available to each person on earth. If it were all put to use as money wouldn't even the tiniest pieces of it have to be worth far more than the common transaction. Less than one ounce would represent the total wealth of the average individual.

It is even worse with silver. Though the stocks of silver in the earth currently are greater than gold, silver is and has been used commercially and had its price suppressed for years so very little has been mined except what has come as a by product.

The above ground supplies of silver are estimated to only be about 1 billion ounces. Some have been so bold as to say that considering what might be economically mined going forward; it is possible (with gold's 4 billion ounce inventory advantage) that silver may well be rarer than gold right now.

If these numbers are correct then one pre 1964 90% silver quarter holds more silver in it than could be equally divided among mankind if the entire current inventory were used for that purpose.

These metals are truly rare. That is why there is talk of a gold certificate ratio. This would be a framework where the currency would have to be backed but could be issued in sufficient quantity to facilitate small transactions. The trick to making it work is the ability to prevent whatever is issued as currency from having its value inflated away. There would have to an accountability such that no currency was issued unless it met the fractional reserve requirement. There would have to be complete transparency as to what reserves were held and how much currency was issued with strict controls to keep it all from being violated.

This gives you some idea of how much this stuff is going to be worth in the future and why people are considering as life insurance as well as life-style insurance.

My opinion is, "Good luck." The people currently on this earth to quote Jim Sinclair, "Would put their mother in the microwave if the price was right."

As a result there is only one solution to this problem going forward. What can't be mended must be ended.

P.