But, on the other hand, gold by itself can't help you survive. "You can't eat gold" is a common saying on the other side of the debate, and I can't disagree.

I would argue though, that it depends on how severe the collapse is. If we're talking about an economic collapse, I believe gold will become very valuable. After the Greek economy contracted several years ago, gold was being sold on the streets of Athens for more than double its spot price.

However, if we're facing a truly devastating event, something that may kill millions and take decades recover from like a nuclear war or an EMP strike, then things like gold may go on the back burner for a while. It'll still have some value, but when survival consumes your every thought, your priorities tend to change.

So if you want an idea of what items may be used as currency when the grid goes down, it would be wise to look into history to see what our ancestors used for bartering. These people lived their entire lives with a standard of living that was far lower than ours, and the commodities they prized were essential to their survival. If you want to call yourself "rich" after the collapse, here's what you can look forward to accumulating.