But US government may well reclaim your investment one day, particularly if you are very loud about it...

David Koresh of Waco also thought so...

The good news for the feds, Koresh was a preacher and not a soldier. Divine intervention was critical to Koresh’s survival plan. Therein was his mistake.

but it wasn't done "easily". Imagine the government expending that much energy for every house...

I'm not saying anyone won't/can't if they really want to, but it won't be easy.

Not to disparage gold as a long-term investment, but in the short term I wonder if gold going over $1000/oz has something to do with India buying like 200 tons recently?

Excellent point. The small amount we picked up wouldn't interest the government if private gold ownership is one distant day outlawed. And we tell no one. All a good reminder though. If scumbags will knock off a 7-11 for $50.00 imagine what they'll do if they know a stash of gold is on a particular house. Imagine what they'll do to get mommy to tell them where it is.

No doubt.

The government will eventually force a gold for paper swap. Of course they will. Why would they let the citizens hoard a valuable commodity like gold when it's only a penstroke away to force the citizenry to poney it up? And if you keep it? We'll then you're a terrorist, aren't you, and trying to spend your gold will be like trying to swap explosives for food. Good luck with that.

If things go MadMax then there won't a centralized government hoarding gold with lists of people.

If things don't go MadMax, hoarding gold is not as critical and in the very least you could always turn to the black market.

Hoarding food and stuff like salt, sugar, pepper and cocoa are probably more useful than gold, because you can't eat gold.

If you reach the point where you are trading gold for food, you are probably one step from joining the zombie biker gangs...

This from Bloomberg today. Gold at 1300 and oil at 100 a barrel within 6 months. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... 5k80qD6BrU

Folks, we have just rocketed through $1100/oz. Wow.

The idea that central gov. or local feudal-warlord can't/won't control known swap hubs on the black market for gold-food, gold-oil_voucher, gold-land or what have you is beyond ridiculous. It has been done with high degree of success in the past (couple of times past century only) so why not in the future.

Also, it reminds me of the "safe stash" of gold found around the ancient Roman villa compounds stories, which pop up in the news so often. Apparently, the "property owner" or his offsprings never survived to return and pick it up.

Obviously, there will be always smart-ass outliers and "success stories" to dream about, but that's not the best strategy to bet the future of your family on.

So what is the solution?
There is just no good way around it, apart from the silly notion,
why not become the warlord or at least his trusty sidekick yourself..

I knew an old German many years ago, he told me that in the 1920's German hyperinflation, his parents put him on an uncles farm to work. He witnessed the rich trading gold etc for food directly from the farm. They had to protect the farm from thieves constantly. He was in the merchant navy during the war, and saw much Black Market activity. The most valuable goods, were chocolate, cigarettes, sugar, salt, pepper, coffee,tea etc. Some of the rich Jewish families who escaped National Socialism in Germany and fled to the west carried their jewels etc sewn into their clothes. So to me I think it depends whether you will have to flee, or you can safely stay in your own area.

Gold breaks 1100. http://www.thestreet.com/story/10623285 ... uc=_tscrss

In $C it's still well below the Feb/09 peak.