Dan, what, in your opinion, defines gold as a fiat currency?

Buying physical gold is not the most profitable of investments when compared to what could be earned in good investment funds, but it's always good to have some precious metals in the safe.

A fiat currency can become worthless like what happened in Germany during the 1920's. Friend of my parents, long dead now, used to tell me stories of when he was a kid, and they had baskets of coins as toys. Gov't issued money was virtually worthless.

Gold will always have a value, it will always be desired. Without gold you've got no IPhones, wedding bands, electronics and a few hundred other major industrial and private uses.

I'm no survivalist nut, but if the SHTF and your US currency was worthless, you're only way to get needed things would be to steal it, barter, or trade a precious stone or precious metal such as gold or silver.