“Just replace it with AI!!!”

But who wants to trade gold with you if everyone is hungry, has no water or power, is freezing or sick? Gold and valuables are only good of you know the economy gets back to normal, or you have someone who will trade useful stuff for gold.

Also, I don’t think the average person has a concept how much gold is worth, or how to check if it is real or not.

What do you want to do with gold or USD if the us economy collapses? This isn’t the middle Ages where you can pay the peasants with gold or silver coins. In an economic collapse canned food, fuel, etc. will be useful. Something people need every day and can be swapped in small quantities.