Zenmoneyman, know what I'll be remembering in the spring? All the firewood I cut over the summer and burned, all the mushrooms we harvested and had over the winter and still have lots left over, all the arrows I'll make over the winter waiting to be shot, all the jackrabbits and cottontails out there awaiting the Tsalagi School of Cooking, and a lot more things that make life a joy. See, Zen, I've seen this before. I'm, let's see, 43 I think (I stopped counting.) I was still a kid but saw Weather Underground, and SDS come and go, saw the back-to-the-land communes come and go, saw the 1980s survivalists come and go, saw the 1990s militias come and go, saw the Y2K Sky-Is-Falling hysteria come and go, and this is one more fad that will come and go. We will see in spring, since you've set that as a benchmark. If it happens, it happens. But if it doesn't, rest assured I will be here to say I told you so. But color me jaded when I say this "buy gold" thing is a scam of epic proportions. Here's why:
You're telling us---based on what these people tell you---that the currency is going to be worthless so soon, it's right around the corner. Ok, so then why are these people selling the gold they say is absolutely critical for survival for that worthless paper money? Hmmmm? Thought about that? If those people really knew something, they would hoard that gold and, thus, emerge successful, correct? But, no, they're exchanging that thing they say is much more valuable for that which they say is worthless. And know why that is? Because they know they're pulling another Soapy Smith scam and preying on peoples' fears. The very worst kind of con artist. They don't actually believe in what they're saying, because if they did, they'd never part with that gold. Gold is a finite commodity. I've actually been out to active gold mines and it takes a lot of earth-moving to extract an ounce of gold. But these guys are exchanging that for that paper money they're telling you is worthless. Logic informs you right away of the swindle. Just like Soapy Smith got people to pay $5 for a bar of soap in the late 1800s in the off chance (actually impossible chance, because Soapy rigged the game) that they might get $100 for their investment. This is no different. If the currency does collapse and society does crash, all the gold in FT Knox won't get you a sack of wheat. These charlatans know that, too.
So, no, I learned a long time ago that if something sounds like a scam, it usually is. People are scared, and here come the wolves to fleece the sheep with this "buy gold" scam that used to be confined to the pages of rags like National Enquirer and Argosy magazine "back in the day" (the 1970s.) LIke I said, Zen, I've seen this before. Survivalists and their South African gold kruggerands. And after the USSR collapsed, you almost couldn't give kruggerands away. The classified ads were full of them for sale.