Excellent reply, DE. You make a solid case for your gold preference. I still think silver is a better investment (which you obviously invest in with your continuous bidding on sterling at good prices in auctions).
True on gold in circuit boards - BUT only on the 'contacts' because of it's excellent anti-oxidant properties, and in microscopic amounts - extremely thin plating due to improvements in the past 3 decades in electroplating methods. Silver is FAR more prevalent in electronics today than gold - due to it's conductivity.
Solar Panels being just one of many examples. Older circuit boards (early-late 80's) are worth 'scavenging' for their gold content - newer ones, it costs more to salvage than the value of gold one can extract.
During 'hard times' the 'trade value' of gold falls dramatically because of it's limited usefulness, but silver maintains it's value better in hard times.
I would rather hoard copper for hard times than gold. It is easily workable and reusable , and is absolutely essential to so many practical applications. Everyone needs wire, even in hard times. That is the definition of real value for trading purposes, even when 'currencies *real or fiat* collapse. Oil is good, but it is difficult to store, more bulky, and degrades with age. (The oil industry is the largest consumer or anti-bacterials in the world - read 'expensive to store'.)
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