Post-apocalyptic Gold Reserves

[Raellus]

This article could fit equally well in the this forum and the one dedicated to the Morrow Project. I wasn't quite sure which existing thread to put it in either. I hadn't heard of this complex/plan before. The site could certainly make for an interesting encounter, if not serve as the lynchpin for a major CONUS campaign.

http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-feds-cold-war-bunker-had-4-billion-cash-for-after-1699204253/+ballaban#_ga=1.130334991.1460622401.1411513010

[kalos72]

My group has a thing for finding banks/treasuries and looting them for the gold/silver to help fund the "Republic". This would be a prime target... :)

[stormlion1]

Counts on the money situation. If its still being honored I can see a use for it. But Gold and Silver are tangible and cash is promissory. For say the Morrow Project its actually a great source of Toilet Paper though and for T2000 a great objective for CivGov because they will back it for all they are worth. MilGov will probably pull out military script though. Neither will go to far in backing it though.

[Targan]

This article could fit equally well in the this forum and the one dedicated to the Morrow Project. I wasn't quite sure which existing thread to put it in either. I hadn't heard of this complex/plan before. The site could certainly make for an interesting encounter, if not serve as the lynchpin for a major CONUS campaign.

http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-feds-cold-war-bunker-had-4-billion-cash-for-after-1699204253/+ballaban#_ga=1.130334991.1460622401.1411513010

Hah! I was just reading this article and came here to post the link. Look what I found. You beat me to it, Rae :D

[Rainbow Six]

A lower profile but no less important campaign might be for either Milgov or Civgov (or both) to send out teams to try and locate the printing plates used to produce banknotes. Clearly it may not be possible to recreate every security detail that exists on current banknotes but the printing plates would help to create something that looks the part.

Whilst I think we're all agreed that in the year 2000 paper money may have little to no value in itself, where there are two rival bodies claiming to be the Government whichever faction can manufacture new bank notes at some point in the future when paper money is starting to have value scores an advantage in its claim to be the legitimate Government.

Similar recovery efforts could take place in other countries.

[kalos72]

I think paper money is going to keep a very negative image with most people after its collapse. Coin, either precious or not, will come back and become the standard.

I was researching the other day where the gold and silver dollars are printed and if anyone else prints similar coins/rounds for sale. Might make another good campaign....

[stormlion1]

I could see jewelry being gathered up and melted down into trade bars as well. May not be pure but it would be good enough for low level trade. And smelting it isn't that hard.

[Damocles]

I think paper money is going to keep a very negative image with most people after its collapse.

Except for among TW2K PCs, who will have inevitably computed their load to the last kg. There it will be welcome with open arms. :)

[unkated]

A couple points...


CivGov would certainly push the continued use of the Greenback as a means of keeping normality.

It would eventually sink in with the general population that there is no inherent value in paper money.

However, in places where things are reasonably normal - meaning there is enough food, and a fairly wide variety of goods available for which one can exchange (and re-exchange) greenbacks, their use may continue. Paper cash is a promise that there will be normality again, for which cash can go back to having value.

In places where there is scarcity, fewer people will be less inclined to use a medium of exchange (paper cash) they may not be able to use. however convenient it is to carry.

CivGov or Milgov can (and in my opinion likely will), of course, wreck the value of cash themselves by printing as much as they need to pay for things, triggering runaway infaltion themselves. This is likely to be a localized issue - say in the greater Denver area, and can occur multiple times.


Uncle Ted

[Targan]

If CivGov wanted to keep using Greenbacks, perhaps they'd try to control the amount of their own "official" currency in circulation by stamping existing pre-war paper money with a particular pattern and a particular kind of ink. Not foolproof obviously, but better than having local economies disrupted every time a bunch of bandits manages to break into an abandoned bank vault or armored car.

[WallShadow]

If CivGov wanted to keep using Greenbacks, perhaps they'd try to control the amount of their own "official" currency in circulation by stamping existing pre-war paper money with a particular pattern and a particular kind of ink.

Sounds like the "Aloha" currency printed for the Hawaiian Islands in the threat of Japanese invasion/occupation at the start of WW2.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_overprint_note

[Targan]

Sounds like the "Aloha" currency printed for the Hawaiian Islands in the threat of Japanese invasion/occupation at the start of WW2.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_overprint_note

Wow. Yes, that's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind.

[rcaf_777]

Sounds like the "Aloha" currency printed for the Hawaiian Islands in the threat of Japanese invasion/occupation at the start of WW2.

The Aloha printed currency was to prevent the the Japaneses from using any US currency that they found on Hawaii againist the US.

Prior to the Nixon Shock of 1971 United States was committed to backing every dollar overseas with gold. Other currencies were fixed to the dollar, and the US dollar was pegged to a fixed gold per once price.

It was the us concern that the Japanness could take very us dollar on the island and then exchange it through neutral countries for gold which they use to pay for they war againist the US.

The US at the same time also issued an order to recall all regular US paper money in the islands, save for set caps on how much money both individuals ($200) and businesses ($500; save extra currency for payroll purposes) could possess at any time. All the money on the then destory as it to expensive to ship back the CONUS. the Aloha printed currency was issued and the remaining non Aloha printed currency as destory as is made it way back to the the banks.
If Hawaii had been invade the us would delcare the money worthless and not effecting the ramaining us dollars.

In the Case of the Mount Pony Bunker is was part of the United States Federal Reserve System and houseed enough U.S. currency to replenish the cash supply east of the Mississippi River in the event of a catastrophic event.

The facility also housed the Culpeper Switch, which was the central switching station of the Federal Reserve's Fedwire electronic funds transfer system, which at the time connected only the Fed's member banks.

The Culpeper Switch also served as a data backup point for member banks east of the Mississippi River.

As such is was part of the US continuity of government plans, I think they use would be in use and stocked ready to go.

I seem to remember a TW V1 encounter of a national stockpile?

[unkated]

I keep reading the word 'Gold' in the thread title, and I keep picturing Clint Eastwood discussing with Telly Sevalas that "there's between 40 and 50 troops in that town."

"All right. How did you figure that?"

"Well, it's of no military importance. It's not big enough for a garrison."

"You still didn't answer the question! How did you figure 40 or 50 men?"

"Because that's the normal amount of support for three Tiger tanks."


So, given the summer of 2000's raucous tidings, there could be...


Polish National Reserves that have been hidden since the beginning of the war

a war reserve in gold that belonged to the US 5th Infantry Division, lost when the 5th broke up.

a war reserve in gold for any of the higher Soviet units (division or army) that have broken up or 'ceased responding to higher authority'


Uncle Ted

[rcaf_777]

So, given the summer of 2000's raucous tidings, there could be...Polish National Reserves that have been hidden since the beginning of the war

I did some research into this the national bank of poland has a branch in Sidelce it is a small city (76,000) about an hours drive from the Russian Border (113 km)

I figure it was a good hiding place, near nuc target would Lublin?

I think it should have the same number that Kelly face, 3 T-72 with 50 Troops. its about 365 km from Kraków so enough time to meet say a group of 3 M1A1 Abrams Tanks commanded by a rather Odd Sgt.

Food for Thought