I would not be so quick to say gold and silver would "just be bricks." Even in a barter economy, there will come some commodity exchange unit. This would come about as a natural result for trades of approximately equal value.
Let's say you made wines and a carpenter came to you to trade. You want him to build you a new shed and framework for the new vats that a cooper is making for you. He can do the work, but does not need or want 15 cases of wine in exchange for the work. He does want a barrel of nails from the blacksmith though, who hates wine. The only way this kind of bater works is if there is something that you have that can be traded more or less universally for goods and services. Something with perceived value. Sure, we could use colored beads on strings, old Twinkie wrappers, but gold and silver are more likely to be used for that, even if it is not exchangeable for currency.
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