Imagine a cheap, practical store of value that tends to rise during periods of economic or social uncertainty.
It isn’t Bitcoin, gold, or even a “meme hedge” like nickels or aluminum cans.
Instead, today’s idea comes from an unlikely place: Tools for Survival by James Wesley Rawles.
Rawles, a well-known survivalist, suggests holding barter items that would remain useful if normal supply chains collapsed. One of his recommendations is so simple most people would never think of it: old coffee cans filled with usable screws, bolts, and nails.
Hardware has real utility. Nails, screws, and fasteners are essential for repairs, construction, and maintenance.
In a true “grid-down” scenario, where supply chains fail and electricity disappears, these items would become priceless. Now I’m no survivalist, though I do enjoy post-apocalyptic games and stories, but I want to examine this idea from a practical financial angle.
Mainly, buying a tangible asset with real value for less than its spot price.
Nails, screws, and other scraps can often be bought secondhand for a fraction of their melt value. At yard sales, flea markets, and estate clean-outs, it is common to find coffee cans or milk jugs full of miscellaneous hardware selling for one or two dollars. Sometimes these items are simply given away. Most homeowners want the clutter gone.
That creates a weird opportunity.
Scrap metal markets are highly liquid. Recycling centers and scrapyards pay by the pound for steel, iron, copper, and other metals. Additionally, prices fluctuate daily just like gold or silver. The difference is that almost no one thinks of rusty nails or old fittings as money.
As a result, you can often acquire metal for free. Or close to it.
Once you buy scrap below its melt value, you have options. You can hold it and wait for prices to rise, or you can take it straight to a scrapyard for an instant profit.
Either way, your downside is limited, because your acquisition cost is so low.
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Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only. It is not financial advice, always do your own research.
