Barter is too inefficient due to the double coincidence of wants. There will always be a medium of exchange. Gold and silver fit that niche very well.
Token exchange only works while there is a system that defines its value, so the existence of that system is limited to only a few scenarios. i.e. like moving gold from one collapsed country to a functioning one, and that relies on you not getting robbed while SHTF. Note that the jew moved diamonds as they were easier to hide and they already had a system of trading in their destination country
Land is stable until a country turns communist. Gold relies on a trading support system, which ends when a country turns communist. Skills are retained in every scenario
Gold is a very niche insurance, you'll note that rich people don't bother much with it
I think the fundamental answer as to who money fails in SHTF situations is that people's time horizons are too short. Holding assets is planning for a distant future, and one in which people are doing well and the is community. Gold and silver have kept their value for thousands of years, but when you are worrying about getting through the next day, only immediately useful things matter.
Gold and silver have kept their value for thousands of years
yes, exactly, basically gold hasn't increased in value for decades because it's all been wiped by inflation now try and trade that gold bar and see what you have left.
Meanwhile any boomer who bought land/property is sitting on an infinite pension that has hugely increased in value through multiple recessions, and can be sold in a week. People will always need housing
Token exchange only works while there is a system that defines its value
Not sure what you mean by "a system that defines its value". Price discovery mechanism works the same in a SHTF scenario. Exchange rates are established through trade. Perhaps the trade will happen in silver and gold will be used for goods pf high value, or to exchange for silver.
Token exchange only works while there is a system that defines its value,
As long as there are people who want something and people who have it there will be a system that defines value.
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