Simon Black (Sovereign Man) had a nice analogy of the financial crash being like a train crash. (see below)
I actually think the SHTF scenarios are highly unlikely, but I think we'll see the worst of the seventies combined with the worst of the 1930's - but that will be moderated across the world. The USA still has a long, long way to fall and many countries have barely felt a tremor.
We also have some great minds working out the future and they're motivated by both greed and fear so their solutions may be workable. (note: 'may')
As for your original question:
Look at 2008 - gold and silver both fell as people rushed to US dollar safety. In Oz PM prices increased as the AUD fell like a stone. The RBA will slow its fall as they can but if they can stop it is another question. Gold will soar this time. Likely silver too.
Look at history. Gold has always had a value in a crisis and after. All but the starving will trade food and shelter for gold. The wave of attempts to resuscitate the world this time will mean that gold is dealt in grams and shavings not ounces - until they organise a world of electronic credit.
If your interest is investment or wealth protection, then arable land and gold is as safe as you can get in terms of being 'rich' after the event. The new upper class will be people who had no debt, PMs and real estate.
If your interest is 'making money', I think that will be accidental (who knows what the governments will do to the citizenry in the name of 'national security), if there is another major financial meltdown anytime soon (which history shows WILL happen).
If you end up in the upper class it will be as much luck (grace of the powers that be) as it is good management. There will be no middle class. So hope you're upper and not lower. How do you tell? Upper has gated estates with private security forces and shops with a large variety of food for sale.
and
Mad Max is just a movie. Expect something more like the movie Camorra -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camorra.
Warlords, poverty, food shortages and lots of crime.
p.s for anyone who wants to read the train analogy"
www.sovereignman.com
"The recent bursting of a worldwide, credit-fueled financial bubble was like an impenetrable mountain sitting upon a railroad track... and the global financial system steamed right into it at full speed.
The initial shock has already devastated the cars up front... but there are hundreds of millions of passengers in the back whose lives are about to be turned upside down.
The economic consequences from this crash are well-discussed: inflation, unemployment, and a steep reduction in standard of living. What concerns me the most, however, are system disruptions.
Our modern societies have grown accustomed to having basic needs taken care of. We simply walk into a grocery store and have a bevy of victuals to choose from. We flip a switch and the lights come on, we turn on our mobile devices and can make calls or connect to the Internet.
These systems are at serious risk of disruption. "
