Barry, perhaps I misunderstood you, but most currencies, and specifically currencies like the US Dollar, British pound, euro and the S. African Rand, are fiat currencies, I.E. they are NOT backed by gold. They are backed by debt. The currency notes are only worth the paper they are printed on. That is the whole point of what the gold bugs are trying to get across. The ONLY valid currency in the world, is gold, and, to a lesser extent, silver. Does everyone know that the US Dollar is not a valid currency according to the united states constitutuion? The united states contitution clearly states that no printed money will be acceptable as legal tender, only gold is good enough for that. In effect, ALL paper dollars are counterfeit according to the United States Constitution. This was never changed, the constitution still states that. I have an old two rand note in my posession. On it, is Printed: "I promise to pay the bearer on demand at Pretoria, two rand" and it is signed Gerhard de Kock, Governor. Try to find that message on today's money. There in not even an empty promise like that one on the new notes. Paper dollars as a safe haven? No wonder dealers in America are cronically running out of stock in gold coins. The love of evil is the root of all paper money. No typo in the last sentence.