From a pure survivalist standpoint (you know - guns, ammo, MREs, the world is ending, etc) I'd probably buy a few south african krugerrands or canadian maple leaf coins - but only after the wheelbarrow was already full of said guns and ammo;
What is your reasoning behind purchasing physical precious metals?
If these are your reasons (rather than fear of monetary collapse or blood in the streets) you might be better off owning a mutual fund that is specializes in gold mining stocks. They will generally appreciate well when the price of gold rises, just as the metal does. Unlike the metal, they are more easily traded, have lower transaction costs, and much lower storage/overhead costs/hassles. Best yet, you'll get paid dividends every year that the companies are profitable, which will not happen if you own physical gold.Diversity and possibly appreciation
I remember part of the lyrics to some song we used to sing as kids in Sunday school about "a loaf of bread can buy a bag of gold".....meaning, as you say, if there's "a breakdown in social order" it's awfully hard to make a sandwich outta metal bars.....even if they are gold.If you are worried about a breakdown in social order, buy the guns, ammo, and MREs. They'll be both more useful and more valuable than shiny yellow metal if things ever turn really bad.