bottom line: if the other guy is unwilling to accept whatever it is you are wanting to trade, game over. some lower social/economic sectors may not understand what gold means, therefore you have to speak their lingo. perhaps they are in desperate need of water. you trade them a gallon of water for a gallon of gasoline which you need. everyone walks away happy.

now, if you are dealing with bankers who understand why they are keeping a big stash of gold under the streets of Manhattan, that's another story......