[skewart]

> I'm not sure I would consider a precious metal a currency because its value is driven by its intrinsic value more than trust.

I don't think that's really true. Most precious metals are valuable because people think they're valuable - they're propped up by a collective myth, by the collective belief that there will always be someone else willing to pay. Sure, there are industrial applications, but those are not the primary drivers of value, especially not historically.