Gold and silver have been pretty good stores of value in the past. What about a Micky Mouse watch?[:0] Apparently at one time a wrist watch was considered a status symbol to Russians. And after World War ll there was a black market for them in Berlin. Mickey Mouse watches weren't only status symbols, but because they were status symbols they were also tradable commodities now since Russians had little faith in their own currency.
Scroll about halfway down just after #17
http://www.archives.gov/publication...arket_1.html