This is said as an analogy for those who acquire and store precious metals, it closely matches their own ability to fulfill the "financial mission" of protecting and growing assets.
First, a battle tank must have superior firepower and be able to reliably confront and defeat its opponents on the battlefield. Secondly, the armored vehicle must provide protection for the crew. Otherwise, the battlefield will be cleared by the enemy, and as the losses grow, the morale of the survivors will drop and the battle will be lost. Thirdly, in order to survive in numerous collisions, the tank must be extremely mobile in order to stay out of danger, while rebuilding to defeat enemy armor and deactivate its tactical weapons.
When David fought Goliath, he lacked protection (shield) and "firepower" (sword or spear). But he was able to overcome these shortcomings thanks to his excellent mobility, skill with a spear ... and tactics. Yes, with well thought out and implemented tactics, you can sometimes defeat an opponent who outstrips you in all three dimensions, but this is not a way to place bets, and as an investor you should not. Proper planning, patience and positioning in precious metals provide a crucial safety factor with a lower correlation to other assets.
Since the invention of the modern tank at the end of World War I, the three imperatives listed above have been constantly changing in order to gain an advantage on the battlefield without upsetting the balance of these three factors. Take the German Jagdtiger in World War II on the Eastern Front against the Russians. This massive monster, the heaviest armored vehicle, it was able to defeat all opponents. But the tank was so heavy that it could not overcome most of the bridges, had a low power transmission and suffered from mechanical problems.
On the other hand, the Russians used the T-34. This tank was smaller and less armored, but it was reliable, highly mobile and could be produced in large numbers. When he attacked a member of the Tiger family of tanks, he could damage his tracks. Now the immobilized giant could be destroyed with the help of heavy artillery or explosive charges. Balancing these elements is always a challenge for the designer. Giving too much importance to any one factor will inevitably degrade - or fail - the mission and those charged with it. What does the battle tank analogy have to do with owning precious metals?
Firepower. Look at the value of silver and gold since 2001. Silver started up at around $ 4.50 an ounce. Today, even at the recent low, it is worth $ 22, plus a $ 3-6 premium to the spot price. At the same time, physical gold was worth $ 270 at the beginning with a modest premium. Today an ounce is worth about $ 1,780 plus a 5% premium. After more than a year of sideways movement since peaking at $ 2,000 in August 2020, gold still outperforms the popular S&P 500 in terms of wealth protection over the same two decades.
Protection. Silver and gold protect (hedge) your other assets, effectively limiting the decline in their value as a result of inflation. This factor is even more important these days for savings accounts with their paltry interest income. Storing gold coins and bars makes investing easier and minimizes premium costs.
Mobility. Unlike most other assets, precious metals can be turned into cash in no time. The reason precious metals prices so often fall (temporarily) during periodic crashes such as 2008 and early 2020s is because traders start selling precious metals in the first place to offset losses on other assets. ... In terms of liability for losses, no one stands between you and the buyer when you exchange them for cash.
With this in mind, would you rather go to the battlefield with physical gold and silver - in a metaphorical Abrams M-1, an Israeli Merkava or a German Leopard tank - or simply "armed" with a piece of paper stating that you have precious metals in an unverified warehouse?

And don't just say, "Well, I'll invest carefully, holding stocks or bonds, and hope for the best!" Because, judging by the way things are unfolding, it is more than likely that you will soon seriously regret doing this. So either stop with hesitation now, before the "stream of mud" becomes too strong. Or wait until inflation is so strong that you have to try to act - even if it turns out to be impossible and the real value of your assets is washed out?
This quote from renowned commodity trader Dr. Alexander Elder of Battlefield beautifully describes the investor's dilemma and the path to investment survival and success. He says that it is about "fighting a large number of hostile people, paying for the privilege of going into battle and getting out of it dead, wounded or alive."
Whether we like it or not, these days we are all on the battlefield for investment. For the foreseeable future, while the financial system wanders uncharted waters, greatly increase your chances in your favor by holding in your hands gold and silver - historical talismans of protecting wealth.