Times when foods were more valuable than GOLD
Page published 8th March 2025 Page updated 25th May 2025

AI to lists times that foods were and are more valuable than Gold below.
If you can hold both (Gold and Food) great if you cannot then food is more valuable than Gold when Trumpet Number One happens and 907 grams of Wheat or 2 pounds costs a days wages.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of specific years when certain spices, grains, and fruits were more valuable than gold, including their historical context:
3000 BCE – 2000 BCE (Ancient Civilizations & Early Trade)
Year: ~3000 BCE (Ancient Egypt & Mesopotamia)
- Spices: Frankincense & Myrrh (from Arabia & Somalia)
- Used in mummification, religious ceremonies, and medicine.
- Egyptians valued these resins more than gold.
- Grains: Emmer wheat & Barley
- The foundation of Egyptian and Mesopotamian diets, but not as valuable as spices.
- Fruits: Dates (from Mesopotamia & Egypt)
- A staple of the region but highly prized for trade.
Year: ~2500 BCE (Indus Valley Civilization)
- Spices: Turmeric, Cardamom, and Black Pepper
- Early evidence of trade between India & Mesopotamia.
- Black pepper was already a luxury item in Sumerian records.
2000 BCE – 1000 BCE (Bronze Age Trade & Expansion)
Year: ~1500 BCE (Ancient Egypt & India)
- Spices: Cinnamon & Cassia
- Mentioned in Egyptian texts; sourced from South Asia via the Red Sea.
- Valued more than gold in some trade records.
- Fruits: Pomegranates & Figs
- Pomegranates were considered a symbol of wealth and fertility.
- Imported from Persia to Egypt.
Year: ~1200 BCE (Phoenician & Mycenaean Trade)
- Spices: Saffron (Crocus sativus)
- Originated in the Mediterranean and Persia.
- Used in dyes, medicine, and religious rituals.
- More expensive than gold per weight in some regions.
1000 BCE – 1 CE (Classical Antiquity & Silk Road Emergence)
Year: ~500 BCE (Persian Empire & Greece)
- Spices: Black Pepper & Ginger (imported from India)
- The Achaemenid Persians controlled major trade routes.
- Black pepper was a status symbol in Greece.
- Grains: Rice (China & India)
- Not as valuable as spices, but expanding trade networks.
Year: ~100 BCE (Roman Empire & India Trade)
- Spices: Black Pepper (called “black gold”)
- A single pound of black pepper could buy a Roman soldier’s monthly salary.
- Rome imported over 1,000 tons per year from India via the Red Sea.
- Fruits: Figs & Olives
- Essential but not as valuable as pepper.
1 CE – 1000 CE (Middle Ages & Rise of Islam)
Year: ~500 CE (Byzantine & Sassanid Empires)
- Spices: Cloves (Maluku Islands, Indonesia)
- Used in medicine, cooking, and religious rituals.
- Controlled by Arabian traders, priced higher than gold.
Year: ~800 CE (Islamic Golden Age)
- Spices: Nutmeg & Mace
- Controlled by Arab traders, preventing Europeans from accessing direct sources.
- More valuable than gold in Baghdad and Cordoba markets.
Year: ~1000 CE (Vikings & European Trade)
- Fruits: Dried Dates & Figs
- Highly valued and traded by Vikings from the Middle East.
1000 CE – 1500 CE (Medieval Period & Age of Exploration)
Year: 1298 CE (Marco Polo & Venetian Spice Trade)
- Spices: Nutmeg, Mace, & Cloves
- Controlled by Venetian merchants, who marked up prices hundreds of times.
- Nutmeg was worth more than gold per ounce.
- Grains: Saffron
- Used in medieval medicine and food.
Year: 1453 CE (Ottoman Empire & Fall of Constantinople)
- Spices: Black Pepper Prices Soar
- The Ottoman Empire taxed spice trade routes, driving prices up.
- Europeans began searching for new routes to India.
1500 CE – 1800 CE (Age of Exploration & Colonial Trade)
Year: 1602 CE (Dutch East India Company Forms)
- Spices: Nutmeg & Cloves
- The Dutch waged wars to control the Spice Islands.
- Nutmeg trees were burned on rival islands to create scarcity.
- Nutmeg was worth more than gold in 17th-century Amsterdam.
Year: 1770 CE (Vanilla & Madagascar)
- Spices: Vanilla (Mexico, later Madagascar)
- One of the most labor-intensive crops.
- More expensive than gold per gram at times.
1800 CE – Present (Modern Commodity Trade)
Year: 1840 CE (Saffron & Persia)
- Spices: Saffron (Iran, Spain, & Kashmir)
- Remains the most expensive spice in the world.
- More valuable than gold per gram today.
Year: 1940 CE (White Truffles in Italy)
- Fruits: White Truffles (Piedmont, Italy)
- Extremely rare and priced higher than gold per kilogram.
Year: 2020 CE (Saffron, Vanilla, & Truffles)
- Spices:
- Saffron: $10,000/kg (more expensive than gold in some years).
- Vanilla: $600/kg during shortages (Madagascar controls 80% of supply).
- Fruits:
- White Truffles: $5,000+ per kg during peak seasons.
Summary of the Most Valuable Spices, Grains, and Fruits
| Year | Commodity | More Valuable Than Gold? |
|---|---|---|
| 3000 BCE | Frankincense & Myrrh | Yes |
| 1200 BCE | Saffron | Yes |
| 100 BCE | Black Pepper (Rome) | Yes |
| 500 CE | Cloves | Yes |
| 800 CE | Nutmeg & Mace | Yes |
| 1298 CE | Nutmeg (Venice) | Yes |
| 1602 CE | Nutmeg & Cloves (Dutch Trade) | Yes |
| 1800 CE | Saffron | Yes |
| 1940 CE | White Truffles | Yes |
| 2020 CE | Saffron, Vanilla, & Truffles | Yes |
Would you like more details on any specific time period or product?
There have been a few key moments in history when wheat was more expensive than gold, typically during times of extreme famine, war, or economic collapse. Here are some of the most notable instances:
1. Ancient Rome (~270 CE – Crisis of the Third Century)
- Context:
- The Roman Empire was in a period of economic collapse, hyperinflation, and frequent leadership changes.
- Barbarian invasions, civil wars, and plagues disrupted food supply chains.
- Wheat Prices:
- A modius (8.7 liters) of wheat cost 120,000 denarii due to inflation.
- Comparatively, soldiers were still being paid fixed wages, meaning wheat became unaffordable.
- Gold Comparison:
- Inflation caused the value of money to collapse, making wheat sometimes more valuable than gold for daily survival.
2. Byzantine Empire (~500-600 CE – Justinian Plague)
- Context:
- The Plague of Justinian (541–549 CE) killed millions, collapsing agriculture.
- The Byzantine Empire relied heavily on Egyptian wheat imports, which were disrupted.
- Wheat Prices:
- Prices soared due to a lack of supply, making wheat nearly impossible to obtain.
- Gold Comparison:
- Many regions resorted to bartering, and in some cities, wheat became more valuable than gold for immediate survival.
3. The Great Famine (1315–1317 CE – Medieval Europe)
- Context:
- Heavy rains and cold weather led to crop failures across Europe.
- Trade routes were unreliable, and stored grain rotted due to moisture.
- Wheat Prices:
- The price of wheat increased sixfold in some regions.
- In England, a bushel of wheat cost more than a skilled craftsman’s weekly wage.
- Gold Comparison:
- Some reports suggest landowners hoarded wheat and refused to sell it, even for gold—because gold couldn’t be eaten.
4. French Revolution (1789-1799 – France’s Food Crisis)
- Context:
- Severe food shortages led to riots and revolution.
- The cost of bread (made from wheat) skyrocketed, contributing to the unrest.
- Wheat Prices:
- By 1789, a loaf of bread cost a worker’s entire daily wage.
- In some cases, even if gold was available, there was no wheat to buy.
- Gold Comparison:
- People would trade gold for bread at extreme exchange rates because food was more crucial.
5. The American Civil War (1861-1865 – Confederate States)
- Context:
- The U.S. Confederate economy collapsed, leading to massive inflation.
- The Union blockaded Southern ports, stopping grain imports.
- Wheat Prices:
- In the South, wheat flour cost more than its weight in gold at times.
- Gold Comparison:
- Confederate currency became worthless, and food was prioritized over precious metals.
6. Post-World War I (1917-1923 – Hyperinflation in Germany)
- Context:
- After World War I, Germany suffered hyperinflation due to the Treaty of Versailles reparations.
- The value of the German Mark collapsed.
- Wheat Prices:
- By 1923, a loaf of bread cost billions of marks.
- Gold Comparison:
- Many people traded jewelry and gold for food because currency was worthless.
7. The Dust Bowl & Great Depression (1930s – United States)
- Context:
- Severe droughts and over-farming caused wheat crop failures in the U.S. Midwest.
- The global economy was in crisis, making food extremely valuable.
- Wheat Prices:
- Prices collapsed in some places due to oversupply but were extremely high in areas hit by drought.
- Gold Comparison:
- In some cases, farmers were so desperate for food that gold had little purchasing power compared to wheat.
8. Post-World War II (1945-1946 – Europe & Japan)
- Context:
- Europe and Japan were devastated by war, with food shortages in many areas.
- The U.S. sent wheat through the Marshall Plan, but black markets thrived.
- Wheat Prices:
- Black market wheat prices were extreme, especially in Germany and Japan.
- Gold Comparison:
- Many reports describe people trading gold and family heirlooms for wheat and bread.
9. 1973 Wheat Crisis (Global Commodity Shock)
- Context:
- The Soviet Union had a poor harvest and secretly bought massive amounts of U.S. wheat.
- This caused global wheat shortages and price spikes.
- Wheat Prices:
- The price of wheat tripled in one year.
- Gold Comparison:
- While wheat wasn’t more expensive than gold per unit, its price rose at a faster rate than gold in commodity markets.
Clevor Trevor sort remembers that due to being in London as the time and seeing long lines of people wanting to sell gold – Clevor Trevor was 10 years old then and didn’t really understand. Now wishes he asked his step father who was sat behind him why are there long lines of people selling their gold on the news? Maybe CT might have been wiser quicker about these things….
10. 2022 Ukraine War Wheat Crisis
- Context:
- Ukraine and Russia supply about 30% of the world’s wheat exports.
- The war disrupted supply chains, causing prices to surge.
- Wheat Prices:
- Wheat reached $13 per bushel in 2022—a 75% increase in just months.
- Gold Comparison:
- Again, while wheat wasn’t literally more expensive than gold per ounce, its price spike outpaced gold during this period.
Final Thoughts
While wheat has rarely been more expensive than gold by weight, it has often been more valuable in practical terms—especially during famines, wars, and economic collapses. In many historical crises, people traded gold for wheat because survival mattered more than wealth.
Would you like specific price comparisons from historical records?
Executive Summary – Buy wheat while cheap – store – and sell it for great gains as Joseph did in Egypt. The price will outpace Gold increases and you can eat it. If you can do both great if you cannot then this is probably the best option.
However to do this one must become a digital person. Do you want to be a digital person? Then after 3.5 years approximately you either take the mark of the beast or reject it. If you reject it then could it be that Seal Number Five is filled?
Seal Number Five
Revelation 6.9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Could it be that those that don’t become digital persons are killed first then those that did are killed in the Great Tribulation?
Trumpet Number One probably August 2029 + 7 years of Tribulation takes you to 2036-2037….
(25th May 2025 update the date may be around the May 2029)
MAY 2029 + 7 years
takes a person to 2036
MAYBE
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