>I'd love to see an economists take on the value to a consumer of holding gold in this form, at the price.

I doubt you will find any unbiased opinion. Its important to remember that economists arent solely focused on the IS state. Its not a science, its perception management. The narrative is self fulfilling.

I really enjoy the npr article on the Brazilian inflation on this https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2010/10/04/130329523/how-...

The tldr is that the economy is what you think it to be.