Yes your understanding is correct. He will just keep the cash in the belief that it is security. It is difficult for the older generation to see that they are converting one kind of money (fiat) into a different kind of money (silver), however, for those who can see this, they will buy PM's. Our parents were depression era adults and anyone who had saved a few bucks could buy anything with silver certificates ( do you remember those?). So we, their children, have been raised to hear their stories and have been bit by the save the money bug. As the money changed to fiat, we still see it as before and have a difficult time changing. For him,the PM's are not "to funny or to risky" but to fearful. P.C.