Silver does have a lot of SHTF uses. On the wagon trains, a silver coin was often kept in the water supply they carried with them. The agitation of the water over the silver killed bacteria and stopped it from growing.
“Born with a silver spoon” is a term used to describe rich people. It originated when modern medicine wasn’t what we have today. A silver silverware set was more resistant to spreading bacteria and thus those who used it were less likely to get sick. The same principle applied to silver serving trays. Food served by passing around is cleaner when served on a silver tray.
That‘s all low skill level stuff. Colloidal and molecular silver also have uses, though they can be used inappropriately.
This^^
Silver was a premier bacteriostat for millenia.