I will provide you with the best real life example of Gold being treated as MONEY.
Iran which is under sanction from the US, will accept Gold as payment for its Oil. They have been doing it, since 2012.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-oil-payment/iran-to-accept-payment-in-gold-from-trading-partners-idUSTRE81S0GU20120229