A thing has value in direct relationship to what you can do with it. What can you do with gold? Buy stuff, assuming a liquid market, and make pretty stuff. What can you do with trust? ANYTHING. Get enough people to trust that you'll help them when they need it, in return for them helping you now, and you can: raise a barn, care for victims of disaster, share crops and other supplies among a community, benefit from the community members' skills and knowledge...

I know which one I think is more valuable.