WTF Scenario: Society has collapsed, you've been named Overlord!

I challenge you into folding wire so that I can't tell the difference between it and a paperclip.
Give me access to a machine shop and I'll build you a machine that turns them out quite quickly.

Also, the rate of debasement would quickly dillute the market quickly enough that you would no longer have enough representations of "pure" paper clips in circulation to accurately judge
 
i accept your challenge.

All i need a rod with an OD of the same size as the curve of a paperclip.
 
I'd set up a community exchange with a work hours bank. When we got bigger and more organized I would assign more credit hours to more difficult or dangerous jobs. No need for currency. I'd kill anyone who didn't like it cause I'm a communist asshole.