Much as I appreciate the OP's logic, I'm quite certain the only view we'll have of George's strategy will be in a big, shiny rear view mirror.
Furthermore...
Bitcoin is not gold - it's a currency. Which means it's value is a measurement relative to other currencies.
Currencies do NOT move thousands of dollars. They move in pennies.
As an American, with US dollars, I can buy a British pound for about $1.50 give or take.
To say that the pound will someday cost me $1000 means that the US dollar has collapsed.
Bitcoin has no country. It is a global currency now. It cannot move thousands of dollars in price because there is NOTHING backing it other than a "digital" supply.
Talk about fiat. This whole game officially over. F*ck Soros and his Bitcoin habits.

Coinbase is a reasonable option for casual Bitcoin use.
I say;
* Have the usual fiat accounts (credit cards, debit cards, checking etc.).
* Have a PayPal account (with their debit card - which is handy)
* Have a Bitcoin account established and verified (meaning ready-to-go for buying/selling legal goods and services).
Coinbase makes no pretense about their service. Above board, not-anonymous, reasonable-volume transactions that don't look like you're running boxcars full of guns and heroine.

Casualty List?
I nominate the guy who tossed an old hard drive - containing thousands of Bitcoins - into the dumpster. Of course he was an early miner.
I really hate that this man didn't get his slice. Like the old Chinese curse says, "May you live in interesting times."

LOL!! Great post OP.
Satoshi might as well be Jesus for all the change he scared up.
It sure was a great 10 minutes.

To all comments on my post:
First, to those screaming "Troll!!", Bitcoin is a global and extremely important conversation. Bitcointalk.org is a forum designed to host this conversation. If you don't like what I have to say then, by all means, build your own forum and ban whomever you wish.

Second, my comments are not intended to imply the FAILURE of Bitcoin. On the contrary - it is Bitcoin's SUCCESS that concerns the proverbial Powers That Be.

Why? Because a currency of the people, by the people, and for the people does not collect interest for bankers.

The rich WILL wrangle this technology out of your hands. In the end it will be no different than ordinary, plain vanilla fiat subject to the rich and powerful who are, as you read this, dragging your Bitcoin "wealth" back into their reality.

I'll say it again - SELL NOW.

Bitcoin is the Yahoo of digital currency. The AOL. The Compuserve. The dial-up modem plugged into a landline.
That there are now thousands of these Bitcoins hiding all over creation, and the world is actually providing goods and services for these Bitcoins (meaning they are officially "currency") presents a challenge to entities interested in MONEY.
Never forget: MONEY=FREEDOM.
If Bitcoin was bound for the price of $1000, or $10,000 in the year 2140, it would be there NOW.
Bitcoin is a magnificent model for a worldwide digital currency that will soon be replaced and "mined" by the likes of IBM, the Bank of England, the Federal Reserve and other multi-billion dollar entities.
Every Yahoo has it's Google.
 

Yes, I do mean 1 btc=1 dollar.
The workings of the banking system can (and will) drag Bitcoin into submission.
Bitcoin is now an official currency and subject to control. Bitcoin falling off a cliff?
As if they'll let you buy a thousand of their dollars or pounds for ONE Bitcoin.

Just because Bitcoin is the "currency of the future" does not guarantee that it will (someday) be worth thousands of dollars.
Bitcoin in the future could very well be at parity (equal to) the dollar, the pound, or any other banker-controlled currency.
The party's over. I see "the future" and it looks like the Rich Elite with lots of shiny controls and regulations designed to keep you firmly in your working-class, slave condition.
If you have Bitcoin, SELL NOW and walk away from your delusions of wealth in this arena. Bitcoin is toast as an "investment for the future."  Now get your ass back to WORK. Your boss needs a new sailboat.

Go back to square one.
Have your friend send the Bitcoin back to you, and then send money in his own fiat via Western Union or whatever is the most liquid for his location.

I'm still voting for the chisel in rock, but rock, tungsten or amber - ALWAYS have back-ups in separate locations. You could even put HALF your key in one place - and the other half someplace else.

I hope you have at least 3 sets in separate locations. Not all loss is by theft or fire. A tornado could easily fling your safe to a place where you'd never find it. Just sayin'.

This is fantastic. Not to mention the delicious irony - StateOfTheArt Meets The Stone Age.

Got Chisel?

The "viability" of the Bitcoin concept is now beyond question - given the upcoming presence of IBM, Intel and others.TPTB will most certainly come up with a completely regulated, transparent, traceable, taxable, crypto economy that will give you - maybe - $200 for your Bitcoin once they've created their own version.

Bitcoin will not go back to $1000 usd. That ship has sailed. Cheers to the early birds. We are now, officially, in business-as-usual.

I don't know about the OP, but I'm saving a copy of this thread. All of these replies are outstanding, and extremely helpful.

NOTE TO SELF: Discussion of rational viability of bitcoin in present-day society viewed as "little problem" to be dealt with by one: "Chuck".
Alrighty then.

I think the OP is right - in the sense that people prefer Comfortable and Convenient.

Crypto currency is more than just a "new way to do something on the internet", like Facebook and Amazon. It's a paradigm in itself, as new to the world as the internet was in 1997.

The exitement around Bitcoin is valid. Valid as Napster.

If bitcoin goes whole-world (meaning: the day your grandparents have wallets) it will be "i-Tuned".

Regulation will come. Just make your money before the suits ruin it.