I´m trying to come up with a big list of items that could be considered "barter", things small enough to be carried around, very useful in  specific situations and easily trade-able.

Also, I´m trying to go towards the realism side here, and many things I see listed in other places don´t seem able to resist 50 years and still work (examples: small rechargeable batteries and latex condoms). Does anyone have concrete links/ideas on how long some of these things last.

This is what I could come with so far (mostly scavenged from the internet):

•   Portable water filter
•   Hand tools including hatchets, saws, machetes and general fix-it tools
•   Fire making supplies, including lighters, matches, flint fire steel
•   Sanitary supplies including toilet paper, feminine products and diapers (**)
•   Disposable razors and razor blades
•   Prescription drugs, painkillers, and antibiotics (**)
•   First aid remedies such as cough syrup, cortisone cream, boil-ese, calamine lotion and topical pain relievers (**)
•   Spirits such as bourbon, rum, gin, and vodka
•   Coffee and tea (instant coffee is okay)
•   Solar battery charger and rechargeable batteries (**)
•   Standard Batteries (**)
•   Reading glasses
•   Paracord
•   Bags, including large garbage bags as well as smaller zip-close bags
•   Plastic sheeting
•   Duct tape (**)
•   Tie Wraps
•   Heavy plastic sheets and tarps
•   Vinegar and baking soda to use in DIY cleaning supplies (**)
•   Condoms [old world latex ones (**) or currently manufactured sheep intestine ones]
•   Latex or Nitrile gloves in a variety of sizes (**)
•   Fishing gear (line, hooks, lures)
•   Knives of various types including fixed blades, kitchen knives, and box cutters.
•   Condiments and Spices
•   Paperback books on a variety of subjects (mostly technical)
•   Tobacco and cigarette rolling supplies
•   Amusements such as playing cards, crossword puzzle books, Sudoku
•   Pencils & paper
•   Pepper spray (**)
•   Garden seeds
•   Flashlights (powered by?)
•   Empty spray bottles and squirt bottles
•   Hand pumps for both air and liquids
•   Mylar blankets and tents
•   Sewing and mending supplies
•   Knitting or crochet needles and yarn
•   Electronics (computer chips, wiring, diodes)
•   Mechanical pieces (rust free valves, gear, wire, ball bearings, pipe or bags of screws)
•   Non-drug medical supplies (syringes, bandages, tubes)
•   Bullets (specific / rare ones)
•   Golden age memorabilia (pictures, maps and other media)
•   Vinyl Records?
•   Can Openers!
•   Candles
•   Compass
•   Precious metals and gems (gold and silver)

(**) these are the items I have doubt about being still operational/usable after 50 years, I´d love some feedback.

I understand that it is much more interesting to play out any "barter gainage", but the Maestro playbook still seems at odds with what has been done in all the other playbooks.

Even less "businessman oriented" playbooks have guidelines on how a person like that gets money. Take the Gunlugger "one month’s employment as thug-on-hand" is worth one barter. Fair enough. Any MC worth his salt will, of course, make that month interesting... but we know what's the going rate (even if only to allow players to try and haggle for more). Now, the more "endowed" characters have even straight out mechanical ways to get barter (Operator, Hocus and Hardholder roll for it), and those barter gaining moves also present delicious opportunities for mayhem when they fail. It seems odd that the Maestro has neither one nor the other.

There's also the matter of relative values and living expenses. When we read that a Brainer can get 1 barter for "one week’s employment as kept brainer" we establish that their services are much more valued than the Gunlugger (1 barter/ month in such a passive job) or a  Hocus (also 1/month for counseling or ceremonial duties). We are either left in the dark as to the value of the Maestro business or implicitly told that it is not profitable at all. Or even worse... somewhere in the book it is stated that we should make the characters buy the "month’s living expenses, if your tastes aren’t too grand" whenever we feel that sufficient time has gone by (or we need to get them off their fat bottoms). If that's also true for the Maestro D, a "fingerless" Maestro is actually moving towards bankruptcy at -1 barter per month. Of course he can just take a gun (or a gang, if he went for that) and go rob people or something, but any other character can do that (some do it better in fact).

Please don't get me wrong here, I'm not trying to just be critic or something. I'm trying to get the angle on this character and see what other people have done with it. I've it firm in my mind that the Maestro gets at least 1 barter a month (which cancels living expenses), but I'm still pondering on how much more it could get when the wind is favorable, and what kind of downsides there are when they are not. That sound a lot like a move to me (if I got this game right). Am I missing something? Does this guy has some great perk I am missing which counterbalances him not having a surplus/want kind of move? Will I break the game in his favor if I make one?

What if the Maestro D' doesn't choose Fingers in Every Pie as a move? Is he just breaking even with his business, no barter whatsoever from there? Is this move kinda obligatory if you want to have money?

Also: can "Fingers in Every Pie" be used to get barter? (say the fellow wants to make reserves to some unforeseen future need). 

Sorry for the forum necromancy, I though it was better than reset the discussion. I've just started my first AW campaign and this is the first question to rise (the guys with the Maestro D' goes like "how come my character is the only one with no means to get money. I though I would be good on that side, maybe not Hardholder rich, but at least on par with the Operator").