Salem

So, I was looking through the wiki...and it seems that nails are a wall. In order to make nails, you must get ore...in order to get ore you must build something that requires nails. Am I missing something or was that an intentional design. This way people are "enticed" into buying silver even though you can sell stuff to get some.

Check some of the stall in Boston. The Massachusetts Bay Company stalls (NPC vendor stalls) buy a variety of items, some of which can be obtained relatively early in the game. The two easiest are Cricket Teams (requires 11 dead Warbite crickets) and Savage Charms (requires the skill Indian Tracking).

You can also sell items to players at ANY level (this does however require trust as there is no scam protection; though if your smart you can make them wish they haven't) the typical items people buy that low-levels can make/get are:

Granite: Find a deposit and chip! I've seen people buy them 15s for 10!!! Though I'd say you may want to set more on 5s for 15 or you'll be there all day!

Hay: 3s or 5s; safe bet that 3s sells quicker, but if you got a bunch of inspirations and food to keep you in market, go for 5s each!

Lime: Kinda tedious but you can sell for 2s for quick buy, or 3s for a fair deal (each).

These are just some of the most popular items, there are many more that people buy and prices are always changing!

Merchant-ing these will collecting indian feathers + arrows you'll have a smelter in no time!

The game designed so pilligrims have to import needed stuff from their country (read buy stuff like nail at NPC stalls in Boston before you will start to make your own) like it happened irl when America was founded. On the other hand they have plenty of ways to make silver trading with other pilligrims and selling stuff to NPC at Boston.
Its not easy and could look hard at start but in time you will figure out your own best way to make silver. Just dont expect to make all things you wanted in one day, this game likes patience and smart pilligrims

just a note - Later game players always need fertilizers for farming. If you have hay, seaweed or any insps with high numbers in stocks and Cultivars You are very likely to be able to sell these to established players.

Rest assured that players can get by happily without spending a single dollar on silver in the cash shop.