Iraqi Dinar Alert

In their syndicated column, Motley Fool typically includes a section where people write in to tell about their “dumbest ” investment. The idea is for readers to learn from mistakes made by others. Here’s a recent submission as it appeared in the Kansas City Star:

MY DUMBEST INVESTMENT

Last year, I spent about $1,500 for approximately 1.7 million Iraqi dinars. At the moment, one U.S. dollar is worth approximately 1,450 Iraqi dinars, making my investment worth around $1,170. Even a modest increase in the value of the dinar would result in significant gains. Time will tell if this investment is Foolish or just plain foolish. B.E., Killeen, Texas

The Fool Responds: Speculating in currencies � even those of major, stable nations has burned many investors. Iraq is an especially unstable place right now. Inflation is just one of many risks facing the currency. Don�t look to the dinar’s past performance, which is largely irrelevant now. Focus instead on the country�s future prospects. Or better still, consider investing in the U.S. stock market. Many of our companies offer international exposure through their global operations.

What I find interesting is that neither the reader nor the MF reponse are unequivocally negative on the Iraqi dinar.

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