You Can Bank On It: by Dr. Dinar

You Can Bank On It by Dr. Dinar

10-7-2025

In the beginning, when the most talked about RV rumors circled around the prices being changed in all the stores in Iraq. When rumors were running rampant of Contractors in the Green Zone(wherever the heck that was) now being paid at the "new rate".

When the infamous "boots on the ground" sources were able to pay for their new shoelaces at the new rate, the one thing that still hit closest to home were the bank stories.

It wasn't the printing in the Gazette, the new budget being announced(that mysteriously kept getting postponed), Article 140 being implemented, the HCL, the Kurd's getting reimbursed, the announcements in the Mosques, not even the sandal toss games. None of that got the juices flowing like the tried and untrue Bank Stories.

While all those other sandbox suspicions were fine and dandy, it was the bank stories that, for me anyway, and most likely many others, were the most relatable. Not that I necessarily believed them but at least I could picture them taking place in my mind's eye. After all, in those days online banking wasn't what it is today. 

Back then there were numerous bank branches open all over the place. Seemed as if there was a different branch on every corner. You couldn't drive two blocks without seeing a bank or a credit union ready to hold your money for them... I mean you.

Recently I found myself reflecting back on all the bank stories I've read throughout the years. Some of them being so realistic you almost felt as if you were right there along with them. Gnawin' on a hotdog while waiting impatiently for the doors to open promptly at 9am.

Not only from the customer's side of the counter but we were also hearing from the Tellers side as well. And supposedly some "in the know" Managers just to give it that extra jolt of believability. 

On ledger, off ledger. front screen, back screen, green screen, black screen, screen door. You screen, I screen, we all screen for ice cream. Oops, sorry. Got a bit carried away there.

Be it cubicle, kiosk, random room of any sort, it was easy to picture yourself right along with that person sharing their experience. Lots of talk of new signage materializing overnight. 

Same with the new RV exchange "instarooms" being built by the bunches. Yep, all the signs were right there, impossible to ignore. We were right on the cusp of the biggest wealth transfer to hit since the California Gold Rush of the 1880's.

Nervous? You betcha. After all, we were about to make history. Us Toothless Crackheads, as they use to refer to us, were about to enter the big leagues. We were going to finally get a chance to show all those naysayers just how wrong they were. 

Ready? You're darn right we were ready. And then some. With our trusty, albeit a bit dusty, "To Go" bags sitting diligently right by the front door just like we were instructed to do oh so long ago. 

Matter of fact they've been there so long I'm sure most, if not all, of us couldn't recall all of what was actually in them but we were ready nonetheless.

Did you bring all your currency. Was it all neatly in order, right side up, left side down, lowest to highest, all facing the same direction, and so on. Which was odd because in the beginning there was only one currency to deal with. One of any concern. The Iraqi Dinar.

The be all, end all, of every up and coming exchange. Life revolved around that one single currency. And to make matters that much easier, it was always the 25K notes that stood at the top of the stack. 

Better yet, they all had what appeared to be the exact same serial numbers. How much easier could it get.

Sure, there were other "versions" of the dinar but we were only concerned with the one version. That's it. And beware of those notes with that no good evil do'er Saddam's face on them. They had been rendered worthless since the new and improved, sixty three built-in safety features had been released in 2003.

At a printing cost of $0.06 per note they made our USD look like Monopoly money. Heck, that actually sounds like an insult to Monopoly money. My apologies. 

Yeah, some of us did hold a few of the other variations but mostly because they were gifted to us as "Thank You's" for previously purchasing the Big Dog 25K's. Oh wait, there was one other item of concern. Circulated or uncirculated.

That debate went on for years. What was the difference. Was there even a difference. In reality there was one main difference. Odd as it sounds, it was the smell. Yep, that undeniable aroma. 

Same exchangeable value but one didn't really smell like anything in particular whereas the "used" version smelled like it had been everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! And not in a good way.

It was difficult to explain. Not like anything I'd ever smelled before but man oh man, there was no hiding from it. Wrap it up in ten freezer bags, the funk still got out. 

I only know this because I made the mistake of taking the cheap route (as there was a hefty price difference between the two at the time) a couple of times and lived to smell... I mean tell about it.

From then on, whenever I was fortunate enough to find the funds, it was all uncirculated or nothing at all. The small price savings wasn't worth living with the circulated funkification. That's one stinky sock drawer I wanted nothing to do with.

Not to mention running those notes through the De la Rue machines, the smell wafting wildly windward would be more than amplified at the speed those things run the currency through.

Speaking of the De la Rue machines, there was also lots of talk running around about those at the time as well. Supposedly every bank branch was going to have at least one machine available for the RV exchanges but at a cost of $30K each, that one was a bit difficult to swallow. 

But heck, with the rumored multi million billions that would be flyin' around all willy nilly 'n such, what's an extra $30K between friends.

And yes, friends of the banks we would be. Finally. At that stage of the process we will have officially been morphed from penniless peasants to high net worth individuals, our status skyrocketing at the same time. So called "Intelligent Investors" as it were.

Wealth Managers, Financial Advisors, Private Bankers, Family Office officers, you name it. All of them at our beck and call. Clamoring for our attention, screaming "Pick me, pick me" as the De La Rue machines whirred away at lightning speed.

Who would we choose. More importantly how would we choose them. Would it be based simply on us having introduced ourselves pre-RV or would that even be necessary. 

Rumors were rampantly swirling at the time of those folks that attempted to make contact with a representative of the bank only to basically be laughed right out of the bank. Door locked swiftly behind 'em.

Sure, there were a couple of wink wink, nod nod's rumored to have taken place as well but for the most part it was complete denial on the bank's part. While many of us had made some of our earliest currency purchases at the bank, growing tired of the constant "I'm calling about the upcoming RV happening this Friday" jibber jabber, they took it upon themselves to flip the script.

Not only did they stop selling the currency but they took it even a few steps further, changing their voicemail messages to reflect the RV itself being a total scam as well as their non-participation in anything having to do with the RV on any level. Even crazier yet they began telling their employees they weren't allowed to purchase nor own any IQD.

That's about the time the latest and greatest rumors began to float around. Those surrounding the hints of just how unhappy the Tellers and other bank employees were going to be once us exchangers showed up to exchange our currency post RV and them having been told it was all a scam and nothing they need be interested in nor concerned with.

They would be working for us, not with us, and having to do it with a smile. Who could blame them for being upset about missing out on a once in a lifetime opportunity simply because the boss says so. Thankfully word began to spread of those taking the risk and getting involved anyway. And good for them.

As we morphed into the whole GCR thing the bank stories were fewer and further between. Was that due in large part to the rise in bank branch closures combined with the whole online banking takeover? 

Not exactly sure but no doubt they began to show up less and less. To the point where they no longer happened. Or at least weren't boasted about, even if they did continue to happen on occasion.

Perhaps those experiencing them felt less and less secure in sharing their perceived close calls. Becoming non-believers themselves in the process. Whatever it was, someone turned off the spigot and they just dried up.

It's a shame as I'm sure many folks enjoyed hearing them. Nowadays it seems to be all about the gold. Gold this, gold that. Gold is skyrocketing, reaching levels never seen before.

Which is all fine and good but likely for a majority of folks they are unable to see the correlation between gold and the RV/GCR. Whereas a relatable banking story with their good buddy Brad down at their local branch made them feel as if they weren't alone on this journey. That someone else, someone supposedly much better "connected", was actually experiencing some behind the scenes stuff.

For me it's another part of the far too long list of things that have changed over the years. But I can't deny I do miss a good ol' wink wink, nod nod story every now and again, just to keep the close call vibes alive.

Hang in there folks, this here GCR is eventually going to happen. It has to happen. The global economy is depending on it. It's only a matter of time. 

By the way, am I the only one or have you noticed the big time golden makeover inside the Oval Office? Do you think that happened by happenstance. I don't think so. Wink wink, nod nod.

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, Private Banker, Family Office Officer, Bank Manager, Bank Teller, Magic 8 Ball Reader, nor am I a professional wink wink, nod nod'er. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.