The Bureau of Historic Losses
The Skeptics' Ledger
They said it was a scam, a fraud, rat poison, worth nothing. We wrote down the date. The figures update hourly.
№ 001 · 2018-05-05
Warren Buffett
“It's probably rat poison squared.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$12,66712.7×
today US$8,102
№ 002 · 2021-05-01
Charlie Munger
“I think the whole damn development is disgusting and contrary to the interests of civilization.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$2,1562.16×
today US$1,379
№ 003 · 2017-09-12
Jamie Dimon
“It's a fraud… worse than tulip bulbs. It won't end well.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$29,98930.0×
today US$19,180
№ 004 · 2018-05-07
Bill Gates
“It's kind of a pure 'greater fool theory' type of investment.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$13,30013.3×
today US$8,506
№ 005 · 2018-11-20
Peter Schiff
“It's eventually going to zero.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$28,07928.1×
today US$17,958
№ 006 · 2018-10-11
Nouriel Roubini
“Crypto is the mother or father of all scams and bubbles.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$20,08620.1×
today US$12,846
№ 007 · 2013-12-28
Paul Krugman
“Bitcoin Is Evil”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$163,679164×
today US$104,682
№ 008 · 2019-07-12
Donald Trump
“…not money, and whose value is highly volatile and based on thin air.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$10,57210.6×
today US$6,762
№ 009 · 2022-05-20
Christine Lagarde
“It is worth nothing. It is based on nothing. There is no underlying asset to act as an anchor of safety.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$4,2764.28×
today US$2,735
№ 010 · 1979-08-13
BusinessWeek
“The Death of Equities”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$70,84170.8×
today US$69,181
№ 011 · 1997-10-06
Michael Dell
“What would I do? I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$1.9M1,920×
today US$1.8M
№ 012 · 2007-04-30
Steve Ballmer
“There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance.”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$105,503106×
today US$97,446
№ 013 · 1999-05-31
Barron's
“Amazon.bomb”
$1,000 then, at its peak
US$103,954104×
today US$90,179
Everyone's a genius in hindsight. These ones did it out loud.
Calculate my regret