Become a Member

International Speculator (defunct)

Overall Rating

Rating: 3.2/5. From 26 votes.
Please wait...
3.1
Rating from 112 votes
If you’ve subscribed to International Speculator (defunct), please click the stars below to indicate your rating for this newsletter, and please share any other feedback about your experience using the comment box below.

Investment Performance

Rating from 32 votes
Rating: 2.9/5. From 32 votes.
Please wait...
Your vote

Quality Of Writing/Analysis

Rating from 27 votes
Rating: 3.3/5. From 27 votes.
Please wait...
Your vote

Value For Price

Rating from 27 votes
Rating: 2.9/5. From 27 votes.
Please wait...
Your vote

Customer Service

Rating from 26 votes
Rating: 3.2/5. From 26 votes.
Please wait...
Your vote
guest

12345

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

22 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Rog Blake
Guest
Rog Blake
February 9, 2009 7:48 pm

Doug Casey started The International Speculator well over 20 years ago, but I started subscribing around 2004. Originally, it was advertised as focused on any opportunities around the world likely to double in the next 12 months. This included real estate, stocks, currencies, and anything else that would fit the description.

While this sounds good, no one can be an expert on every topic. Casey’s main interest is gold, followed by real estate. He is biased toward the obscure, so he focuses on junior mining companies (often penny stocks) and locations most subscribers only read about.

His opinions and trip reports can make for interesting and enjoyable reading, but after a while he sounds like a broken record. I dug up his books from the 70’s and found that the message was still the same, only the company names have changed (the dollar is doomed! Buy bullion! Juniors are the next stock craze! The Greater Depression is upon us!). Despite claiming to be an optimist, this is doom and gloom material.

Although I rated the performance as average, I got clobbered more than the rest of the market last year with my Casey picks. Many were down 60-70% from earlier this year. For a guy who constantly defends speculation, I was surprised to see notes of caution when the market crashed. Previously, any time one of their picks fell, they suggested readers back up the truck.

They recently published an issue stating their performance for the past year. Not surprisingly, it’s quite rosy and doesn’t match the performance of the stocks I bought based on their recommendations. They like to pat themselves on the back for correctly calling a situation, but they generally don’t admit to mistakes.

Since I originally subscribed, this newsletter has forked into multiple newsletters and raised prices. What was once covered in one newsletter is now covered in Big Gold, Casey Energy Opportunities, International Speculator, The Casey Report, Without Borders, and their latest is some commodity/futures focused publication.

I’m sure I’m paying way too much for advice on how to lose money. I have found that buying shortly after they recommend selling can be profitable. Their calls to sell come way too late. Their calls to buy are often a bit late as well, which may be justification for their more expensive services.

Add a Topic
2756
Add a Topic
753
Add a Topic
2754
Bob Wilber
Guest
Bob Wilber
February 23, 2009 6:45 pm

The bottom line is: If you want to lose money, just buy all the recommended stocks in International Speculator. I started subscribing in January 2006. Pretty much all their recommendations are Canadian junior mining stocks, focused on gold and silver. I was up about 40% overall in the fall of 2007 but then the crash came. If IS had recommended a decent stop loss policy I might still have most of my money. As it is, I’m now down about 50% from my initial investment and down about 65% from the peak. But what really knocks my rating of IS down is their latest (Feb 2009) issue, in which they purported to review their performance over the last couple of years. They claimed huge gains for 2006 and 2007 (65% and 140%, respectively) vs. my actual cumulative gain over 2 years of 40%, and claimed a mere 11% loss for 2008 vs. my actual loss of 65%. The disparity between what they claim and what I got is so huge that I have to regard them as fraudulent.

Add a Topic
2754
Add a Topic
210
Add a Topic
443
Victor K.
Victor K.
November 28, 2017 11:16 pm
Reply to  Bob Wilber

Yep, they were myopic in their strategy at one point. I have done really well with a few recomnendations, but these stocks are so volatile, that’s why they don’t have a workable stop loss policy. At one point, a little late in the game, they started to clarify their stategy of how mining stocks should fit in an overall investment policy. My opinion now is that only a small portion of a portfolio should be in these stocks, which is what Casey/Stansberry now says.

steve
Guest
steve
May 23, 2009 8:27 pm

casey research terrible sell signals to much political garbage 4 years to lose tons and they cange recos all the time leaving you on your own. would not reco it

Add a Topic
753
MikeW
MikeW
June 7, 2009 12:55 pm

International Speculator – Doug Casey et al.,
Been a subscriber for a full two years. This newsletter’s recently proclaimed performance is disingenuous enough to prompt my review.
Doug Casey and his group were slaughtered on their small mining company shares in 2008. Anyone who bought originally two years ago is down 80%. This newsletter recommended doubling up in September of 2008 and those recommendations are down 30%. Of course if you had any money left and bought in December of 2008 you are up over 100% if it was a first time buy. The newsletter touts this latter success rate.
Also a big recommender of cattle. Down 30% since recommendation in Spring of 2008. They don’t talk about that one anymore.
Also a big recommender of mutual funds tied into rising interest rates such as RRPIX. They were too early (recommended June 2008)and those recommendations are down 12%, being down over 30% at one point late last year. However, the Casey group are touting 8% gains in their recent newsletter. I’m not sure when they thought they recommended those funds (I’ll refresh their memories – it was June). If you bought their recommedation in June 2008 you are down, if you bought in January 2009 you are up.
So…..like most newsletters you can buy them for their entertainment value (Casey can be entertaining), just don’t count on their investment advice.

Add a Topic
2754
Add a Topic
2756
Add a Topic
753
steve leuschner
Guest
steve leuschner
August 27, 2009 7:46 pm

i just stopped renewing energy specultor and IS . five years of subscriptions to the Casey research family . what a load of crap . they dont respond when you point out that the great returns they claim are put into questions by subscribers they just ignore you i’d like to go to one of thier paid investment conferences and just give casey stick sell signals were nmon existant then he printed a small blurb in his site making an excuse as to why he cost most of his IS subscribers to lose their shirts they suck this place is great thanks for providing this forum

Add a Topic
753
Add a Topic
753
Mike
Guest
Mike
December 8, 2010 6:09 pm

I have subscribed since 2006. This is NOT for short-term trading. It IS for making the most of the trend of the decade, which is the destruction of the US dollar, and many other currencies of insolvent countries. This leads to buying SOME junior gold and silver miners. They all got slaughtered in 2008. I kept some and they are all back strong now. The ones I regret are the ones I sold. I have been more consistently following their recommendations since 2009, with great results.

Add a Topic
210
Add a Topic
443
C.R. Schmink
Guest
C.R. Schmink
December 27, 2011 8:38 pm

I dabbled (and lost) with penny stocks, using a specific, relatively small amount of money. PRIOR to 2008 I subscribed to International Speculator, and learned enough not to be stupid and sell while what I owned was down 50% and more. That discipline (learned, not an inherent personal trait) stood me very well. Take, for example, Silver Wheaton (a strong Casey recommendation). My ONLY heartburn is that when it got down to $2.56 at the bottom, I didn’t have enough free cash to purchase any more than what I already had (which averaged around $10). I ended up selling most of what I had right near the peak at $45. I’ve since repurchased a good bit lower. There were several others like that.

Casey says, quite clearly if anyone bothers to read his advertising thoroughly, that one must be willing to ride out down turns (which can be severe in small mining and energy stocks), and that some of their picks will be losers. But when you get a 5- or 10-bagger, that certainly makes up for a few losses.

Now? I’m down a very large percentage. Am I worried? No. I don’t need the money right now, and I’ve learned not to panic when everyone else is. I learned that when the market is tanking, I should be cheering the “back up the trucks” opportunities (as Casey calls them) that exist with companies that have been severely hit, but that are fundamentally sound and highly likely to emerge out the other side with huge gains. Like I said, I was almost in tears when Silver Wheaton hit $2.56, but only because I had no free cash at the time. Just imagine buying in at even $4.50, holding on as it went down almost 50%, but then came roaring back for a 10-fold increase in just a couple of years. If someone isn’t “up” for that kind of environment, Casey’s publications are not appropriate.

Yes, we’ve since subscribed to others of his publications, and currently have several because of our experience with Casey Research over the years. And yes – again – we’re way down right now. No big deal. This should not be money that’s needed in the short run, nor money that you cannot stand to have sit while you take a 25% or 50% hit (maybe higher). I continue to recommend Casey to friends I don’t want to lose.

And to the person that said their customer service is worthless (my term, his implication), my experience is very different. I’ve gotten responses to all but one of at least five or six emails or phone calls I’ve sent to Casey research – from some of their top people, not some underling whose name never appears in print.

Add a Topic
2754
Add a Topic
443
Add a Topic
753
crrussell
crrussell
February 26, 2013 9:07 pm

Have been a subscriber for many years. They have improved. Better writers, researchers. Like all high voltage publications, make your own decision to buy and why; then you’ll know when to sell whether IS recommends or not. The best filter is you. Casey is quite right when he says that the down drafts can be life threatening, but not fatal [I made that up, but I’m sure he’d put it something like that]. Almost all of the Casey publications can be characterized as mandatory self evaluation investment suggestions! I do like the Casey ability to find promising juniors and their willingness to go kick the rocks in person. That is rare. Still, they are not CFAs, they’re researchers and pickers. Pay close attention, know your own limits and you’ll find them a worth while publication.

Add a Topic
753
Add a Topic
753
Add a Topic
753
👍 12
golddigger
Member
golddigger
October 12, 2013 11:11 pm

Blind gambling dressed up as well researched speculation!

I have to say after subscribing to casey research’s international speculator for multiple quarters that not only is the newsletter useless it is actually destructive if you follow their advice.

Bottom line is that this newsletter is an abject failure. Most of their current recommendations are down 70% or more. Think honestly about that for a minute, how much would it hurt to lose 70% of your money? The few success they currently have are only up 8% or so. As a matter of fact if you look at their investment history it is dismal at best. During bull phases in the mining sector they only returned around 25% overall when the sector should have brought in 50% or more during these rare periods. So during the bull phases they underperformed the sector and during the bear phases you can expect to get absolutely crushed. During the static phases your money will go nowhere and will be hit and miss based on a treasure hunt of explorer teams and totally news dependent.

The main problem is the team’s contrarian attitude and false premises that they have a boots on the ground approach with local connections and eyes on the site making sure that they are investing in the best of the best companies. Nothing could be further from the truth; most of their recommendations are simply just the most well promoted junior resource companies and explorers that you could find on any mining or small cap specialty site. On top of that they recommend high risk stocks that are considered the scourge in the mining investment community (there is that contrarian attitude) effectively asking you to gamble your money on long shots. If it goes up they can use the long shot as promotion they can bring 300% gains, of course they rarely go up and most end in complete bankruptcy. The truth is that they do not have an inside edge on these companies or proprietary information but simply make buy and sell decisions based on the same news wires everyone else uses.

They are like realtors in real estate it is always a good time to buy gold and its associated mining stocks. If the company loses 25% of its value fill in a stink bid! 50% great another stinker bid!! 75% a dream come true another stinker bid…………whoops you ran out of investment capital a long time ago. Buying high, buying even lower and holding for a collapse.

Most people that bought in on their recommendations have lost all their money and incurred a huge opportunity cost. They will tell you to buy anytime and anywhere. They are also very dishonest, claiming gains by cherring picking data. They claim they recommended PVG when it was 6.42 ish for a free ride gain toward 12! HA HA HA, they were telling people to buy when it was 14 then down to 13 then down to 12, BACK THE TRUCK UP ITS AT 10! Now of course the stock is at 5 ish! Whoops I guess those investors aren’t counted in. Give me a break.

They are also reactionary waiting for a stock to move up in major gains before recommending it hoping to capitalize on a further trend when in reality the ship already left the dock.

All in all stay away they are wrapped up in a very faulty methodology, sense of infallibility and most importantly a horrendous record of stock picks.

Please take this warning seriously, do not end up like most of their subscribers. Stay out of the graveyard.

Add a Topic
2578
Add a Topic
753
Add a Topic
2754
👍 7
golddigger
Member
golddigger
October 12, 2013 11:13 pm

I have to say after subscribing to casey research’s international speculator for multiple quarters that not only is the newsletter useless it is actually destructive if you follow their advice.

Bottom line is that this newsletter is an abject failure. Most of their current recommendations are down 70% or more. Think honestly about that for a minute, how much would it hurt to lose 70% of your money? The few success they currently have are only up 8% or so. As a matter of fact if you look at their investment history it is dismal at best. During bull phases in the mining sector they only returned around 25% overall when the sector should have brought in 50% or more during these rare periods. So during the bull phases they underperformed the sector and during the bear phases you can expect to get absolutely crushed. During the static phases your money will go nowhere and will be hit and miss based on a treasure hunt of explorer teams and totally news dependent.

The main problem is the team’s contrarian attitude and false premises that they have a boots on the ground approach with local connections and eyes on the site making sure that they are investing in the best of the best companies. Nothing could be further from the truth; most of their recommendations are simply just the most well promoted junior resource companies and explorers that you could find on any mining or small cap specialty site. On top of that they recommend high risk stocks that are considered the scourge in the mining investment community (there is that contrarian attitude) effectively asking you to gamble your money on long shots. If it goes up they can use the long shot as promotion they can bring 300% gains, of course they rarely go up and most end in complete bankruptcy. The truth is that they do not have an inside edge on these companies or proprietary information but simply make buy and sell decisions based on the same news wires everyone else uses.

They are like realtors in real estate it is always a good time to buy gold and its associated mining stocks. If the company loses 25% of its value fill in a stink bid! 50% great another stinker bid!! 75% a dream come true another stinker bid…………whoops you ran out of investment capital a long time ago. Buying high, buying even lower and holding for a collapse.

Most people that bought in on their recommendations have lost all their money and incurred a huge opportunity cost. They will tell you to buy anytime and anywhere. They are also very dishonest, claiming gains by cherring picking data. They claim they recommended PVG when it was 6.42 ish for a free ride gain toward 12! HA HA HA, they were telling people to buy when it was 14 then down to 13 then down to 12, BACK THE TRUCK UP ITS AT 10! Now of course the stock is at 5 ish! Whoops I guess those investors aren’t counted in. Give me a break.

They are also reactionary waiting for a stock to move up in major gains before recommending it hoping to capitalize on a further trend when in reality the ship already left the dock.

All in all stay away they are wrapped up in a very faulty methodology, sense of infallibility and most importantly a horrendous record of stock picks.

Please take this warning seriously, do not end up like most of their subscribers. Stay out of the graveyard.

Add a Topic
753
Add a Topic
2754
Add a Topic
409
👍 7
chuckg
Member
chuckg
January 23, 2014 9:26 am

A lot of people just “don’t get it!” This is International SPECULATOR. Recommendations are not to be construed as family heirlooms, passed on from one generation to the next. Doug Casey has a “patented” evaluation system, the “8 P’s: Phinancing (sic), People, Properties, Politics…and claims to “eat his own cooking.” Timing is just about everything with buying & selling these stocks (his recs). I invested $1200 in Virginia Gold Mines, which eventually turned into $30K, $14K in Diamond Fields which turned into $200K+, $15K in MAG Silver, a yr. later, was $180K. Many of his recs. are off 80-90% or more from their highs and their stories are more compelling than ever, and the anti-gold and silver sentiment is as bad as I’ve ever seen. Don’t try to squeeze the last 5 cents out of these stocks. Take a shotgun approach and buy many and you will probably be pleasantly surprised.

Add a Topic
2754
Add a Topic
2756
Add a Topic
753
Ove Johannes Aspen
Member
Ove Johannes Aspen
August 8, 2016 6:25 pm

Seems that Stock Gumshoe just saved me 2000 dollars.I get a lot of updates from Nevsun Resources as well.

Add a Topic
5971
rajbarnett
rajbarnett
February 3, 2017 12:37 pm

What is the latest “hot” promo-? ” Red Gold ” somewhere south of Nova Gold ..

” Second, this area of Canada is home to some of the richest mines in the world. I already told you about several companies that struck gold in this region… including Delaware Resources and Stikine Resources, which saw their shares rise 2,700% and 6,600%.

Farther to the north, there’s also Novagold’s massive Galore Creek gold project, with 9 billion pounds of copper, 8 million ounces of gold, and 136 million ounces of silver in mine reserves. This discovery helped Novagold shares rise 10,888%.

Do the Gumshoe Irregulars post these touts when they first pop out?

Add a Topic
210
Add a Topic
210
Add a Topic
1515
nuggettrader
Guest
nuggettrader
February 5, 2017 4:40 am
Reply to  rajbarnett

It must be Pretium Resources (PVG). The following elements lead me to that conclusion:
– Dr Q= Bob Quartermain (Pretium CEO)-
– Project Brucejack is south of Novagold’s Galore Creek
– Brucejack mine currently in construction (to be operational mid-2017 according to company)
– The transmission line construction continues to progress towards completion (mentioned in the promo)
– Seems to be on the highest grade gold mines to be operational soon
Hope this helps

Add a Topic
210
Randy P
Guest
Randy P
February 6, 2017 1:55 pm

Doug Casey is a first class writer and I’m partial to his philosophical approach but I must say after decades, since the late eighties, of having followed him that his investment advice has not been profitable for me. I’ve had a couple of exhilarating runs on his recommendations but not enough to cover for most recommendations that were garbage.

My recommendation to anyone would be read Doug for educational and entertainment purposes only for that is what he excels at. He is dangerous to follow for specific investment advice.

Add a Topic
2756
Add a Topic
753
Coral
Guest
Coral
November 13, 2017 11:38 am

Lately, and it might be the market, but I’ve made good money on Louis James recommendations. Some speculative gold recs and while I’m still underneath it at the moment I’m starting to see some good movement in his Uranium recommendations. I am cautious with my entry points and on speculations like this I adhere to stops and take profit when I can.

These services shouldn’t need to hold your hand; this is your money. This guy (Louis James) and Matt Badiali currently w Banyon Hill (formerly Stansberry Research) have been worth my investment in their research and when they are both coming up with the same names I know I’m getting good advice.

Add a Topic
2802
Add a Topic
210
Add a Topic
520
zbyg81
Irregular
zbyg81
December 2, 2017 11:52 am

IS is not a cheap but an expensive newsletter. As I understand it has been sold many times. I started subscribing it as Crisis Investment in 1990s and it was then really written by Mr Casey in his peculiar way. When it was sold the price increased a lot and I discontinued. Now I got a special offer and I have been subscribing again a few years. The content is OK but maybe not better than some cheaper gold speculation newsletters like Gold Newsletter and Daily Gold or Don Durrett’s ‘offerings’ etc. They seem to be always optimistic about the gold price.

Add a Topic
753
Add a Topic
210
Add a Topic
210
👍 17
Lookout
Member
Lookout
November 5, 2018 7:59 am

I joined in June 2013. Bought about 30 of their recommendations with several 5 and 10 baggers amongst them. Currently on a 13% loss and never got better than a double. Of course I would have an odd 5 bagger if I knew the bottom and the top but then I wouldn’t need IS.

james hanson
Guest
james hanson
January 29, 2020 12:54 pm

If you have a service like this, you can usually match their hit rate with a dart board. They are making their bones selling the service because they do not know how to make money on the market. Every single on of them. With the net being what it is, u can do better without them.

Sam Wiebaux
Guest
Sam Wiebaux
February 23, 2020 5:22 pm

SGBL

ANY IDEAS OR RECOMMENDATIONS?

Add a Topic
3473
sailmann
Guest
sailmann
April 15, 2023 12:06 am

“Jim–He’s dead”.

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies.

More Info  
22
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x