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Message:: [QUOTE="LakeEffect, post: 7656168, member: 43201"]Old timers, like me, remember when the internet was new. In the mid-1990's, it was all text - there were no graphics - and the world wide web didn't really exist yet. Using my 300 baud modem, I would call the local FreeNET server at my old university to connect. I especially enjoyed the usenet discussion groups. They were the precursors to forums like CoinTalk but without any pictures, or anything else besides text. It was fascinating to me that I could discuss topics of interest with others around the globe and learn new stuff in my living room.  One of the many groups I frequented was alt.fan.frank-zappa. I'm a fan of his music, especially the late 60's and early 70's stuff which I think is his best and most musical. It turns out a lot of western music isn't (or wasn't) readily available outside of North America, Europe, and maybe Australia. So it happened that a member from Russia asked me if I could tape a few albums for him and send him the cassettes. Of course I could. He asked if there was anything he could offer in return. I told him I was a coin collector and didn't have any Russian coins. He said he worked in the local bank and could send me a few. This was 1994 and I kept them in the makeshift mailer he made. Yes, they're worthless as collectibles but a neat memory.[ATTACH=full]1316264[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]