GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!

By way of Techcrunch the news is that Sparter, a site where you can buy currency for a variety of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) has opened.

The site acts as an escrow service, keeping financial transactions on hold until both parties agree that the virtual currency has changed hands.

There is a very slick presentation here, with graphs tracking the average price of the virtual currency, the ability to compare many different suppliers prices, check the reliability of suppliers, etc.

It reminds me of a very specialized version of Ebay, which has apparantly decided to get out of the virtual items market.

The development of such sites is an interesting development, as it blurs the line between virtual and real currencies. It is arguable that there is little practical difference between this form of virtual currency trading, and say going to a foreign exchange kiosk at an airport.

If you would like to learn more about real-word currency trading, check out these books:
The 10 Essentials of Forex trading
Forex made easy
Forex Revolution