Originally Posted by Xenomorph

There have been some American and Japanese firms that have hired Eastern European computer users, given them exact instructions on how to most effectively farm gil, and set them to work in FFXI accounts for the sole purpose of making in-game money to sell on online markets.

It isn't that surprising, in my mind. I remember reading somewhere a few years ago that the Everquest platinum piece was far stronger against the dollar than most third world countries' currencies.