The CIA home page is an interesting browse, too. Linn's Stamp News' web site includes a list of stamp-issuing entities , past and present. A place to find post code information worldwide. The Oanda site provides daily currency exchange rates for 164 countries since 1990, with some rates available back to 1970. Can provide tables of daily fluctuations of exchange rates over a specific time period.
Data are available in seven languages.
Xenon Labs' Universal Currrency Converter is another site with present-day exchange rates. Countries as above, including the Euro, plus silver, gold and platinum values. Data available in English, Spanish and Swedish. Scanner use See Wayne Fulton's site for useful tips on selecting and using a scanner. He has also put this information into a 200-page book you can buy from him.