Every once in a while the U.S. Congress passes a bill that instructs the Treasury Department to authorize the Mint to strike a commemorative coin worthy of its being. We are blessed this year with two such coins, both are crown-sized silver Dollars. Those two coins are the 2009 Lincoln Silver Dollar and the 2009 Louis Braille Silver Dollar. Both are 200th anniversary commemoratives of their namesakes. I'm only going to laud the Louis Braille Silver Dollar in this post. It's available in two different grades: Proof and Uncirculated. It commemorates the contribution of Braille's "System of raised dots" giving the world's sightless the ability to read with their fingers. The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar is limited to a mintage total of 400,000 coins (across all product options; proof and uncirculated). The Proof is housed in a special case. There are two offering options of the uncirculated Silver Dollar (both come in boxes); a semi-permanent capsule and an easy-open capsule. Mint Notice: "To ensure the broadest and most fair access to the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar, a limit of 50 units each per household is in effect for this product during the first 30 days of its release. At the end of the initial 30-day period, and each 30-day period thereafter, the United States Mint will re-evaluate this limit and either extend, adjust or remove it." For photos and more information on the Louis Braille Commemorative Silver Dollar click here (click blue item link for more info and then click photo for a nice enlargement): http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wc...storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&identifier=4000 If you are going to order a Louis Braille Commemorative Silver Dollar from the mint or from a coin dealer you might consider obtaining the following coins to create a better showcase: You might consider one or more "Euro" coins and banknotes as they are designed with the visually impaired in mind: Euro coins feature different sizes, shapes, colors, edges, weights, thicknesses, and prominently displayed denominations on the European side of the coins. Take a look here: http://www.eurocoins.co.uk/images1euros.html Euro banknotes feature different sizes, vivid colors, raised print large numerals (valuations) and tactile marks near the edges of the 200 and 500 Euros Banknotes (no tactile marks on 100 Euros Banknotes). There are other "Braille" coins to consider too: Of course the first coin that comes to mind is a U.S.A. circulating coin. It's, also, the first U.S.A. circulating coin to bear "Braille" raised dots on it. The coin that has this special honor is the 2003 Alabama State Quarter (image courtesy of Coinpage): http://www.coinpage.com/large.php?tImageId=530 You know Louis Braille was born in France so it seems fitting that France would issue a Coin or coins with Braille's likeness on them and they did: (no photo) The 36.7mm coin is a silver 100 Francs struck in 1999 with an ASW of 0.6453 bearing a portrait of Louis Braille, dots and fingers on the obverse with a reverse bearing tools, Braille text and fingers. The KM number in the Krause-Mishner World Coins 1901 - 2000 catalog is KM1295. Back in 1981 the Isle of Man issued two "Braille" coins for their "International Year of Disabled" series. A copper-nickel Crown featuring a bust of Louis and some "Braille" text (no photo available) on the reverse (KM77). The second is a silver Crown (0.8411 ASW) with the same reverse (KM77a). Peru produced coins with both "Braille text" and without "Braille Text" from 1991 through 2005 in denominational values of 1 Centimos through Nuevo Sol. Ecudorian coinage of the late 80s bears "Braille text" on some strikes. Recent Costa Rican coinage utilizes some "Braille text" on some denominations. Italy struck a 500 Lire with "Braille writing" on it. You can even find some Mexican commemoratives with "Braille text" on them. You might decide to enhance your 2009 "Louis Braille" Commemorative Silver Dollar and 2003 Alabama State Quarter with coins from other countries bearing notable "Visonally Impaired" people on them such as this 1997 French 500 Francs bearing Madame Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre on it (photo courtesy of coinarchives.com): Click photo for a nice enlargement. http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=670146&AucID=489&Lot=4148 or this 1984 French 100 Francs honoring Madame Curie alone: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=557380&AucID=403&Lot=126 Here's a modern artistic rendition of Marie Curie on a 1979 Polish 2000 Zloty: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=272229&AucID=200&Lot=1084 Or you can add the 1980 Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan Postage Stamp to enhanmce your collection: http://www.whitmanbooks.com/Default.aspx?Page=81&ProductID=1824M For photos of Marie Curie postage stamps issued around the world click here, then scroll down to "Curie, Marie:" More Stamps and Paper Currency featuring Marie Curie: http://www.mlahanas.de/Physics/Bios/MarieCurie.html You may want to consider adding coins from countries that were made in shapes blind citizens could recognize just by touching them such as these India 17th and 18th square and octagonal Rupees (courtesy of coinarchives.com): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=628782&AucID=455&Lot=659 Or this Octagonal Gold Mohur from the same period in India history: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=599201&AucID=435&Lot=1105 Perhaps you'd like to own one of the first coins to bear a blind person on its obverse. It's an undated 1364 Luxemburg Silver Demi-Esterlin featuring "John, the Blind": http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=474730&AucID=351&Lot=51625 Now look at this 1946 100 Francs commemorating the 600th Anniversary of John the Blind. http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=574848&AucID=420&Lot=3271 From Brussels come these three 1946 gold pieces also commemorating John the Blind's 600th Anniversary: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=435980&AucID=323&Lot=276 Here's a photo of another coin with a Blind King on it and the commemorization of his wedding. When you click the link, PLEASE read the text and click photo to enlarge: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=652248&AucID=476&Lot=4153 And, lest you think no one created a colectible featuring a "seeing eye dog" take a look at this well-crafted medal: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=301888&AucID=220&Lot=2273 Well, I've run out of time to uncover more info and photos for this post. Hope you enjoyed it... Clinker
To green18: Had a good time reasearching the subject. Thanks for commenting...always good to hear feom you...bye for now:hail: Clinker
