Sure you can! I really don't think a blind person would want to be a coin collector but I know a guy who can hardly see and he makes alot of money off coins so you just never know!!
You're aware that you can't just jump out of a plane by yourself the first, oh, 100 times you go skydiving, right?
really? i have always wanted to do it, but it sorta takes the fun out of it, if i was connected to some instructor...
Absolutely Yes !! There will be small adaptations to be made. Like Grading will only have to have strike and wear characteristics. No need to worry about Luster. But I think a Blind person with an advanced sense of touch and knowledge of the different wear characteristics (High Points) of their chosen coin series would absolutely have a great time and enjoy our wonderful hobby with out having to get into the high dollar stuff that is graded and encapsulated. Because graded coins would be useless to them. To try to make a living at it I would say no. But as a wonderful Hobby Heck Yes!! Terry
Of course one could be blind and collect coins! It should be noted that there are also plenty of sighted coin collectors blinded by Mint marketing schemes and plastic TPG slabs bearing little papery grade labels who ignore the coin inside and buy the slab. There are also plenty of sighted people who refuse to read numismatic books, publications and web sites, and yet they "collect coins".
Let us not forget: United States Mint Unveils Design for First U.S. Coin with Readable Braille [from US Mint 7/2/2008] 2009 Louis Braille Silver Commemorative Dollar Also the BEP have been attempting to deal with features on US paper money for the visually impaired in which discussion has included braille features. See Differentiation [Wikipedia]
Yes you can be blind and collect coins, and there ARE blind collectors. Not many of course. At one time there was even a blind coin DEALER.
Actually how would he be able to know the grade of the coins if he has to touch and feel the unevenness of the coin and yet not physically touch to avoid leaving fingerprints?
As a foreign coin collector, grading isn't terribly important. To me, the history is usually the top reason for picking something up. I rarely buy a coin for the "pretty" factor. There's also the cool to own really old things factor. Oh yeah, there's the rarity and value factors. None of these really require sight. So yes, I could envision a blind coin collector. I know, bad pun.
We have a blind collector on these boards. Username livingdinasaur, he is legally blind, and views all his coins with a USB microscope attached to his 30 something inch TV, all day everyday. Has to sit awful close to the Tv to see even the smallest details.
Due to his vision he finds coincommunity easiest. He still frequents there, coppercoins, and my site quite often. This site is "too hard" for him to navigate. It makes sense to me.
There is also a member of one of the local clubs I belong to who is legally blind (white cane and everything). He does have some sight though and his wife also helps some.
