2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar Uncirculated Coin

2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar Uncirculated Coin, Obverse - Click to Enlarge

Commemorating 200 years since the birth of a man who has helped millions of visually impaired persons to read, the US Mint has issued the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar Uncirculated Coin.

Each coin features readable Braille on them (a first for a coin from the US Mint) and is struck from 90% silver and 10% copper. A proof version of the coin has also been created.

NASA blasted two of the Braille coins into space aboard the shuttle Atlantis in order to increase awareness of the product and raise more funds for the National Federation of the Blind (a surcharge has been added to the price of each coin for this purpose).

The Mint will accept orders for these coins until December 11, 2009. By law, they are not allowed to issue them past December 31, so this allows them time to fulfill all requests.

Braille Silver Uncirculated Coin Design

2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar Uncirculated Coin, Reverse - Click to Enlarge

Obverse design: A portrait of Louis Braille is featured on the obverse that was designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. The obverse also shows the following inscriptions: "LOUIS BRAILLE," "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," "1809" and "2009."

Reverse design: A child reading a Braille book is featured on the reverse designed by Susan Gamble and sculpted by Joseph Menna. The unique feature of readable Braille is found on the field of the reverse. Also seen are the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNIM" and "ONE DOLLAR."

Coin Specifications & Information

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