Palau – 2009 – 5 Dollars – 200th Ann. Louis Braille (BU)

Description

Country: Palau
Year: 2009
Face value: 5 Dollars
Metal: Silver .925
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 38.61 mm
Quality: BU
Mintage: 2’500 pcs.

Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809. He left behind an invaluably significant heritage – the Braille for the blind. He lost his eyesight at the age of 3 when he accidently stabbed himself in the eye with an awl, one of the saddler tools in his father?s workshop. Unfortunately his one eye was so badly injured that it infected his second eye which could also not be saved and within 2 years he finally lost his eyesight completely. The small Braille asked his parents over and over again ?When will it be light again?? This almost broke his parents hearts. Louis was a very bright and creative child and a fast learner. At the age of 10 Louise was sent to Paris to attend the first blind school worldwide.

In 1821 a captain named Barbier presented his invention called ?Night writing?at his school. This invention, consisting of raised dots, was used by servicemen in order to transmit secret messages without speaking. The disadvantage was that it was very complicated and not flexible. Braille recognised the potential of this way of writing very fast. For years he was preoccupied developing his Braille for the blind, based on raised dots. Already at the age of 16 he found the final solution. The characters consist of 6 raised dots and are divided into two columns.

Only in 1850 his Braille was officially introduced for lessons in French blind schools. However he did not experience the international breakthrough. He came down with the tuberculosis disease and died on January 6, 1852. This silver coin shows a beautiful portrait of Louis Braille with the date embossed in Braille.