Louis Braille Silver Dollars Launch
2009 Louis Braille Silver Dollars were launched in a ceremony Thursday at the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. The commemorative proof and uncirculated silver dollars celebrate the 200th birthday and the life and work of Louis Braille, inventor of the Braille system for reading and writing by the blind and visually impaired.

The United States Mint first released the Braille designs and a prototype in July 2008 during the NFB annual convention in Dallas, Texas. The unveiling showcased the unique silver dollar design, which US Mint Director Ed Moy told the audience about during Thursday’s ceremony.
"For the first time in history, the United States has a coin with readable Braille. The 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar honors the developer of Braille, a tactile code that has been instrumental in the literacy and independence of the world’s blind people."




The
Americans are very familiar with the continual failure of dollar coins in every day use. In recent years, the Susan B. Anthony and the Sacagawea Golden Dollar have lost their acceptance battle.
(Baltimore, Maryland) — The brief comments below are in conjunction with the unveiling of a new U.S. gold coin, the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle, by United States Mint Director, Ed Moy, at the American Numismatic Association
United States Mint Director Ed Moy