The world observes Braille Day on January 4 to celebrate the birth of Louis Braille. The inventor had given the world a writing system that has improved the lives of millions of visually impaired across the globe.
Early History
At the age of 3, Louis Braille lost his eyesight in an accident. Despite his blindness, Braille became a remarkable musician. At the age of 10, he entered the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France. He became interested in a writing system and developed and perfected a code based on cells with six embossed dots that allow a person to feel the cell unit with a single touch. Braille’s phenomenal creation has unveiled a world of accessibility to the sight-impaired.
Banknotes & Coins For Braille Day
The Honduras 50 Lempiras Banknote is part of the 2012 – 2016 issues released by the Central Bank of Honduras, bearing the embossed Braille dots and high-relief vertical bars at the center that aid the blinds identify the denomination. The note’s obverse honors Honduran president Juan Manuel Galvez Duron. Its reverse features the Central Bank headquarters. The paper bill contains a Mayan glyph registration device, a solid security thread with printed BCH 50, and a watermark of Juan Manuel Galvez Duron with an electrotype 50.
The Singapore 100 Dollars Banknote from 2020 carries electrotype braille codes on its watermark area, in addition to the image of Singapore’s former president, Yusof bin Ishak. A portrait of the president, the coat of arms of Singapore, and a Kinegram holographic patch make up the banknote’s obverse design. On the reverse is a youth theme and displays members of the Singapore Red Cross, Saint John’s Ambulance Brigade, and the National Police Cadet Corp officer with a sword. It also features the tower of the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute Military Institute and a tower with a flag. Aside from the watermark, the note bears a lion’s head registration device and a windowed security thread with a demetallized country name and denomination in English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil.
Coins Celebrating Louis Braille’s Birthday
The Brunei 1 Ringgit Banknote from 2011-2016 contains Braille dots. Notes dated 2011 have printed dots. However since these can’t be felt by touch, these were replaced by embossed dots on later versions of the note. The front of the note portrays Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah wearing the military uniform and a dastar headgear. In addition to a Dillenia suffruticosa flower. On the reverse is a view of Bandar Seri Begawan. The security features include a flower registration device, a watermark of Sultan Bolkiah. Also a section of the mosque design, and a clear window of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque. In addition you can find his portrait on a few coins like a commemorative 2 Euro. In addition to an Indian 2 Rupee coin commemorating this 200th birthday.
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