First ever Vatican stamp featuring Braille characters

(4 Nov 2009) SHOTLIST
1. Wide shot of Saint Peter's Square
2. Exterior of Vatican Philatelic office, fountain
3. Interior of Vatican Philatelic office
4. Close-up of photographer taking pictures of new Braille stamps
5. Close-up tilt down of Braille stamps reading (Italian): "Louis Braille 1809 - 2009. Vatican City. 65 euro cents"
6. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Marco (last name not given), stamp collector:
"So far its value is the one written on it; I don't know if its price will rise much, especially as they have produced a significant number of them. If I were able to know how the value of a stamp will change, then I would be able to calculate how many stamps I should buy of an edition, but no, that is not the case." (laughs)
7. Close-up of hand picking up sheet of the Braille stamps
8. Close-up of finger passing on Braille raised dots on stamp
9. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Franco (last name not given), stamp collector:
"This is like all the other stamps, like the one coming out at Christmas time. The subjects are always announced ahead, in the issuing schedules, as they are for the Christmas ones."
10. Close-up of Braille stamps, pull out
11. Wide shot of Saint Peter's Square
STORYLINE:
The Philatelic and Numismatic Office of Vatican City on Wednesday issued a postage stamp to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, the inventor of the reading system for the visually impaired, which is used world-wide.
The Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Vatican City State is responsible for issuing Vatican coins and postage stamps.
The stamp depicts a commemorative portrait of the French inventor and embossed points reading: "Braille", "SCV" (abbreviation in Italian for Vatican City State) and "0,65" meaning 65 euro cents, the cost of the stamp.
It is the first stamp ever issued by the Vatican to have Braille characters printed on its surface.
The Pontifical State has been printing stamps since 1852.
In 1929, with the Lateranenses Pacts between the Vatican and the Italian State, the Holy See was granted the freedom of establishing international postal services, and has operated its own postal system since then.
Blind since the age of three, Braille developed a reading system based on the passing of fingers over combinations of one to six raised dots.

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