The question was "Canada Post issued the first North American Braille stamp on April 21st, 2008. What country issued the very first stamp with Braille incorporated into its design?"

#4233:

"The first stamp incorporating Braille was issued by Brazil in 1974 to commemorate the 5th World Council for the Welfare of the Blind in Sao Paulo. This is more symbolic than practical as the paper is of such a light weight that the braille tends to flatten when any pressure is applied to it through touch reading or weight of any kind."

#1223:

"The answer to this week's quiz is Brazil. My uncle, who lost his sight (and a brother) in a grenade accident during the war in Holland, showed me how banknotes had raised circles for blind people to determine values of Dutch currency. Not braille, but still progressive since this was way back in 1971. I still have to laugh at the movie Ray and how Ray Charles was paid in one dollar bills so he wouldn't be cheated. But my best memory regarding blindness was when I lived in residence at UVic and we had a friend who was blind and we taught him to drive. It was on Ring Road very late at night - not a lot of steering to worry about. I'm sure the decision was made since he had had the least to drink at the sub pub that night. We always accused him of cheating at cribbage as well since we had to use his braille cards and he seemed to win more than the rest of us."

Here are four informative links:

• http://shoebox.heindorffhus.dk/frame-Braille01.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Braille
• http://www.cnib.ca/en/Default.aspx
• http://www.bcguidedog.com/indexgraphics.html

Mike Strachan, BC Phil member (former Club Treasurer) and much loved former employee of Weeda Stamps Ltd. is presently on a personal pilgrimage through England and continental Europe. He is revisiting the wartime areas where his father and uncle fought with the Canadian Army as part of the Normandy Invasion Force. Bob Ingraham, past President of the BC Philatelic Society, has created a web page and is posting Mike's informative and rich emails for all of us to share. Go to http://www.bcphilatelic.org/Mike_Strachan_intro.html

We show you a minute portion of the design of a postage stamp. You have to determine which stamp it is. Send us an email with your answer.

We hold this contest every second week. For every correct answer we will donate $1.00 to our favourite charity, the Salvation Army. Click here to go to the The Salvation Army International Home Page to see what services they offer to communities around the world.