Strafgevangenis Ommerschans, huismunt geslagen op last van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid ter waarde van 25 cent before 1830

This is a house coin from the Strafgevangenis Ommerschans, a prison, commissioned by the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid, and it's currently held in the Rijksmuseum. The silver coin is almost a perfect circle, with a tactile, rough surface that invites touch, yet its purpose speaks of confinement. Notice how the embossed number "25" and the letter "C" float against the flat plane of the coin, symbols of value within a closed economy. These are framed by a dotted border, suggestive of containment. The cold, hard metal contrasts starkly with the abstract notion of currency, creating a tension between the coin's physical reality and its symbolic function. This tension underscores a semiotic exploration of power and control. Here, the materiality of the coin and its symbolic representation work together to create meaning. A brutalist semiotic system of power, the artifact offers us a stark reminder that systems of value can be both abstract and deeply material.