Tweede gesticht van de kolonie Veenhuizen, huismunt van veertig cent, geslagen op last van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid ter waarde van 40 cent 1818 - 1859

Curator: We’re looking at a unique piece today, a house coin valued at forty cents. It originates from the Second Institution of the Veenhuizen Colony, minted between 1818 and 1859. Editor: It’s oddly compelling. There’s a crude austerity to it, like it’s been stamped rather than elegantly designed. The textures appear almost abrasive. Curator: Its materiality certainly speaks to its function. These tokens were authorized by the Society of Benevolence, serving as a substitute currency within the Veenhuizen penal colony. Think of it as a local economic ecosystem born of social engineering. Editor: So, what's signified here isn’t monetary value but a system of control? I see embossed letterings, “2G” at the top, then the lettering "K.V" in the center, then the value marked as “40” at the bottom, followed by two letterings on the other side - “U” on top and “VV” in the middle - do these denote particular wards, individuals? Curator: It's plausible; documentation is somewhat scarce. It reflects a complete institutional world, where even something as quotidian as money became part of the mechanism for maintaining order and regulating inhabitants' lives. The coin allowed internal commerce, though I am sure it had some implications for liberty. Editor: Indeed. I was considering its stark aesthetic – the minimal design, the seemingly roughly-hewn surface. Perhaps reflecting the harsh conditions, limiting resources, the functional-over-ornamental ethos that must have permeated Veenhuizen. Each scratch tells a silent tale. Curator: Precisely! The aesthetic roughness is more than incidental. It echoes the disciplinary environment – function and control taking precedence over individual expression or even basic comfort. It gives this little piece of metal greater evocative weight than a traditionally designed currency. Editor: Ultimately, it's fascinating how an object so apparently simple becomes a complex node where social reform, governance, and lived experience converge. It almost has a talismanic effect on our interpretation of the events during that time. Curator: An insightful interpretation. These monetary oddities grant such tangible links to penal history in this colony. Editor: Yes. It's amazing how a plain object can reveal multifaceted dimensions. Thank you!