Kolonie Veenhuizen, huismunt geslagen op last van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid ter waarde van 1 cent 1818 - 1859

This is a copper one-cent coin produced anonymously for the Kolonie Veenhuizen in the Netherlands, though its exact date is unknown. The coin speaks volumes about social control and philanthropy in the 19th century. The Kolonie Veenhuizen was established by the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid, or Society of Benevolence, as an experimental community aimed at rehabilitating the poor through agriculture and discipline. This coin, used exclusively within the colony, highlights the paternalistic approach of the Society. It’s a visual code for a closed economy where money, and therefore power, was retained by the institution. The imagery is stark, bearing only the initials "K.V.," reinforcing the colony's identity and its separation from mainstream society. To understand this object, researchers could consult archives of the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid and studies in the social history of poverty and philanthropy. This coin isn't just a monetary object; it's a symbol of a particular approach to social reform and a tool for understanding the complex dynamics between institutions and individuals in the 19th century.