Tweede gesticht van de kolonie Veenhuizen, huismunt geslagen op last van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid ter waarde van 25 cent 1818 - 1859

This anonymous coin from the Veenhuizen Colony, commissioned by the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid, presents a stark, material reality. The circular form, stamped with institutional markings, embodies control. The copper's patinated surface, worn smooth by use, suggests a history of exchange within the colony. Consider how the arrangement of text—the initials and the numeric value—imposes a rigid order. Semiotically, each mark functions as a sign, reinforcing the authority and economic structure of the institution. The coin itself acts as a medium through which power relations are literally impressed onto the lives of the colony's inhabitants. The very materiality of this coin should also be considered as a commentary on the reduction of human value to a monetary unit. The coin’s form and function are intrinsically linked to broader themes of social engineering. It also reflects the ways in which institutions attempt to standardize and control individual behavior through economic means.