Strafgevangenis Ommerschans, huismunt geslagen op last van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid ter waarde van 1 cent before 1830

This is a one cent coin made for use in the Ommerschans penal colony, commissioned by the Society of Benevolence in the Netherlands. Although the date of its production is unknown, the penal colony existed between 1820 and 1890. The Society of Benevolence was a private organisation that aimed to reduce poverty through work. The Ommerschans penal colony was part of this project, designed to rehabilitate beggars and vagrants through forced labour. In this context, the use of specifically-made currency becomes highly significant. Rather than using Dutch currency, inmates were given these coins, which could only be used within the prison. It physically embodies the concept of a closed, self-sufficient system, but also shows the degree of control exerted over inmates, even down to their economic activity. As historians, objects like these coins can be valuable resources. They speak of institutional control, but also hint at a hidden economy within the prison.