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

This brass coin, whose maker is unknown, was commissioned for the Veenhuizen colony. The coin’s circular form is stamped with symbols, numbers, and letters, all sharply incised against the metal ground. The worn surface speaks to its history of circulation. The incised markings operate as a symbolic system. The inscriptions "3-G" and "K-V," along with the number "30", function as signs within a structured economy of value and exchange. The letters likely denote the colony, and the number indicates its worth. These symbols serve to mediate social relationships within the confined setting of the penal colony. This currency challenges traditional notions of value, as the tokens were only valid within the colony, reflecting the closed-off nature of the prison. The coin's design elements point to questions about social control and economic exchange within a specific historical context. It invites us to consider how meaning is created through structured systems.