Strafgevangenis Ommerschans, huismunt geslagen op last van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid ter waarde van ½ cent before 1830

This is a small, anonymous coin, struck under the authority of the Society of Benevolence for use in the Ommerschans penal colony in the Netherlands. The existence of this coin speaks volumes about the peculiar social experiment being conducted there. The Society of Benevolence was a private organization that aimed to combat poverty through a network of agricultural colonies. Ommerschans, however, was different – a place for the "unimprovable" poor, a prison-like environment under the guise of rehabilitation. The coining of its own money underscores the colony's isolation and the control exerted over its inhabitants. It's a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play, the way institutions can create their own rules and economies. As historians, we can use sources such as the Society's records, government documents, and personal accounts to understand the lives of those who lived and worked in Ommerschans, and the broader social context that gave rise to such a place. The meaning of even a small coin like this is contingent on its social and institutional context.