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

This small coin, now residing in the Rijksmuseum, was issued at the Ommerschans penal colony. It was commissioned by the Society of Benevolence. Note its circular form, stamped with simple, utilitarian markings denoting its value: one-half cent. The coin's material appearance speaks volumes. Its likely base metal composition, its rough, worn texture, and the crude stamping of its value all point to a system of austere economy. Here, value is not represented through aesthetic refinement or symbolic imagery, but through pure, unadorned designation. Consider the semiotics at play. The number one-half is not just an economic signifier; it symbolizes the inmates reduced status. This coin represents a closed system where the inmates labor has a set price. It is not merely a token of exchange but a stark symbol of the disciplinary structures that governed every aspect of life within the Ommerschans penal colony.