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25 Cents - Maine State Prison
| Issuer | Maine State Prison |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Light green paper canteen voucher with a bold red-bordered box at left containing the numeral "25" above "CENTS" in red letterpress. The central panel carries "MAINE STATE PRISON CANTEEN" in black bold type, with "NOT GOOD IF DETACHED" below a horizontal rule. A red serial number is printed vertically at right. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Reverse is entirely plain light green paper, unprinted and blank throughout. |
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| Comments |
Maine State Prison, located in Thomaston, operated its own internal scrip system to facilitate transactions within the facility — a practice that was common among large American penal institutions before federal regulations curtailed the use of institutional currency in the twentieth century. This 25-cent denomination is among the smallest issued in the series, reflecting the low-value exchange needs of the prison store economy.
The extreme miniature format was deliberate — small enough to be difficult to pass outside the walls as legitimate tender.