22 mm, brass face value 5, outer pearl circle	inscription ÎNCHISOAREA IAŞI meaning IAŞI PRISON, below the name of the engraver: CARNIOL FIUL meaning CARNIOL SON, between the words a 5-pointed star with letter F inside
22 mm, brass face value 50, outer pearl circle	inscription ÎNCHISOAREA MĂRGINENI meaning MĂRGINENI PRISON, below the name of the engraver: CARNIOL FIUL meaning CARNIOL SON, between the words a 5-pointed star with letter F inside
octagonal, 22 mm wrench size, zinc outer pearl circle, face value 5 BANI, with the large surfaces of the digit 5 orizontally hatched	outer pearl circle, inscription SERVICIUL INCHISORILOR meaning PRISON SERVICE, in the middle a small pearl circle with two crossed keys inside, at the bottom, between two dots, an ornament resembling a handwritten letter X

These tokens were issued around 1900 and remained in use until 1927 [1]. They were used by inmates at the prison canteen — a shop where they could purchase food, clothing, and various other products. Inmates received these tokens as payment for their labor [1].

The village of Mărgineni is located in the Ion Luca Caragiale commune, Dâmboviţa County. The prison was opened in 1869 and remains in operation today, under the name Penitenciarul de Maximă Siguranţă Mărgineni (Mărgineni Maximum Security Penitentiary).

Prison tokens are presented in [2]. The monograph [1] was recently published; in addition to a catalog of all Romanian prison tokens known up to 2025, it offers a description illustrated with old images of the historical and cultural context of the era when these prisons were in operation.

Tokens of this type form a series of denominations: 5, 10, 20 and 50 bani, as well as 1 leu and 2 lei. Tokens of this type are known to exist for 11 prisons (marked "CARNIOL FIUL," indicating manufacture at his workshop). Few such pieces have survived. There is no single prison for which all six denominations in the series are known [1].

The last token does not bear the name of a specific prison; it appears to be one that could have been used in any of the prisons of the time.

The images of prison tokens on this page appear on the site courtesy of a donor who wished to remain anonymous.

References

1. Bălăiţă D., Jetoane de închisoare. Editura Pim, Iaşi, 2025.

2. Schäffer E., România. Jetoane, semne valorice şi mărci, Guttenbrun [vechiul nume german al satului Zăbrani din judeţul Arad], 2012.