The internees in the Isle of Man camps developed an extensive system of self-administration.

This included the production of small handicrafts such as shoemaking and a barber shop to agriculture, building toys and organising cultural events. They also received a little spending money from the authorities.

As legal currencies were not allowed in the camp, the Isle of Man and other prisoner of war and internment camps issued special currencies for internal use. In the individual sections of the camp spread out over the island, different types of bills and coins were issued.

The currency notes exhibited here are from the Hutchinson Camp. The internment camps were civilian facilities and their currency was designated by the letters HO and was under The Home Office (the British Ministry of the Interior). Currency in prisoner of war camps which were under the War Department was designated by WD.

Coins were produced in Camp Onchan. The heads side bore a number denoting the value of the coin and on the back was the coat of arms of the island - the triskelion with its three interlocked spiral formed legs. The motto of the coat of arms is "Quocunque jeceris stabit" translated as "whichever way you throw, it will stand". The basic form of the triskelion is related to the swastika and was used during the Nazi era by the SS. Even today, the triskelion is used by neo-Nazi groups as a cryptic swastika.