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This is the original Federal Bureau of Prisons identification card issued to Charlie Shrem during his incarceration (2014–2016), carried daily throughout his sentence.

The only thing we own in prison is our identity number. Everything else is a privilege. - Charlie Shrem

The laminated card bears his name, inmate number, and identifying details, along with institutional markings. For inmates, this ID was more than just plastic; it was a passport inside the walls, required for movement, commissary access, meals, and visitation. It was the most visible symbol of imprisonment, carried at all times.

This particular ID accompanied Shrem through the transformative period chronicled in his memoir and writings. It was at once restrictive and strangely liberating: a reminder of lost freedom, yet also the badge he surrendered when he finally walked out of prison.

Provenance:

Issued by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, 2014
Carried by Charlie Shrem throughout his incarceration, 2014–2016
Retained in his personal collection after release

Details:

Year: 2014–2016
Material: Laminated ID card with printed details (In a plastic holder)
Dimensions: Standard prison ID format (3 ⅜ in. x 2 ⅛ in.)
Condition: Worn, with natural signs of use from daily prison life
The ID Card is currently in secure storage and will ship within 3 months.

Significance: Few artifacts embody the intersection of personal history and cryptocurrency history as starkly as this prison ID. For collectors, it represents both the U.S. government’s first major prosecution of a Bitcoin entrepreneur and the resilience of one of the movement’s earliest builders.