This is a cut key for an Adtec Detention Systems prison/jail (detention) lock.
Adtec Detention Systems was a U.S. manufacturer of high-security mechanical and electromechanical locks and hardware for prisons, jails, and other detention facilities. It was founded in 1984 in San Antonio, Texas, by a descendant of the founder of Southern Steel Company. The company produced Federal Bureau of Prisons-approved locks and sliding-door devices, largely based on (or copying) Southern Steel designs. Its assets were acquired by Corrections Products Company (CPC) around 2001; after that, compatible replacement locks and parts continued to be made by others (including Southern Folger retrofits for some Adtec models).
• Rectangular head/bow with the Adtec logo (stylized “A” with arrow-like element) and “Adtec” lettering embossed on it. This matches descriptions of Adtec keys from locksmith literature (rectangular bow, company name embossed, used for both mogul and paracentric keyways common in detention work).
• Stamped “35” (likely a keyway, series, or related identifier).
• “12CA5” on the reverse (a typical bitting/key code that specifies the cut depths for the lever or pin tumblers).
• Large flat blade with stepped cuts on one side plus grooves/warding, roughly 4 inches overall (consistent with the scale in your photos). These are characteristic of the heavy-duty paracentric or mogul-style keys used in detention lever-tumbler or related cylinders (larger and more robust than ordinary house keys, designed for high security and abuse resistance in correctional settings).
It is a functional cut key rather than a blank, so it was made for a specific lock or keyed-alike group in a facility. The material appears to be metal (likely brass or a similar alloy common to these keys) with a dark finish.
Collector value
Similar individual prison/jail keys and blanks from Adtec, Folger Adam, Southern Steel, and related makers typically sell in the roughly $20-$100 range on secondary markets (, collector sites), depending on condition, whether it’s a blank vs. cut, rarity of the specific keyway, and any provenance. An Adtec blank has sold in the low-$20s; small lots or nicer examples of related keys go somewhat higher. Rare NOS blanks or keys with the matching lock can reach higher figures, but a single cut key like this is generally a niche collectible for lock enthusiasts, law-enforcement/prison memorabilia collectors, or display items rather than a high-value antique.
It has interest as a piece of late-20th-century U.S. detention hardware history (a relatively short-lived independent manufacturer in a specialized field dominated by a few companies), but it is not scarce or especially valuable on its own. Condition looks solid from the photos; cleaning or display with the lock (if you have it) would increase appeal to collectors.
See photos for details.
Will ship USPS insured and tracking number to USA addresses only. Will not ship to detention center addresses!
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