(c.1860) Token Schenkman C-11 Copper Franklin, Time is Money

Coin Details

Description

This copper token, cataloged as Schenkman C-11, reproduces Benjamin Franklin's famous maxim "Time is Money" alongside an image associated with the founding father. Franklin, who was America's most celebrated printer, inventor, diplomat, and philosopher, articulated the "Time is Money" concept in his 1748 essay "Advice to a Young Tradesman." The Schenkman catalog reference places this within the standard reference for American numismatic tokens featuring historical figures and mottoes. Produced circa 1860, this token belongs to the broader category of historical and patriotic tokens that proliferated during the Civil War era, when private token production surged to fill gaps in circulating coinage. Franklin's image and aphorisms appeared on numerous tokens and medals throughout the nineteenth century, reflecting his enduring status as the embodiment of American practical wisdom and civic virtue.

Rarity Notes

Copper, Schenkman C-11. Franklin tokens are widely collected. Civil War era production.

Cross References

PCGS #673516; Schenkman C-11; Franklin "Time is Money"