Numismatic comments: Rare. ca 1839-42. Side One: TIME IS /MONEY within a plain circle with a surrounding roman numeral clock face. The numerals are rotated 90 degrees. (is it 12:30 or 2:45?). Side Two: S.N. BOTSFORD CLOCK & WATCH MAKER surrounds  MAIN ST / NORFOLK VA. / CLOCKS FOR / SALE.

HN: Samuel Norman Botsford  opened his business in Norfolk, Virginia in 1839 were he remained until 1842. He returned to Bristol, Connecticut where he was born in the mid 1840’s issuing other tokens after the Hard Times period. According to Q. David Bowers, Botsford was also involved in surveying the route for the telegraph line from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati and later with detonating explosives using electric wires. Apparently, Botsford was quite the tinkerer and experimented with electricity. An 1843 article in the Weekly Globe reviewing an article from the Norfolk Beacon newspaper, reported that S. N. Botsford of Norfolk VA. had developed a process of galvanism by “magneto electric action upon gold held in a solution to impart to less valuable metals the richness and luster of gold.” The article goes on to warn purchasers to have their guard up against gold counterfeits. U.S. Patent office records show an 1858 claim of patent infringement filed against S. N. Botsford of Whitneyville, Connecticut, involving specific clock making processes that he had used to make thousands of clocks between 1853 and 1858. The Commissioner of the case decided in Botsford’s favor and dismissed the charges. His life ended tragically in 1864. It is believed he committed suicide by drowning in the East River in New York City..