Viewpoint: Gengerke Remembered for Paper Money Contributions

Hi this is Beatrice Gengerke, with great sadness, I announce the loss of my husband Martin Gengerke. In Loving Memory of Martin Gengerke, we are saddened to announce his passing on December 18th, 2020. A life so beautifully lived deserved to be beautifully remembered. Everybody stay healthy and God Bless.

As posted by his wife Beatrice on Facebook Dec. 20, we have lost our good friend Martin Gengerke who passed away on Dec. 18, 2020. We have known Martin for close to four decades and have always admired him for his dedication to the hobby and his many dozens of contributions to the numismatic hobby.

Like us, Martin was a Charter Member of the Fractional Currency Collector Board (the initials of the organization were used from the name of one of the most famous U. S. Postage & Currency luminaries and collectors Frederick Charles Cogswell Boyd [1886-1958]). That organization is still going strong today. Martin put together a complete set of U.S. Postage and Fractional Currency which was sold by Currency Auctions of America in January 1995. He published two important references: U.S. Paper Money Records and American Numismatic Auctions - 125 copies of the 8th Edition were published in 1990. He was also the editor of Milton Friedberg’s Encyclopedia of U. S. Postage and Fractional Currency. He was the author of many articles that appeared in many numismatic organizations like SPMC’s Paper Money, ANA’s The Numismatist, The Essay Proof Journal, Bank Note Reporter, Coin World, Friends of Financial History and others. He was also an exhibitor, winning awards for his displays.

Martin was also a dealer starting in 1956, but his most important job was as a cataloger for several companies which include Stacks-Bowers, Christie’s, Sotheby’s and others. We recently read that he was also employed by Paper Money Guaranty (PMG) in 2015 for his many decades of experience in grading, cataloging and dealing. He also consulted for numerous organizations or agencies such as the Federal Reserve Banks of San Francisco, New York and Philadelphia; as well as the Smithsonian Institution and Colonial Williamsburg. He received the ANA President’s Medal and the first award ever bestowed by the Numismatic Literary Guild for Excellence in Cataloging. These are just some of the contributions to the numismatic hobby Mr. Martin Gengerke contributed during his many decades of service to our great hobby

We will always remember you for your many times helping us with our questions regarding fractional currency-related subjects and also helping us to add notes to our collection from your collection that include our purchases from the CAA sale held in 1995. Rest in Peace, our Friend, and all of our prayers and thoughts are with your family during this sad time.

With great sympathy and love,

John and Nancy Wilson

Ocala, Fla.