Hobbyist Edwin Hoffmark, Jr. Passes Away
As is often with our aged hobby, a telephone call informed me that Edwin T. Hoffmark, Jr., (1935-2024) had passed away. His son called me saying that his father died peacefully while sleeping.
Numismatic News readers would not know who “Ed,” or “The Chief” as I would address him, would be. But, as it has been eulogized before, Ed represented the many who, at the local level of our hobby, enjoy and serve our world of money.
I called him Chief because he was a retired United States Navy Chief Petty Officer. Sometimes he would reminisce about some sea story. My favorite had something to do with breaking a whiskey bottle while catching a departing train. Later, he worked for the local sanitation district and had chuckles about that career, using nomenclature not appropriate for Numismatic News!
The Chief was always a presence at our local California- homed Vallejo Numismatic Society, Fairfield Coin Club and Solano Silver Round Club, all of which he attended regularly, one member remarked upon his passing, “with a smile, being funny and just sweet.” Ed did terms as Vallejo’s president. He demonstrated serious and sure commitment.
His last numismatic venture was the March 7, 2024, Vallejo meeting, during which he was an active bidder in the meeting’s auction. I never knew what The Chief collected, but a fair appraisal is that he was an accumulator, which is reflective of many of us reading
Numismatic News. My last image is him holding his assorted winning auction purchases securely as he left.
My eulogy here with this letter to the editor is in testimony to Ed. Yet, it is also a reminder to Numismatic News
readers that our world of money is people. As I have preached, numismatics is a people hobby: Coins don’t collect people; people collect coins. Across our nation, into Canada, and around the world are hobbyists like The Chief: enjoying and serving. They are the hobby, and their presence and participation sustain our hobby.
I am confident that Numismatic News readers could chime in – and should – with a similar remembrance. Such would be testimonials but would clearly verify that our world of money is people. RIP, Chief.
Michael S. Turrini Vallejo, Calif.