diff --git a/gtsam/base/ChartValue.h b/gtsam/base/ChartValue.h
index a672d29ee..2f7cd5813 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/ChartValue.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/ChartValue.h
@@ -147,6 +147,24 @@ protected:
 private:
   /// Fake Tag struct for singleton pool allocator. In fact, it is never used!
   struct PoolTag { };
+
+private:
+
+   /// @}
+   /// @name Advanced Interface
+   /// @{
+
+   /** Serialization function */
+   friend class boost::serialization::access;
+   template<class ARCHIVE>
+   void serialize(ARCHIVE & ar, const unsigned int version) {
+     ar & boost::serialization::make_nvp("value", GenericValue<T>::value());
+     // todo: implement a serialization for charts
+     //ar & boost::serialization::make_nvp("Chart", boost::serialization::base_object<typename Chart>(*this));
+   }
+
+   /// @}
+
 };
 
 namespace traits {
diff --git a/gtsam/base/GenericValue.h b/gtsam/base/GenericValue.h
index 291bdd8f9..a4446d53c 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/GenericValue.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/GenericValue.h
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ public:
     return traits::equals<T>(this->value_, genericValue2.value_, tol);
   }
 
+  // non virtual equals function
+  bool equals(const GenericValue &other, double tol = 1e-9) const {
+    return traits::equals<T>(this->value(),other.value(),tol);
+  }
+
   virtual void print(const std::string& str) const {
     traits::print<T>(value_,str);
   }
diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/testSerializationNonlinear.cpp b/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/testSerializationNonlinear.cpp
index ee2f0d793..87c75dd5e 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/testSerializationNonlinear.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/testSerializationNonlinear.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT(gtsam::PinholeCamera<Cal3_S2>)
 BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT(gtsam::PinholeCamera<Cal3DS2>)
 BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT(gtsam::PinholeCamera<Cal3Bundler>)
 
+BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT(gtsam::ChartValue<gtsam::Pose3>);
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 typedef PinholeCamera<Cal3_S2>        PinholeCal3S2;
 typedef PinholeCamera<Cal3DS2>        PinholeCal3DS2;
@@ -56,12 +58,27 @@ static Cal3DS2 cal2(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0);
 static Cal3Bundler cal3(1.0, 2.0, 3.0);
 
 TEST (Serialization, TemplatedValues) {
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
+  EXPECT(equalsObj(pt3));
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
+  ChartValue<Point3> chv1(pt3);
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
+  EXPECT(equalsObj(chv1));
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
+  PinholeCal3S2 pc(pose3,cal1);
+  EXPECT(equalsObj(pc));
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
   Values values;
+  values.insert(1,pt3);
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
+  EXPECT(equalsObj(values));
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
   values.insert(Symbol('a',0),  PinholeCal3S2(pose3, cal1));
   values.insert(Symbol('s',5), PinholeCal3DS2(pose3, cal2));
   values.insert(Symbol('d',47), PinholeCal3Bundler(pose3, cal3));
   values.insert(Symbol('a',5),  PinholeCal3S2(pose3, cal1));
   EXPECT(equalsObj(values));
+  std::cout << __LINE__ << std::endl;
   EXPECT(equalsXML(values));
   EXPECT(equalsBinary(values));
 }