I echo everything positive Ben said as his comments are spot on and very moving. Like many others on here, I have known Jimmy for a long time and he is also one of the reasons I got into photos on a large scale. In many ways, he shaped the focus of my interests in vintage photography and I dont think RMY Auctions would exist without him. He helped build the industry that is now so popular among thousands of collectors and he deserves a ton of credit. We spoke often, at least every other month, for several years about all sorts of stuff but he loved to talk about Gehrig and the Beatles. He told me the same story about a Gehrig telegram he owned at least five times, but I liked hearing it every time because he was so passionate about the things he loved. I always knew when I saw his number on my phone that the conversation was going to be enjoyable, but long, so I had to make sure I set aside at least thirty minutes
I literally JUST learned of this news and it really blows me away. He would speak to me every time I talked to him about his health, but I never knew it was this bad. He was a great guy and it is somewhat comforting to know that he is free of pain and the chronic ailments that limited his life in so many ways. The collectible world is a better place because of Jimmy and he will truly, truly be missed!
Rhys