I was saddened in reading of Charley McSorley's death but of course it was inevitable as he was in his 80's and still "doing political shows" at some distance to his NJ home. I've known Charley since the early 1960's when he and I lived in New Jersey. He handled in all those years some of the finest American rarities known including a superb immaculate proof silver Thomas Jefferson inaugural medal that went into the famous Joe Brown political collection and is now in mine. Quite of few of Charley's rarities went into or through John Ford's hands.

I distinctly recall a transaction with Charley I had in the mid- 1970's after I moved to California. We spoke on the phone concerning a unique hand-crafted original wood-cased .900 fine++ gold 74 mm 1858 Dr Frederick Rose Yellow Fever rescue medal for Dr Rose's lifesaving medical practices aboard the fever-wracked USS war frigate Susquehanna. This was the handcrafted ornate massive gold medal awarded the doctor by the surviving crew , preceding the US Mint-struck President Buchanan 1858 medal awarded to Dr Rose by the US Congress (which I also later acquired separately).

Charley sounded like he was quite inebriated on the phone - he liked his alcoholic beverages - and I got him to quote me a price of $5,000. "Sold!". Approx two hours later Charley, a bit more sobered up, called me back and said he could not honor the $5000 quote and the price was $10,000. "Now, Charley, you quoted me and I accepted. It was a done deal. " Silence. "Well, yer right, I'll honor my word. " That was that and shortly I rec'd the medal in the mail which I still have alongside its partner, the struck massive Mint medal. That was the type of guy Charley was. A man of honor.