XENOS, MYRON G

Fig. 1. Myron Xenos (1938-present). Γεια Μύρων. Photograph published in E-Sylum, Vol. 11, No. 29, July 20 (2008) : article 19

Myron Xenos is a member of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society and avid numismatic literature collector and dealer, coin dealer, T. V. host for stamp and coin auctions, entrepreneur active in several investments and enterprises and a charming wit!

Myron Xenos was born on August 3, 1938 in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young man he collected stamps, coins and their literature. In May 1956 he won third place award for his stamp exhibition at the Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition (FIPEX), at the New York Coliseum.

In 1956, he graduated Rocky River High School.

Fig. Myron Xenos cast as the character "Michael" in the play Life With Mother, March 2, 1956, at Rocky River High School.

In September 1961, he joined the ANA as Member No. 42733, listed as a collector of U. S. and Canadian coins. He seems to have had a natural predilection for U. S. Bust-type half dollars.

On December 16, 1961, he married Daryl Eckert, daughter of Samuel M. and Margaret F. Eckert. They had two daughters.

He graduated Kent State University in 1962. He opened his own accounting firm in 1962.

In 1967 he began selling numismatic literature doing business as Security Coin Trust.

In 1971, he was partners with brother in-law Gary B. Eckert, and Harry Mueller in Leo Vending. This is where he acquired many rare coins.

Fig. Corporate collateral of the Leo Vending Machine Company.

In May 1974 he helped with the WVIZ educational Television auction of stamps and coins

In 1975 he was co-owner of a race horse named Flirtin together with Alvin Tolin.

In May 1975, he appeared on Channel 5 TV with a morning program "How to tell what is a collectible item".

Fig. Myron and Daryl Xenos, May 1978.

In 1978, he became a partner as a real-estate developer with Xenophon Zapis in the Tiffany Ridge Corporation building condominiums at Rocky River.

Also in 1978, he was a restauranteur as well as an antiques expert and owned a restaurant in Beachcliff Market Square which had music played by a Marantz Piano Corder that played music on magnetic tape.

In the September 1980 issue of The Numismatist on page 2375 he advertised as The Money Tree, a coin dealership specializing in foreign crowns and dollars, 1260 Smith Court, Rocky River, Ohio.

In 1981, he served the T. V. auction show on Channel 25 as the rare coin dealer.

In 1986, he became partners with Ken Lowe in the firm of The Money Tree. Myron was the president and owner, and Ken Lowe was the editor.

Fig. Second Mail Bid Auction of Numismatic Literature of The Money Tree, December 12, 1987. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

The Money Tree began holding mail bid auctions of numismatic literature in July 1987, and published their house organ Out on A Limb. They held thirty-two auctions, which only twenty-eight are known by me. Their last auction was held on December 4, 1999.

In September 1989 Donn Pearlman reported in The Numismatist on page 1552, that Myron Xenos and Ken Lowe in a spoof or satire on current coin market trends suggested creating a company specializing on encased postage stamps called "Slabs R Us". They proposed offering clients two packages : (1) Overgraded Coin Investment Portfolio, (2) Overpriced Coin Investment Portfolio. With the Overgraded Coin Investment Portfolio you were guaranteed to receive coins overgraded by at least three points. With the Overpriced Coin Investment Portfolio you were guaranteed to be hammered by the price without the hype of any auction.

In 1998, he took on a new partner, a retiree of the U. S. Air Force, David J. Sklow (1947-present).

In February 2007, he sold another portion of his numismatic Library through George Frederick Kolbe, 102nd sale.

On October 4, 2008, part of his numismatic literature collection together with part of that owned by Wayne Homren was auctioned by David J. Sklow.

On February 7, 2009, another portion of his numismatic literature collection together with part of that owned by Ken Hallenbeck was auctioned by David J. Sklow .

On June 13, 2009, David J. Sklow held an auction starring several of the numismatic literature dealer luminaries including Myron Xenos, Remy Bourne, Laurese Katen, and that of William Stone.

On October 3, 2009, the indefatigable Myron Xenos and his limitless collection once again was sold in part by David J. Sklow together with Kenneth E. Bressett (ANS distinguished Service Award recipient 2016).

On January 12, 2014, David J. Slow, sale No. 21 contained still more books from the Myron Xenos library.

AUCTION SALES

01. July 11, 1987

02. December 12, 1987

03. July 9, 1988

04. October 31, 1988

05. March 13, 1989

06. July 31, 1989

07. November 6, 1989

08. February 26, 1990

09. July 30, 1990

10. November 5, 1990

11. March 11, 1991

12. August 26, 1991

13. March 2, 1992

14. August 24, 1992

15. December 5, 1992

16. March 13, 1993

17. August 21, 1993

18. December 6, 1993

19. -

20. June 27, 1994

21. October 29, 1994

22. -

23. June 24, 1995

24. November 18, 1995-Part 1

25. November 18, 1995-Part 2

26. -

27. -

28. February 22, 1997

29. November 10, 1997

30. October 30, 1998

31. June 26, 1999

32. December 4, 1999

Bibliography :

Rocky River High School Yearbook, 1956

The Numismatist, September (1961) : 1227

Plain Dealer, Sunday, April 14, 1974, page 141

Plain Dealer, Friday, May 7, 1975, page 136

Logan Daily News, Wednesday, August 6, 1975, page 12

Plain Dealer, Sunday, December 3, 1978, page 187

Plain Dealer, Wednesday, May 13, 1981, page 41

Plain Dealer, Wednesday, March 23, 1983, mother-in-law obit

Martin Gengerke, American Numismatic Auction (1987)

Pete Smith, American Numismatic Biographies (2004) : 250

West Life News, July 17, 2008

E-Sylum, Vol. 11, No. 29, July 20 (2008) : article 19