After more than four decades of collecting die varieties of early United States silver dimes, professional numismatist, auction cataloger and collector Jim Matthews knows it’s time for the coins in his extensive collection to find new homes.

“There are a few interesting Draped Bust dimes included, but the majority of my focus on this collection has been to acquire all the Capped Bust die pairings and as many of the later die states as I could find over the span of some 45 years,” Matthews says.

Matthews says he attended his first American Numismatic Association Anniversary Convention in 1979 in St. Louis, Missouri.

“I had the opportunity to meet the authors of the yet to be published early United States dime book,” Matthews says.

“Their enthusiasm launched my collection of dimes by variety in that year.”

Matthews notes that when the new variety book Early United States Dimes 1796-1837 on Draped Bust and Capped Bust dimes was published in late 1984 by the five authors David J. Davis, Russell J. Logan, Allen F. Lovejoy, John W. McCloskey and William L. Subjack, “I dove headlong into collecting die varieties at both coin shows and auctions.

“Over the years, I was able to obtain at least one example of all the known die pairings of Capped Bust dimes save for the extremely rare 1827 JR-14, which I believe still has only two examples reported to exist.”

Matthews has consigned his early dime collection to W. David Perkins Numismatics in Centennial, Colorado, for disposition.

According to Matthews, the sales will be held in conjunction with the Central States Numismatic Society coin show April 23 to 26 in Schaumburg, Illinois and, likely, at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money Aug. 19 to 23 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

“The rarer die varieties, condition rarities and intriguing die states will be offered in a sealed-bid sale format at these two shows, and the balance of the coins offered in a fixed-price list format soon after the two sealed-bid sales have been closed at the two upcoming national shows.”

Matthews says selections from the upcoming sealed-bid sale and fixed-price list coins for the Central States event will be available for viewing at the Florida United Numismatists Convention Jan. 9 to 12 in Orlando and again at the Whitman Baltimore Expo March 27 to 29 in Maryland.

Perkins said the first 156 dimes offered are graded and encapsulated by third-party graders, with an additional 100 dimes that are currently not encapsulated but may be certified before their offering for sale.

Perkins and Matthews will be at Perkins’ FUN bourse table #215 for lot viewing and to answer any questions collectors may have about the early dime varieties being offered.

“A catalog will be available online as well prior to the sealed-bid sale auction and fixed-price lists with extensive descriptions, die state information and pedigrees as well as photographs,” Matthews explains.

“Over the years, I obtained coins from each of the dime book authors, and several other important sales as well, and a few plate coins are included from the original dime variety book of 1984 and more plate coins from the more recent Bust Dime Variety Identification Guide by [Winston] Zack, [Louis]Scuderi and [Michael] Sherrill.”

Illustrated with this article are two of Matthews’s favorite coins among his dimes — an 1834 JR-5 Capped Bust dime with full cud at the date on the obverse, and the 1835 JR-1 with retained cud at the arrowheads on the reverse. Both coins are graded and encapsulated by Professional Coin Grading Service.

The 1834 JR-5 is certified PCGS Mint State 63 and the 1835 JR-1 is certified PCGS About Uncirculated 58 and stickered by Certified Acceptance Corp. as being superior for the grade.

According to Error-Ref.com, “A cud is a die break that involves the rim and at least a little bit of the adjacent field or design. The vast majority of sizable die breaks are cuds.”

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