Born in Independence Missouri. Served during the Civil War as a scout for General Sheridan. He moved to Washington, D.C. after the war. Employed by the U. S. Treasury Department. He was chief of the tobacco division of the IRS. Married with a son. He was a member of the GAR.

In 1891 he proposed the issue of a commemorative coin to recognise the centennial of the U. S. Mint in 1893. He began as a dealer about 1894 and continued until 1926. In 1894 an "old colored woman" offered Collins a high grade 1811 half cent. She claimed that she had a bag of them. Collins bought the coin and asked for more. When she brought in the bag they were all the 1828 13 star variety. The quantity was probably in the hundreds and possibly a thousand.

Collins bought out the U. S. coin stock of W. S. Lincoln and Sons of London. The stock included many uncirculated and high grade large cents for $1 each. He assembled a high grade set of large cents. It was exhibited at the ANA convention in 1910. His retirement came after he fell and broke his hip. He died in Takoma Park, D. C. The collection of large cents was left to his son. B. Max Mehl bought the collection in 1937.

obit: NUM 41 Jun 1928 page 355