8-K

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

Form 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

October 16, 2008

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Pennsylvania	0-9115	25-0644320
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, PA                                                                                                           15212-5851

(Address of principal executive offices)                                                                                                           (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:                                                                                                (412) 442-8200

Item 7.01  Regulation FD Disclosure

On October 16, 2008, Matthews International Corporation issued a press release announcing the declaration of a quarterly dividend of $0.065 per share on the Company’s common stock.  The quarterly dividend has been increased one-half cent per share from $0.06 to $0.065.  The dividend is payable November 14, 2008 to stockholders of record October 31, 2008.  A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)   Exhibits

99.1 Press Release, dated October 16, 2008, issued by Matthews International Corporation.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Registrant)

By  Steven F. Nicola

Steven F. Nicola

Chief Financial Officer,

Secretary and Treasurer

Date: October 17, 2008

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

October 16, 2008                                                                                    

               Steven F. Nicola

            Chief Financial Officer,

                 Secretary & Treasurer

                 412-442-8262

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

INCREASES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

PITTSBURGH, PA, OCTOBER 16, 2008 – The Board of Directors of Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ NNM: MATW) today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.065 per share on the Company’s common stock.  The quarterly dividend has been increased one-half cent per share from $0.06 to $0.065.  The dividend is payable November 14, 2008 to stockholders of record October 31, 2008.

Joseph C. Bartolacci, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “The Company’s strong financial position and continued growth in profit performance has enabled Matthews to once again increase its dividend.”  Mr. Bartolacci noted that this was the Corporation’s 14th dividend increase since Matthews became a publicly traded stock in July 1994.

Matthews International Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a designer, manufacturer and marketer principally of memorialization products and brand solutions. Memorialization products consist primarily of bronze memorials and other memorialization products, caskets and cremation equipment for the cemetery and funeral home industries. Brand solutions include graphics imaging products and services, marking products, and merchandising solutions. The Company's products and services include cast bronze memorials and other memorialization products; caskets; cast and etched architectural products; cremation equipment and cremation-related products; mausoleums; brand management, printing plates and cylinders, pre-press services and imaging services for the primary packaging and corrugated industries; marking and coding equipment and consumables, and industrial automation products for identifying, tracking and conveying various consumer and industrial products, components and packaging containers; and merchandising display systems and marketing and design services.