How I Turned My Coin Show Expertise into a $50,000 Online Course on Teachable and Udemy
September 16, 2025From Code to Courtroom: How Tech Expertise Can Launch Your Career as a High-Value Expert Witness
September 16, 2025
The Authority-Building Power of Technical Books
Writing a technical book can truly cement your expertise. I’m walking you through my own journey—from outlining content on numismatics to pitching publishers and writing day by day. When I wrote my O’Reilly book on coin collecting markets, I realized these insights could help dealers and collectors in real, practical ways.
Identifying Your Niche
Finding the Gap in Technical Literature
Through forum discussions, I found three areas where coin collectors needed more guidance:
- Pricing strategies for shows (certified coins in the $100–$300 range tend to sell best)
- The psychology behind dealer-customer negotiations
- How to choose inventory (aim for 75% certified coins and 25% quality raw coins)
Crafting a Winning Book Proposal
The O’Reilly Formula That Worked for Me
“Technical publishers look for three things: market need, author credibility, and clear differentiation.” — My O’Reilly editor
My proposal succeeded because it included:
- A comparative look at seven pricing methods
- Real case studies from major coin shows
- JavaScript code snippets for building pricing algorithms
Structuring Technical Content
Chapter Breakdown That Engages Readers
Here’s the structure Manning Publications liked:
- The Psychology of Coin Transactions (negotiation patterns)
- Data-Driven Pricing Models (with Python examples)
- Inventory Selection Algorithms (market heat analysis)
- Security Protocols for Dealers (technical solutions)
Building Authority During the Writing Process
The Thought Leadership Flywheel
While writing my Apress book, I made sure to:
- Share weekly technical analyses of coin market data
- Build Jupyter notebooks showing pricing correlations
- Speak at collector meetups about applying data science
Publisher Considerations
Where to Pitch Your Technical Manuscript
Different publishers excel in different areas:
- O’Reilly: Great for algorithmic approaches to collecting
- Manning: Perfect if you want hands-on coding examples
- Apress: Strong in technical analysis of marketplaces
Conclusion: Your Path to Technical Author Success
Writing a technical book on numismatics blends deep domain knowledge with clear communication. By tackling overlooked topics like pricing algorithms and negotiation psychology, you create a resource that builds your authority. Keep in mind: the best technical books mix hard data with real-world use—just like the top coin dealers balance market savvy with sales skill.
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