How I Turned My Passion for Rare Coins into a $50,000 Online Course on Teachable

How I Turned My Coin Collection Into a $50K Online Course

Remember that thing you know way too much about? For me, it was rare coins – specifically Seated Liberty half dollars and Colonial-era pieces. What started as weekend hobby became a surprise income stream when I packaged my knowledge into an online course. Today, I want to show you exactly how I made $50,000 teaching collectors what I’d learned over twenty years.

Why Your Passion Project Could Fund Your Freedom

Here’s what surprised me most: that coin course still sells while I sleep. No inventory headaches, no shipping delays – just pure knowledge sharing. Digital courses create what I call “smart passive income” – you build it once, then focus on helping students while sales roll in.

My “Aha!” Moment With Seated Liberty Coins

It happened during a CoinTalk forum deep dive. New collectors kept asking the same questions I’d wrestled with years earlier: “How do I spot a rare 1841-O V-3b variety?” “Is this colonial coin real or fake?” That’s when it clicked – my obsession could solve real problems.

Step 1: Testing If Anyone Would Actually Pay

Before filming a single lesson, I validated demand:

• Lurked in collector groups (note: “newbie questions” = goldmine)
• Surveyed 87 enthusiasts about their biggest frustrations
• Discovered zero courses on detecting counterfeit colonial coins

Step 2: Building the Course Collectors Needed

My curriculum roadmap focused on pain points:

• Module 1: Dating Seated coins without mint marks (tougher than it sounds!)
• Module 2: Hunting V-3b rarities in junk bins
• Module 3: My 5-step authentication process for colonial pieces
• Module 4: Building museum-worthy collections on eBay budgets

Step 3: Platform Choice – Where I Nearly Failed

Teachable vs Udemy: I almost chose Udemy for their audience… until I crunched numbers. Losing 50% per sale? No thanks! Teachable’s 5% fee let me keep profits while building my brand.

Step 4: Creating Content That Actually Sticks

Key elements that boosted completion rates:

• Macro photography showing die varieties most miss
• Interactive quizzes (“Spot the counterfeit in 10 seconds”)
• My personal grading cheat sheet – now used by 3,000+ collectors

Step 5: Marketing to People Already Obsessed

My no-BS launch strategy:

• Partnered with Gerry Fortin (biggest YouTube coin guy) for credibility
• Ran targeted FB ads to “coin roll hunting” groups
• Gave away my counterfeit detection checklist – got 412 email leads

The Stunning Result: Passion Profits

That first year blew past expectations – $50k from collectors hungry for niche knowledge. The magic? Focusing on micro-problems bigger courses ignored. My students still email me finds: “Used your V-3b method and scored a $1,200 dime for $5!”

Your Turn: From Expert to Educator

Whether you’re into pottery, Python, or pennies:

1. Find the frustrated beginners in your niche
2. Solve one specific problem better than anyone else
3. Teach your unique system – people buy your fingerprint
4. Choose platforms that protect your profits
5. Share freely to build trust before selling

Still wondering if your knowledge is “worth” a course? Let me answer with a Seated Liberty dollar I bought for $300 and sold for $8,500 after teaching others how to spot it. Your expertise has hidden value – what could yours be worth?

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