How I Built a $47,000 Online Course Teaching Liberty Seated Dime Variety Identification

From Coin Nerd to Six Figures: How I Built My Liberty Seated Dime Empire

Let me tell you a secret – your niche hobby could pay the mortgage. Mine did. Last year, my online course about Liberty Seated dime varieties brought in $47,000 while I drank coffee in my pajamas. Want to know how I turned coin geekery into serious income? Grab your loupe – I’m sharing every step.

Why Coin Collectors Needed My Help (And Pay For It)

Remember your first Liberty Seated dime? I do. Mine was an 1891-O with reverse cracks I completely missed. That moment sparked everything. After years in coin forums, I noticed three universal struggles:

• Die markers looking like random scratches to untrained eyes
• Fortin numbers feeling like alphabet soup (F-113 vs F-121 anyone?)
• Beginners constantly overpaying for “hidden” varieties

Here’s what clicked: the experts weren’t sharing their knowledge systematically. So I created the roadmap I wish existed when I started – one that turned overwhelmed collectors into confident identifiers.

Building the Course: From Messy Notebooks to Profitable Modules

Module 1: Seeing Coins Like a Pro (No PhD Required)

My first module solves the “Where do I even look?” problem. We start with my “Enhanced Mapping System” – the same visual overlays my students now screenshot constantly. You’ll learn:

• How to spot cuds vs retained cuds in under 10 seconds
• My overlay trick for matching crack patterns (steal my Canva template)
• Why most attribution guides confuse beginners – and how to hack them

The “aha!” moment? When a student emailed me: “I just found an 1873-CC by noticing the doubled LIBERTY – your overlay made it obvious!”

Module 2: Hunting Premium Varieties Like a Bloodhound

This is where students start spotting money in their pocket change. We geek out on:

• The 1891-O “Shattered Reverse” club (and why F-121s make my heart race)
• Grading nuances that turn $40 coins into $400 ones
• PCGS/NGC’s secret valuation triggers (learned through 73 submission fails)

Real example: My student Mike bought an “ugly” VF30 F-121 for $75. After my module, he realized it had premium die cracks. Sold it for $1,100.

Module 3: Playing the Coin Market Like a Mini Warren Buffett

This module funds collector’s addictions. We cover:

• My “Coin Calculator” spreadsheet (download included)
• How to find $100 coins priced at $20 in dealer boxes
• When to crack out slabs (and when to run away)

Platform Wars: Where to Host Your Coin Course

I tested both major players with my dime content:

Why Teachable Won My Heart:

• Charged $297 without angry mobs (Udemy buyers expect $19 courses)
• Made my sales page look like a coin dealer’s secret library
• Kept 97% of earnings vs Udemy’s 50% grab

When Udemy Works:

• If you teach “Intro to Coins” not niche varieties
• Want immediate students without marketing
• Don’t mind earning latte money per sale

Marketing to Collectors: My Non-Sleazy Playbook

Content That Actually Attracts Coin Nerds

Forget generic blogs – collectors want meat. I created:

• YouTube breakdowns of famous varieties (my 1891-O F-121 video got 23K views)
• Printable “Crack Pattern Cheat Sheets” dealers now hand out at shows
• Case studies comparing raw vs graded values (with embarrassing early mistakes)

How I Became the Forum Hero (Without Spamming)

Secret: Give value first. I spent months:

• Offering free variety IDs (authenticated 200+ coins)
• Sharing my diagnostic overlays in FB groups
• Creating “Coin Mystery” posts that went viral in collector circles

Turning Lookers Into Buyers: My 14% Conversion Funnel

The magic sequence:

• Lead Magnet: “5 Undervalued Seated Dimes Hiding in Plain Sight” PDF
• Day 3 Email: “The 1874-CC Mistake That Cost Me $900 (Video)”
• Day 7 Webinar: “How to Spot $1,000 Coins in $50 Dealer Boxes”

Money Multipliers: How I Tripled My Course Revenue

Tiered Pricing That Actually Sells

My three-tier structure:

• Basic ($197): “Stop Overpaying for Common Dates” essentials
• Advanced ($497): “Dealer’s Eye” valuation techniques
• Mastermind ($1,497): Monthly live grading sessions + my personal coin flip alerts

Upsells Collectors Begged For

After course completion:

• Physical “Field Guide” ($97 – costs $12 to print)
• Monthly Die Variety Alerts ($47/month – 82% retention)
• Live Workshop: “Grading Party” ($247 – sells out weekly)

Affiliate Gold Mines

Earn 15% recommending:

• Coin microscopes (students always upgrade)
• Grading service discounts (NGC gives me $15 per submission)
• Auction platform memberships (heritage loves me)

My Tried-and-True Course Creation Gear

The real tools behind my course:

• Canon MP-E 65mm lens (for “holy cow!” macro shots)
• My battered 1873-CC dime (the best teaching prop ever)
• Canva Pro (makes overlay templates idiot-proof)
• Loom (records my “aha!” explanations fast)

Interactive elements keep students engaged:

<div class="quiz-container">
  <h3>Quick Identification Quiz</h3>
  <p>Which variety shows this crack pattern?</p>
  <img src="f121-crack-overlay.jpg">
  <button class="answer">F-113</button>
  <button class="answer correct">F-121</button>
</div>

The Proof in the Profit: 18-Month Results

Since launch:

• 1,327 students (63% from word-of-mouth)
• $47,228 revenue (while sleeping!)
• 34% profit margin (after expenses)
• 4.8/5 stars (278 glowing reviews)

Best part? It keeps growing automatically through:

• My “Coin Detective” email sequence
• Self-scoring variety quizzes
• Student-powered Q&A forums

Your Turn: From Passion to Paycheck

My Liberty Seated dime journey started with a $20 coin and a dream. Now I teach collectors worldwide while funding my own addiction (currently hunting 1871-CC varieties).

Your expertise – whether in coins, crafts, or coding – has hungry buyers waiting. The formula works:

• Solve frustrating problems (like die variety headaches)
• Package knowledge into step-by-step systems
• Teach passionately to your niche tribe

The market for specialized knowledge isn’t just big – it’s begging for your unique flavor. What obscure passion will you turn into profit?

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