How I Built a Niche Community Platform for Coin Collectors (and What It Taught Me About Lean SaaS Development)

I built a SaaS product for coin collectors. No big team, no funding. Just me, a part-time dev, and a hunch about a market that everyone else had overlooked. Here’s what actually worked – and what nearly broke me along the way.

From Idea to MVP: Validating a Niche Market Need

I spent years in coin collecting forums. Same story everywhere: passionate collectors trying to connect, but constantly hitting walls. They weren’t just looking for another online space. They needed a platform that *got* why a 1916-D Mercury dime matters more than a 1921.

Identifying the Problem

Standard social media? It’s a dead end for serious collectors. The complaints I heard most:

<
• “My spouse nods politely when I talk about my collection – but I know they’re counting the minutes”

<

• “I want to share my progress, but starting 20 different threads feels stupid”

<

• “Most people only care if a coin is ‘rare’ or ‘valuable'”

<

• “I need tools that work for *how* I collect, not just general social features”

Validating the Market

I didn’t start coding. First, I got proof this was real:

1. Read the forums: Scanned 12+ communities for similar frustrations

<

2. Asked collectors directly: Polled 347 people in existing coin groups

<

3. Talked to veterans: Had real conversations with 15 long-term collectors

The numbers don’t lie: 89% wanted a dedicated platform, 72% would pay for it. That’s when CoinConnect was born – a SaaS platform built *by* a collector *for* collectors focused on PCGS/NGC slabbed type sets.

Tech Stack: Choosing the Right Tools as a Bootstrapped Founder

Zero budget means every tool choice matters. I needed speed, low cost, and room to grow. We launched in 11 weeks with this stack:

Core Architecture

• Frontend: React + Next.js (instant loading, great for search)
• Backend: Node.js + Express
• Database: PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM
• Hosting: Vercel (frontend), Railway (backend), AWS RDS (database)

Why this mix?

• Saves money: Most have free tiers that actually work for startups
• Speeds up work: Next.js handles most performance headaches out of the box
• Great for SEO: Critical when your users search for specific info

Key Integrations

// Example: PCGS lookup integration
const fetchPCGSDetails = async (certNumber) => {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.pcgs.com/coin/${certNumber}`,
    {
      headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.PCGS_API_KEY}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
      }
    }
  );
  
  if (!response.ok) throw new Error('PCGS lookup failed');
  
  return response.json();
};

This one integration changed everything. Suddenly users could:

• Auto-fill coin details from their PCGS cert numbers
• Verify slabs before trades – no more “is this real?” panic
• Track real market values, not guesswork

Product Roadmap: The Lean Approach to Feature Development

My rule: no feature goes live unless it solves a real collector problem. Here’s how we built:

MVP Phase (Weeks 1-8)

• Coin tracking: Catalog type sets with actual cert numbers

<

• Photo gallery: Made for high-res slab images, not blurry phone shots
• Basic forums: Split by collection type, not just “general discussion”
• User profiles: Show off your best coins, link to your PCGS/NGC sets

Phase 2 (Months 2-4)

• Collection progress: Visual meters for completion goals
• Photo tools: Lighting guides, angle diagrams – all built in
• PCGS API access: Real-time grading lookups

Phase 3 (Months 5-6)

• Private messaging: For trades, discussions, no more public “PM me”
• Marketplace: Verified by PCGS/NGC certs, not just trust
• Analytics: Track collection value, set completion timelines

Every feature started with user feedback. The photo tools? Direct response to “How do I take better pictures with my phone?” We built a capture assistant with lighting diagrams and phone positioning guides – because collectors said it would help.

Getting to Market Faster: Bootstrapping Strategies That Worked

No cash means no room for waste. Here’s what let me move fast:

1. Test Before You Code

I built a Figma prototype, showed it to 50 collectors. Found the big usability problems *before* writing code. Saved weeks of rework.

2. Use What’s Already There

Why build from scratch when you don’t have to?

• TailwindCSS for styling (saved me ~120 hours of CSS work)
• Discourse API for forums (no need to reinvent the wheel)
• Stripe for payments (no billing system to build)

3. Automate Everything

// Example: GitHub Actions workflow for automatic deployment
name: Deploy to Production
on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]
jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - run: npm install
      - run: npm run build
      - uses: akhileshns/heroku-deploy@v3.12.12
        with:
          heroku_api_key: ${{ secrets.HEROKU_API_KEY }}
          heroku_app_name: "coinconnect-production"
          heroku_email: "${{ secrets.HEROKU_EMAIL }}"

4. SEO from Day One

Niche communities don’t find you through ads. They search. So I optimized for:

• Long-tail keywords like “PCGS type set completion guide”
• Schema markup so Google *understands* coin data
• Sub-2 second loading (mobile first, always)

Scaling with Community: Turning Users into Advocates

The biggest lesson? Your users grow your product. Not ads. Not marketing. *People*. Here’s what worked:

Let Users Create

• Let them build “collections of collections” (e.g., “Top 10 Standing Liberty Quarters”)
• Badges for participation, expertise – collectors love showing off
• “Show & Tell” features that felt like the forum I knew

Social Proof Matters

“This is exactly what was missing. After 50 years collecting, I can finally share my type set journey in one place.” – Verified user with 47-year collection history

Gamification That Feels Natural

No flashy points system. Just:

• “Collection Milestone” achievements
• Monthly “Show Off Your Best Coin” contests
• Progress bars (e.g., “Type set: 64/116 coins”)

Monetization: Balancing Value and Sustainability

No funding means revenue starts *now*. I tested a few models before finding what stuck:

Freemium Model

• Free tier: Basic tracking, limited photos, forum access
• Premium ($9.99/month): Advanced analytics, unlimited photos, private messaging

Value-Added Services

• Photo optimization: $5/image for professional editing
• Collection appraisal: $25/hour with certified graders
• Marketplace fees: 5% on verified trades

Unexpected win? The photo service became our highest margin offering. Collectors *want* professional images to show off their coins – and they’ll pay for it.

Key Takeaways: Lessons from the Trenches

1. Validate before you build: Talk to users, read forums, find the real pain points
2. Start narrow: PCGS slabbed collectors first, then expand
3. Monetize early: Even $5/month payments prove there’s demand
4. Your community is your growth engine: Engaged users bring others in
5. Build what users ask for: The photo tools came straight from collector requests
6. SEO matters more than ads: Niche users find you through search
7. Bootstrap as long as you can: It keeps you focused on customers

Conclusion: The Indie Founder’s Path to Sustainable Growth

CoinConnect wasn’t built in a VC-funded office. It started in a forum where a collector said “I wish there was a better way to share this.” That’s the blueprint:

• Understand users deeply: Not just “they need a platform” but *exactly* how they collect
• Build lean: Only what solves real problems, nothing more
• Engage the community: Users become your best advocates
• Monetize from day one: Revenue funds growth, not investors

I built a profitable SaaS product in six months. No funding. No big team. Just by listening to users and building what they actually needed.

For other indie hackers: find your niche, talk to users, build lean, and let your community lead. The next great SaaS product often starts with someone saying “this could be better.”

Related Resources

You might also find these related articles helpful:

• How I Turned a Niche Hobby Into a High-Value Freelance Side Hustle (And How You Can Too) – I’ll admit it – I used to scroll past coin-collecting posts thinking, “Who even cares about this stuff?&#822…
• How PCGS Slabbed Coin Collecting Workflows Can Boost Your Website’s SEO & Digital Marketing Results – Let’s be honest — most developers don’t think about SEO when they’re setting up their workflows. But what if the way you…
• How PCGS Slabbed Type Set Investments Deliver 300% ROI: A 2025 Business Case for Coin Collecting as Alternative Asset – Let’s cut through the noise: How do *you* turn coin collecting into a real investment—not just a basement hobby? The ans…