How I Turned My Coin Collecting Expertise into a $50,000 Online Course (And How You Can Too)

I still remember the first time I held a rare 1936 Buffalo Nickel with a doubled die obverse. My heart raced. I’d paid $48 for it at a local show. Three weeks later, it sold for $3,000 after PCGS authenticated it. That moment changed everything.

Turns out, my coin collecting journey wasn’t just about building a collection. It was about discovering something bigger: how to turn specialized knowledge into a thriving online course business. On platforms like Teachable, I’ve earned $50,000 from my course “Cherrypicking Mastery: How to Spot & Profit from Rare Coin Varieties.” And guess what? You can do this too.

Why Teaching Your Passion Can Be a Goldmine

When I started in numismatics, I was lost. Terms like “DDO” and “RPD” might as well have been Greek. Grading seemed like witchcraft. The learning curve? Brutal.

But over time, I developed my own system for identifying undervalued coins – especially in variety collecting, where even experienced dealers often miss opportunities. After turning several small investments into big paydays, I realized: I had something worth teaching.

Not just to fellow collectors. To aspiring edupreneurs like you who want to build income from what they know.

My course made $50,000 in six months. Here’s the real talk on how it happened – and how your expertise can do the same.

1. Find Your Micro-Niche (Yes, Even in a Niche Field)

Here’s the mistake most people make: They try to teach “everything.” I focused on “finding undervalued coin varieties at auctions and shows” – not just general coin collecting.

This specificity gave me three advantages:

<
• Drew serious collectors (who stick around and buy)

<

• Cut through the noise in a crowded market

<

• Let me charge premium prices ($197-$297)

Your move: What specific problem can you solve better than anyone? For me, it was spotting hidden mint errors, doubled dies, repunched dates, and ungraded “top pop” coins that others overlook.

2. Build Your Course Like a Workshop, Not a Lecture

My course has 7 modules designed for getting results, not just watching videos:

1. Foundations of Cherrypicking: What really makes a coin undervalued?
2. Grading & Authentication: Decoding PCGS, NGC, and ANACS labels
3. Identifying Varieties: DDOs, RPDs, VAMs – exactly what to look for
4. Auction & Show Tactics: How to find mislabeled coins before others
5. Photography & Submission: Getting your finds properly attributed
6. Profit Pathways: Best ways to sell – eBay, Great Collections, private deals
7. Scaling Up: From weekend hobby to serious side income

Each module includes:

• Short, focused videos (my iPhone and a $20 ring light worked fine)
• No-fluff checklists (“10 Red Flags in Auction Descriptions”)
• Real case studies (“How I found a $3K coin for $48”)
• Templates for talking to grading services

Creating the Content: No Studio Needed

You don’t need fancy gear. I used:

• Screen recordings (free OBS Studio) for slides and label analysis
• Macro lens ($25 on Amazon) for crystal-clear coin details
• Teachable’s video hosting for smooth playback

3. Show, Don’t Just Tell (Real Examples Win)

People don’t buy theory. They buy proof. So I packed my course with:

• Actual auction screenshots (“1951-S/S with tail visible – PCGS MS67”)
• Side-by-side comparisons of doubled die vs normal coins
• My own stories (“The $48 1936 Buffalo Nickel”)

One example that always gets reactions:

“A dealer listed a ‘normal’ 1951-S nickel for $30. I saw the faint tail on the S under magnification. Sent it to PCGS. Got MS-67 with S/S attribution. Sold for $1,200.”

This kind of real-world proof built instant trust – and sales.

4. Add Interactive “Grading Labs” (Students Love This)

My most popular module? The Grading Lab, where students:

• Watch me analyze real PCGS/NGC coin photos
• Test their skills identifying varieties
• Download a visual grading cheat sheet

Sample challenge:

// Ready to test your skills?
Image: 1934-D Peace Dollar
Task: Is this a DDO?
Clues: 
- Noticeable doubling in '3' and '4'
- Off-center crossbar in 'T' of LIBERTY
- Extra feather detail in eagle's wing
Answer: Yes, FS-101 DDO

Platform Choice: Teachable vs Udemy (My Real Experience)

I picked Teachable because I wanted control – and to keep more of what I earned. Here’s the breakdown:

My strategy: Use both. Udemy brings in new people. I redirect them to my Teachable course via email.

5. Smart Pricing (The Psychology Works)

I priced the base course at $197. The $297 “Pro Package” added:

• 30-minute private call with me
• Access to our private Discord
• Quarterly “Cherrypick Challenge” (I personally grade submissions)

The result? 40% of students upgraded. Average revenue per student jumped to $238.

Marketing That Actually Works (No Paid Ads)

You don’t need a big marketing budget. These methods brought me students:

6. Build an Audience First (YouTube Works Wonders)

I posted short, practical videos:

• “How I Found a $3,000 Coin for $125”
• “Why Most Dealers Miss This DDO”
• “3-Second Test for Overdates”

Every video ended with: “Want my complete checklist? Grab it free → [lead magnet link].”

My lead magnet? “10 Hidden Coin Varieties That Could Be in Your Collection” (PDF + video).

7. Be Helpful, Not Salesy (Community Building)

In numismatic forums, I shared:

• Helpful posts (“How to Read a PCGS Label”)
• Answers to questions (with free resource links)
• Live Q&As (recorded and used as course content later)

Over time, I became a trusted source, not just another seller.

8. Email Marketing (The 8.2% Conversion Secret)

My 5-day email sequence:

1. Day 1: “What is Cherrypicking?” (short video)
2. Day 2: “Case Study: The $48 Nickel”
3. Day 3: “3 Visual Signs of DDOs”
4. Day 4: “Why Most Collectors Miss These”
5. Day 5: “Full Course – Early Bird Access”

Result? 8.2% conversion rate – way above the 2-3% average.

Scaling: More Than Just One Course

Once the main course was live, I created:

• eBook: “The Cherrypicker’s Field Guide” ($27)
• Tool: “Auction Watch List” (Google Sheets, $12)
• Mini-course: “How to Grade Your Own Coins” ($49)

Total from digital products? $89,000+ in the first year.

9. Automate What Works

I set up:

• Automatic enrollments (Stripe + Teachable)
• Email sequences (MailerLite)
• Upsell paths (“Upgrade to Pro” after Module 3)

Now? 60% of sales happen automatically.

Your Knowledge Has Value – Start Teaching

You don’t need to be a world-class expert. You just need to be one step ahead of someone who wants to learn what you know.

The path is clear:

• Pick a specific niche where you can solve a real problem
• Build a course focused on results, not just information
• Show real examples – not just theory
• Use Teachable for control, Udemy for reach
• Market with value – YouTube, email, communities
• Expand with products and automate the process

Every time I see a new student enroll from a YouTube video or forum post, I smile. Teaching isn’t just sharing knowledge – it’s building a business. And the best part? You can do it from your living room, with a camera and the expertise you already have.

So what are you waiting for? What knowledge can you package and share with the world?

Related Resources

You might also find these related articles helpful:

• How to Become a High-Priced Tech Consultant by Solving Expensive Problems with Strategic Specialization – Clients don’t pay for generic skills. They pay for experts who fix costly, painful problems. If you want to become…
• Building Better Cybersecurity Tools: A Developer’s Guide to Threat Detection & Secure Coding – The best defense? It starts with smart, proactive offense. Here’s how developers can build threat detection and cybersec…
• How to Optimize Supply Chain Software: 5 Under-the-Radar Tech Tactics Inspired by the ‘Cherrypick’ Mindset – Efficiency in logistics software can save a company millions. Here’s a technical analysis of how to apply these de…