His Ancient Coin Side Hustle Earns $80,000 a Year
How this creator used YouTube, podcasts, and auctions to profit from a forgotten niche
What is the business and who’s behind it?
What do ancient Roman coins and modern YouTube have in common?
For Dean Kinzer, the answer is $80,000 a year.
Dean took a dusty family coin collection and turned it into a thriving side hustle by educating collectors, selling rare coins, and building a loyal audience in one of the most overlooked corners of the collectible world. All by making ancient history feel surprisingly relevant—and profitable—today.
Dean Kinzer is the founder of KinzerCoins.com and the creator of Ancient Coin Hour, a YouTube channel and podcast focused on ancient coin collecting.
His content helps new collectors understand what ancient coins are, how to avoid getting scammed, and where to find coins that aren’t just rare—but meaningful.
What makes Dean stand out is how he positions himself: not just as a dealer, but as a translator between the ancient and modern worlds. He’s on a mission to make ancient coins more accessible to American collectors, especially those new to the scene.
He’s not a history professor or museum curator—he’s a relatable, passionate collector who just happens to know how to turn his obsession into a business.
How was the business started?
Dean’s love of coins started with his dad, a coin and baseball card dealer. But it wasn’t until his father passed away that Dean got hands-on.
While managing the estate, he came across a tribute penny from the Tiberius era (yes, like in the Bible), and that kicked off his deep dive into ancient coins.
As he started learning, Dean realized how hard it was to find trustworthy, beginner-friendly information online. Forums were intimidating. Videos were overly technical. And most content assumed you already knew what you were doing.
So Dean decided to fill that gap. He joined a 10,000-member Facebook group, started listening, learning, and then launched his own podcast and YouTube channel.
He even teamed up with Josh Benevento—a Grammy-winning opera singer and longtime numismatist—as a co-host to balance deep expertise with relatable storytelling.
That pairing gave Ancient Coin Hour its voice: smart, nerdy, and totally beginner-friendly.
What are some of the marketing strategies used?
Dean didn’t blow up on YouTube overnight—and he didn’t need to.
His marketing strategy was all about community and credibility. He built real relationships in collector groups, showed up to trade shows, and slowly positioned himself as a helpful, trustworthy voice in a niche that sorely lacked it.
YouTube and podcasting became his megaphone. Every episode and video was tailored to a new collector’s mindset—answering questions like: Is this coin fake? Where should I buy my first one? What’s this emperor’s story?
He also brought in heavy-hitters: auction house owners, veteran dealers, authors—people who typically stay behind the scenes. This gave his audience insider access and helped Dean build trust by association.
Offline, Dean networked like crazy. He partnered with other dealers, explored collaborations with museums, and even attended SXSW to introduce ancient coins to a whole new crowd. His goal was simple: be the loudest, friendliest voice in a niche with almost no digital presence.
How does the business make money?
Dean’s monetization model is smart and diversified.
First, he makes money through retail sales of ancient coins on his website—sourcing and reselling them at a 30–40% gross margin. Then there’s auction representation, where collectors hire him to research, vet, and bid on high-value coins at major auctions (either online or in person).
He also offers a subscription service that gives paying members early access to hard-to-find coins before they go public—creating urgency and exclusivity without requiring a huge inventory upfront.
And with 40,000+ YouTube subscribers, Dean earns from ad revenue and uses his content as a funnel for all the above.
Best of all, ancient coins are incredibly versatile. You can buy a Roman bronze coin from the Constantine era for $20… or a silver denarius celebrating the assassination of Julius Caesar for $4 million. That wide range gives Dean flexibility to serve both beginner collectors and serious investors.
He’s not just selling old metal—he’s selling stories, symbols, and slices of history.
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Where can we go to learn more about the business?
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