How to photograph coins with a phone: light, background and angles

A good photo settles a lot. With it, a dealer can give a preliminary valuation, a buyer decides whether to trust you, and you document your collection for insurance or an inventory. You do not need a professional camera – a modern phone is quite enough if you follow a few simple rules.

1. Light is everything

• Daylight from a window, without direct sun, is the easiest solution. An overcast day is ideal.
• Two lamps at the sides at an angle of about 45° give even light without strong shadows. Use identical bulbs with neutral (“white”) light so as not to mix colours.
• Turn off the flash. It creates bright glare and a flat picture.
• Side light (low, almost parallel to the coin) brings out the relief and the scratches. It is useful when you want to show the condition honestly.

2. Background

• A neutral, matt background: black or dark grey velvet for silver and gold coins, light grey card for dark copper coins.
• No patterns or textures that distract.
• No hands in the shot. The coin should lie on the background, not be held with fingers.

3. Stability and focus

• Prop up the phone. A small tripod, a pile of books or a cup – anything to keep it still.
• Shoot from above, perpendicular to the coin, so there is no distortion.
• Do not bring the phone too close. Below the minimum focusing distance the photo becomes blurred. It is better to shoot from 15–25 cm and use the 2× or 3× lens, or crop the photo afterwards.
• Tap the coin on the screen to focus, and lower the exposure slightly if a silver coin looks “burnt out”.
• Use a 2–3 second timer so the phone does not shake when you press the button.

4. What to photograph

For a listing or valuation, the full set is:

1. The obverse – the whole coin, in frame.
2. The reverse – with the same light and distance.
3. The edge – especially for coins with a reeded edge or an edge inscription.
4. Close-up details – the year, the letters or any defects.
5. The coin on a scale – for silver and gold coins this is the quickest way to show that the weight is correct.

5. Proof coins in a capsule

BNB proof coins have a mirror field that reflects everything – including your phone.

• Do not take the coin out of the capsule. Photograph it inside.
• Use diffused light – for example through a sheet of white paper or a white shopping bag over the coin.
• Tilt the coin or the phone slightly until the mirror field turns dark and the relief bright. That is the classic look of a proof photo.
• Clean the capsule on the outside with a soft glasses cloth.

6. Editing

• Crop around the coin, leaving a small margin.
• Do not distort the colours or use filters. Buyers want to see the real colour and patina.
• Do not erase defects. An honest photo saves returns and bad reviews.
• Keep the originals in good resolution for your own archive.

Quick checklist

• Daylight or two lamps, no flash.
• A neutral matt background.
• A steady phone, from above, at 15–25 cm.
• Both sides, the edge, the details.
• No filters and no “beautifying”.

If you want to compare your photo with a reference, every coin profile in our catalogue has photos of the obverse and reverse and the full technical details.