Two clear photos — front and back — and the engine reads your coin like a pro. Here's how to nail it in about a minute. Better photos in, better answer out.
Front and back — every coin. The date and design live on the front; the mint mark and grade clues are on the back. One photo is half the story.
Get close. The coin should nearly fill the shot, centered, with the whole rim showing. More coin = more detail = a sharper read.
Hold the phone flat and directly over the coin, lens parallel to it. Tilts and angles warp the design and fake wear that isn't there.
Daylight by a window, or a lamp bounced off something white. Skip the flash — it blows out the shine and buries the detail that sets the grade.
Tilt the coin or the light until the bright hotspots disappear. Lay it on something dark and plain — no busy patterns behind it.
Tap the coin on your screen to focus, brace your hands or rest on a table, and wipe the lens first. Blurry can't be graded.
Add an edge shot (errors and varieties love to hide on the rim), and a photo of the holder or label if it's already slabbed. The more we can see, the more we can find.