jackflash123

Interchangeable lens' is what you need - so that usually that limits you to a dslr.
We use a 180mm and a 100mm - both macro - the coin image needs to fill the sensor area to get maximum detail and having both allows us to do that with all coins up to 10oz
65mm macro lens is also good for documenting things like milk spots - but its hard to light the subject as the lens is only a few millimetres away.
Maybe consider the second hand market from a reputable source.  Photographers are always selling kit so they can upgrade.  
 
 

That means we are paying you about £1 million per hour!
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I solved that problem by doing most of mine at night!
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Yes, that's a mouth watering photo of a very nice coin.
I have seen it before, about 10 minutes ago on our Photography channel.
It's worth showing the reverse as well:

1698 William III gold guinea.
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Don't tell him that, whatever you do!
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This information is very fascinating and once I have found a decent camera I will be experimenting with different lighting conditions.
Currently I rely 100% on natural light which causes lots of shadows and reflections and isn't really ideal because the brightness only seems sufficient at certain times of the day.

This information is very fascinating and once I have found a decent camera I will be experimenting with different lighting conditions.
Currently I rely 100% on natural light which causes lots of shadows and reflections and isn't really ideal because the brightness only seems sufficient at certain times of the day.

An afterthought about smartphones...I;m not sure how you would synch one to the strobes we use.  There's probably some way but I havn't seen it
We use flash photography...strobes.  
All our images are taken in 1/160th of a second - we control all the light.  
This (drool!) was taken today - I took 3 of the obverse and 2 of the reverse
Total studio time - about 5 minutes
Total editing time about 10 minutes
I don't think **I** could ever get same result with a smartphone
 

Actually they came a day late now I remember. They missed the cut off at post office by 5 mins, items were received at post office at 5:05pm so they came on the 2nd day rather than next day.

I ordered a full sovereign and 1/10th gold coin from tavex last week and they arrived next day by Special Delivery. They also put the coins into a kind of Tavex branded presentation case which I wasn't expecting nor did I pay any extra for. Good service TBF.

Take next week off,you have earned it😁

I agree - I shall save Tuesday just for doing it next week.  

Thanks for posting all this.
We should add a How to Photograph Coins info / blog / guide page to the Chards website.
It would help numismatists worldwide, and might encourage some of our less ethical competitors to take their own photos instead of using our high quality copyright ones.
I hope The Sun and the Daily Telegraph legal teams are reading this. GoldCore already know, although they were very slow learners!
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Thanks @SemolinaPilchard handy to know these things.
I don't sell a lot of coins/bars, I mainly buy them, but I do post a few items for sale here and there so it's handy to know.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post 👍

Actually they came a day late now I remember. They missed the cut off at post office by 5 mins, items were received at post office at 5:05pm so they came on the 2nd day rather than next day.

Thanks @SemolinaPilchard handy to know these things.
I don't sell a lot of coins/bars, I mainly buy them, but I do post a few items for sale here and there so it's handy to know.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post 👍

Yes I didn't think a smartphone would be able to produce images like that, but it never harms to ask and be sure.
So I guess a Canon 5D should be on my Amazon wishlist.
Thanks for the info @LawrenceChard 👍 

Our first DSLR was a (Nikon compatible) Fuji, but the battery latch failed. We bought a consumer grade Nikon as a spare while it was repaired, only to find the Nikon was not compatible with the Nikon ring flash.
Turned out Canon were the only DSLR maker with a fully compatible macro system at the time.
We binned the Fuji and Nikon, and replaced  everything with Canon kit.
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Well yes and no. (in regard to smartphone)
Our dslr camera is mounted on a copy stand so its perpendicular to the coin - you could do that with some contraption for a smartphone.
I use a shutter release cable on the dslr to minimise camera shake....I dare say that you could use a timer on the phone
The lighting wouldn't affect whatever you are taking the image with.
BUT...with dslr we have choice of lens - which smartphone doesn't. 
I've seen some breathtaking photos (landscapes etc) captured with a smartphone but I really wouldn't find it as easy to use as a purpose built dslr camera
 
 

Like @paulmerton says , until you receive what you paid for..the risk is on them,so they obviously have the items insured whether tracked or not.

I've bought several items from them, some with what I would class as high value and they have always been delivered no issue.

Delivery has been fine. If you ask on their website chat pop up they usually answer anything rapidly. I imagine they have a 3rd party insurance for their items but asking will give you exact answer 👍🏼

The honest answer to that is "I don't know".
I think it possibly is, but I would defer to the expert @SemolinaPilchard, a.k.a. Doug, who might like to contribute to the discussion.
 
An R5 might be even better!
But I would try to avoid buying it from Amazon, and there is usually a better deal to be had elsewhere.
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2023 Black Bull of Clarence Royal Beasts Gold Silver and Cupro-Nickel Coins Authorised 
According to the London Gazette
https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-07-19-List-of-Business.pdf
The Privy Council authorised the production of the Bull of Clarence coin on Tuesday 19th July 2022.
A release date schedule has already been published, and these are expected to be released in March 2023:
TWO THOUSAND POUND GOLD COIN 1. (1) A new coin of gold of the denomination of two thousand pounds shall be made, being a coin of a standard weight of 2010 grammes, a standard diameter of 150 millimetres, a millesimal fineness of not less than 999, and being circular in shape. (2) In the making of the said gold coin a remedy (that is, a variation from the standard weight or diameter specified above) shall be allowed of an amount not exceeding the following, that is to say: (a) a variation from the said standard weight of an amount per coin of 11.97 grammes; and (b) a variation from the said standard diameter of 0.6 millimetres per coin. (3) The least current weight of the said gold coin shall be 1995.04 grammes. (4) The variation from the standard weight will be measured by weighing each coin separately. (5) The design of the said gold coin shall be as follows: ‘For the obverse impression Our effigy with the inscription “· ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D · 2000 POUNDS”, and for the reverse a depiction of the Bull of Clarence accompanied by the inscription “BULL OF CLARENCE” and the date of the year. The coin shall have a grained edge.’
More to follow.
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Yes I didn't think a smartphone would be able to produce images like that, but it never harms to ask and be sure.
So I guess a Canon 5D should be on my Amazon wishlist.
Thanks for the info @LawrenceChard 👍