Coin identifier by picture
Identify a coin from a photo with the Coin Checker app: name, year, rarity and an estimated value. The web version on this page is being connected.
Identify any coin from a photo
The web identifier is being connected. Until it is, the Coin Checker app identifies a coin from your phone's camera: its name, year, rarity and an estimated value.
- One coin, centred, filling the frame
- Daylight or a lamp from the side; no flash glare
- Sharp focus on the date and mint mark
What an identifier reads from your photo
The match starts with the design: the portrait, the wreath, the eagle, the lettering around the rim. That gives the country, denomination and series. The date and mint mark narrow it to the exact issue. The varieties for that issue are on the value pages, because a 1955 doubled die cent and an ordinary 1955 cent look the same from across the room; the rare pennies list shows what to look for.
What it cannot do
It cannot authenticate. A photo cannot tell a genuine 1943 copper cent from a plated steel cent or an altered date; the magnet and the scale can, and a grading service settles it. It also cannot grade precisely: the estimated grade is a photo-based opinion, not a PCGS or NGC grade. Use the result to decide what to research next, and use the value pages for sourced price ranges by condition.
Identify coins on your phone
The Coin Checker app identifies coins with your camera, lets you build a collection and track its total value, and helps you spot rare and error coins. Scan your coin with the free app.
Frequently asked questions
Can I identify a coin by picture?
Yes, with the Coin Checker app: photograph the coin with your phone and it returns the name, year, rarity and an estimated value. The app is free to download on iPhone and Android, with an optional Premium subscription. The web version of the identifier on this page is being connected.
What photo works best for a coin identifier?
One coin, centred and filling most of the frame, on a plain background, lit from the side by daylight or a lamp with the flash off, and focused on the date and mint mark. A second photo of the back shows the reverse details that some varieties depend on.
Can it identify a coin with no date?
The design and size still identify the type, such as a Buffalo nickel or a Standing Liberty quarter, whose dates wear away first, but not always the exact year. A dateless coin is usually worth little unless it is a scarce type, because the date and mint mark set the price.
Does the identifier work for foreign coins?
The Coin Checker store listing describes it as identifying coins from around the world against a database of 300,000+ coin types. If a result looks wrong, check the country name on the coin and search the year on the value pages.
Will it tell me if my coin is an error?
The app is built to help you discover rare and error coins, and every value page on this site lists the varieties and errors to check for its date and mint, with where to look. Confirming a valuable error still needs a close inspection and, for anything worth real money, a grading service.