Teach Me To Take Great Pics. Please

I don't know where to post this question but I found it relevant to this forum so I'll start here.

I can't seem to get good pics. I've struggled for love a year and it's getting frustrating. I'd really appreciate some solid advice from someone that knows how it's done. I would like specific instructions on what kind of lighting, proper settings on my Samsung phone camera, distance, angle, zoom, etc.

I've tried most methods that are suggested, i.e. phone flat on stacked books, I've used light boxes. I seem to get way too much definition in my pics causing the coin to look extremely marked up. I'm becoming extremely frustrated because the coin shops in my area don't really give you the time of day unless you have silver or a graded coin. Not being able to accurately photograph a coin I'd like the community's opinion on really leaves me with only 1 option and I can't afford to have every coin graded because I think it might be ok.

I've put a PCGS graded ms65 pic and my pics to try to convey my issue. To my eye these coins are pretty close although mine has a ding I'm the rim on the reverse. My opinion comes from having the coin in hand. I'm not saying it's a 65, it's not, just saying overall it's comparable. How do I clean up my pics?