Cameras just don't seem to work as well as a scanner. I'd go along with the rest and say, get a scanner and you'll not only have great results, but it takes less time.

To answer your questions. I'd say, if you used two lamps, at about 45 degrees each from the top, you will get good lighting. You can also place a mirror in the back, which will add fill light. Shoot straight down, between the lights, which should have shades, so the light only shines down, and are about 2 feet apart.

.....Camera.....
Light \--/ Light
.......Strike.......

Daylight is good, but you'll get a heavy shadow, one way or another.

Flash up close is going to be all sorts of problems.

A:With or without case
B: Close up or people or long distance
C: Lamp watage - front - back - side
D: with or without flash
E: distance back from coin
F: straight on or on an angle

A - without case
B - close up
C - a couple of 75s will do it
D - no flash
E - as close as you can get and still focus, 2 feet or less. Depends on the camera.
F - Straight down, so you don't get distortion.

The way to test the camera for how close you can get, is use a yardstick, and shoot down it. Where you can read the numbers clearly, is the closest you can get and still be in focus. Most inexpensive cameras, on clos-up are still going to be a few feet!