Problem with in camera close focus.

Here are a couple of photos showing the problem of lighting the subject when the camera is so close (1cm) to the subject. The first photo is just using available light and the second with reflected light from the firing of the flash. The flash did not light the coins directly as the camera was so close to the subject that the flash was off to the side, actually top left. Notice too the quick drop off in focus. The depth of focus is very shallow making the use of a tripod a necessity although these shots were taken handheld by bracing the camera and hands on the tiles.