1. A method of authenticating a physical item having markings using a portable computing device comprising: causing a graphic user interface of said portable computing device to display an initial instruction to obtain continuous video and position all of said physical item within a field of view of a camera of said portable computing device; automatically recognizing identified features from said markings of said physical item from a full-view video frame of said continuous video obtained when all of said physical item was within said field of view of said camera, using a processor in communication with said camera; after displaying said initial instruction, causing said graphic user interface to display a subsequent instruction to zoom in on said physical item and position only a portion of said physical item within said field of view of said camera while continuing to obtain said continuous video; automatically recognizing patterns from a zoom in video frame of said continuous video obtained when only said portion of said physical item occupied all of said field of view of said camera, using said processor; monitoring said continuous video for continuity while continuing to obtain said continuous video to determine whether said continuous video is continuous or discontinuous between said full-view video frame and said zoom in video frame; repeating said initial instruction followed by said subsequent instruction when said continuous video is determined to be discontinuous; and performing an authentication process using said identified features and said patterns to determine whether said physical item is valid when said continuous video is determined to be continuous by matching said identified features and said patterns to previously validated data, using said processor.