A video encoder determines that the last significant coefficient (LSC) of a transform coefficient block occurs at a given ordinal position according to a coding scanning order. The video encoder generates a coordinate indicator that specifies the coordinates of a given transform coefficient in the transform coefficient block. The given transform coefficient occurs at the same ordinal position according to an assumed scanning order. A video decoder receives the coordinate indicator and converts the coordinate indicator into a scan-based LSC indicator. The scan-based LSC indicator indicates the ordinal position of the LSC.