The surface looks like it has been re-plated. It may be a portion of the plating has fallen off, or the replating distorted the mint mark. (Also not the outside of the 9 which show this also.) This happens on the cents when they are reprocessed. Reprocessing these cents remove collector value. Also keep in mint these were steel planchets struck by steel dies. This wore the dies faster. Making the shadow of the on the sides of the devices facing the rim. A lot of factors possible, but just a steel
Wheat cent.
Edited by coop
11/30/2011 10:29 am