Possibly a belt sander (or even just some vigorous rubbing on sand paper) met up with Lincoln. Certainly not anything associated with the minting/production of the coin. It does look like whatever took off the surface copper coating (and then some) might have been circular in nature, thus sparing the center portion of the coin.
Since damage is on all high points I would presume a hard flat surface such as being moved under object on a concrete floor like a warehouse. Other side damaged?
Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited. Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use