1971 LMC What Might These Fleas Be?

The die that struck your coin was in the VLDS (Very Late Die State) that struck your coin. The coin is showing heavy die flow lines. The die is almost ready to be retired. Your coin is one of the copper planchet coins. So die wear looks different on these compared with the zinc cents. The difference? The way the die were made. The zincolns alter the dies differently. On the one you have, the die wear shows on the outside edges of the devices more. Also die flow lines look different. But that is what caused the fleas on your coin. No premium for this. But knowing what it is is priceless.

The fleas (or pitting) showing on the die for this year and mint intrigue me a bit. Flagging now for future comparisons. Thanks, Doug.

Adding - Curious if it shows only on the outer devices or is anything visible around or within the Memorial building?

The only thinking I can figure to cause this was circular motion die die scratches. Then then when they flattened in the open fields, what was left of them going in a direction not normal for die wear, the curved as the die continued to age. Making this turn and getting longer as the die aged is the only reasonable cause from what I can think of. IE in the recent past was how a nickel had a change of direction on a mint mark, to a new direction of die wear:
(Sorry I can't find the image now....)