Based on your third picture, I am pretty sure this is a lighting issue. These new Shield Cents are very hard to photograph and the reflections can make you see things that are not there. In addition, the depth of the earlobe in your first picture is perfectly normal.
Thanks for responding Bumpkin and SilverCents. However, with identical lighting on literally hundreds of other 2021 LSCs I have examined I have seen no similar ear doubling---only on this penny and one other. I can see that it may be MD. But, would MD appear on only the earlobe on not on other devices on these pennies?
When the MD happens it flattens the contour of the devices. When flattened, it reflects light differently on that area. So the coin was struck, then the machine damaged it on the rise from the coin.
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