Quite possibly, could we see a picture of the reverse also. There's a reason but I'll not say unless I see what I'm looking for. Post even if you don't see anything.
I believe that is a lamination error. It almost looks like a retained cud but the reverse should be weak in the same area if it were. The missing lam. around the ear is a dead giveaway.
The Omanis don't collect US coins. They only collect oil and camels. The coin looks like a lamination error, but I'm not 100% positive. I HATE collecting pennies!
In the first photos that you showed, the area aaround the date appears to be raised. That could have been a retained cud, but for it to be cud, the reverse would have shown weaknesses in the same area because the striking pressure wouldn't be as great in that area. All of the evidence including the missing lamination around the ear draws one conclusion.