No - there is a line of coloration about 2mm wide, running between the two lines I added. The arrow points to an L. I would say it's damage of some kind, no way it was struck on the coin; I "guess" maybe that is the lapel. The OP should have circled it on the original post. This remains a "guess," and I am tired of this thread; on to greater things!
I see it as well, and South of it looks like the bottom of an O or U and below that looks like the bottom of a G. Maybe the letter that looks like an L, is a D???
Would you mind trying to get a clearer picture of the image, please? And clear pics of front and back? My friendly advice would be, if the person who you took the coin into can't pin-point the error, I wouldn't so much rely on their quote of a "worth more than any other error" it just leads to heartache.
Sorry.. But all I see are marks from circulation wear. Nicks, hits and scratches! There is nothing hidden, not even a dropped letter, a clash of any kind or incused image of a hit from another coin.. It's nothing, not a discovery coin and not a mint error.
Personally, I think it's just damage. It could possibly be an impression from another coin or something scratched onto the surgace. More likely, I believe it to be a matter of perception similar to the Rorschach Test. Your brain is forcing you to see what you most desire. I do look forward to photos with better detail. Even if it is PMD, I find stuff like love coins and stamped coins interesting in a way (not valuable but interesting). What do you see in the following photo?
No. Don't tell me what to do! And how can I use a loop when It's not my Cent and I don't have it in hand. Did you use a loop? Did you see it in hand? This thread is a waste of time. It's a circulated Cent. Worth 1 Cent!
Instead of insulting members who've contributed infinitely more to this forum than you have, sir, perhaps you could be so kind as to reasonably and logically explain how such an "error" could exist? From the evidence presented thus far, we're most certainly looking at either a case of pareidolia or damage, or perhaps a mix of the two.
How can you expect him to explain how it could exist when he doesn't even know anything about the minting process.........and that goes for the others who said, "Yes, I see it! Yes, I see it!" They're all looney tunes! Chris
When looking at this penny, you don't see a mint mark. Once you shine a light to it, you see a small "D" next to the date, 1997 penny