I thought it was just the coin design but guess not. I'm not sure what it is as it goes under the 2015. If it were a scratch it would be going over the date also.
I am going to guess some foreign object got caught between the blank and die as Markus says, it's behind the lettering.
I was wondering, Tommy - if it were something on the die wouldn't it have been pushed into the date as well upon minting? As if it were a piece of wire?
I'm absolutely sure it's counting or rolling machine damage. If you look carefully at the entire coin (please post a pic), you'll see the entire circle of damage.
Post #8 is, without the slightest doubt, dead on. She was bit. It does not go behind the date, which isn't raised, but over it.
The date is incuse. That means recessed from the surface surrounding it. Those perfectly circular gouges are not deep enough into the coin to reach the deepest recess of the date. I stand by my original diagnosis.
So you are saying this damage was on the planchet before it was struck? - just trying to wonder - love to learn!!
Markus... No... he's saying it is post mint damage, caused by the machine that rolls coins. This individual coin was on the end, and was damaged in the process.