Unfortunately, that is all damage. You can see that the way the metal is all moved around that it has taken severe hits.
“Pre” supposes something wrong with the planchet before the Mint uses it. Contractors make them for the Mint. This one has all the hallmarks of circulation damage after strike at the Denver Mint = PMD. 13 years of circulation abuse. Study the minting process and you will learn why this result can not happen during striking while in residence at the Mint.
thank you for the help with correct terminology. i still learning. the 2 and 0 of the 2012 looks like it was struck on top of the the damage
That is because the numbers are incused instead of raised. If they had been raised, as, say, on a cent, the damage would have smashed them, possibly making them unreadable. But with the incused numbers, whatever mashed the quarter did not press hard enough to obliterate them, only to move them slightly. Try it with Play-doh.
