I don’t think it’s damaged.. looks to be a grease fill die...few more years in circulation it would have been dateless...
It may be damaged. I see something going on at 1 o'clock on the obverse which roughly translates to the 5 o'clock position on the reverse. You might be seeing worn damage from a very early point in the coins history.
I see that too but from the bad pictures... it looks like the rim and the ground is higher than “nts”. Better pictures will definitely help!! @Mary Neely O and click the full image button!!
Yes, it's hard to say to be definitive. But Mary can flip it over and over to see if there is an association between the two.
I think it's just from circulation wear. The "NTS" is there just worn down. If you look at the rim it is also well worn. Cool nickel to have either way!