Hi lilly, What you have is a plating disturbance. In 1982 the mint switched from copper cents to copper plated zinc cents. Plating issues on zinc cents are very common. All of those little bumps you see are also plating bubbles.
I know it has plating issues but that sure looks like some type of die mark next to the two and not plating ?
I don't think this is a plating problem. The bubbles seen elsewhere on the coin result from entrainment of gas in the coil stock at the rolling mill. Gas is compressible, so when the coin is in the press and under full striking pressure, the bubbles have not yet formed. It is not until the hammer die has pulled away that strain relief takes place. The gas then expands, following the path of least resistance, stretching the surface of the coin, and forming larger bubbles beneath it. Presuming that the deformity abutting the date resulted from bubbling shortly after strike, the bubble would have expanded away from the dated area, hardened most by strain (the lettering and numerals are some of the hardest regions on the entire coin), rather than toward it. It sure looks to me like this coin was produced from a damaged die . . . if you or someone else can locate another looking the same in that area, you would have proof of that. - Mike
It's a plating blister. There is no doubt about it. I've seen thousands of coins with plating blisters. Take a toothpick and press it into the area in question. You'll know right away.
Plating blisters are something completely different than the bubbles you are talking about, and they're unique to copper-plated zinc cents. Here's a good reference page: http://www.error-ref.com/BlisteredPlating.html
