please help?????

The word "LIBERTY" is also incomplete. I guess the coin blank wasn't seated properly when the coin was struck.

Looks like post mint damage, I think it was called spooning or something. Sailors, or anyone bored would take the coin, smack the rim with a spoon, or something metal, and gradually form over the edges. It looks like your coin had that done, and then the rims smooshed into the center.

I would wait until Matt takes a look at this one, because I don't think it's a cud or anything, just damage, but he should know better than I.

Who are these folks? Let me know if you happen to know any of them personally. I will report them to SPCC (The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Coins). For the life of me I can't understand why some people can't think of a more constructive and healthy way to utisize their spare time than beating a poor coin to death with a spoon. When I'm bored I like to hunt imaginary minotaurs with my toenail clippings

Umm... OK... lol

Doesn't everyone?

No, only normal folks like you and me. Others are apparently too busy beating poor coins to death with spoons and other infernal objects

Anyway, I believe Vfox got it spot on. I even found a similar example at
http://www.geocities.com/mercatordesigns/wierd.htm

....and a link that describes the process

http://conecaonline.org/content/OhNo0031.htm

I agree with V fox... It looks like spooning.. the guys would smack the edge and make it flat like that.... then cut out the center and make a ring to send home to their lovely ladies... you see a lot of cents like this because the start doing the coin... and the realize that it'll turn their ladies fingers green... so they start on a silver coin ring... I believe that the middle of the coin gets beat up by the spoon as well by the artist missing the edge of the coin and somehow striking the surface with the edge of the spoon. on another note I have heard this coming from an industrial garment dryers as well...