Scam or real mint error?

[Sandog]

I'm seeing the coin below, that I found in a Coinstar, being listed on some internet sites as a mint error. Same dates, same mint marks. Supposedly it's a 1998 coin struck with the date 1888. Have not been able to confirm that by internet search. To say I'm skeptical would be putting it mildly. But since I can't rule in or out so far I thought I could surely get some input from the members. If no one else can shed light on it I'll take it to a dealer tomorrow for a positive ID. Thanks for looking.

 

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[galenrog]

1998 with date either damaged or altered.

Time for more coffee.

 

[Sandog]

1998 with date either damaged or altered.

Time for more coffee.

I agree that it looks like the most likely possibility. Could this kind of damage be done during the minting process? And as a separate question, does it look like the upper left corner of the 8/9 numbers are right angles rather than radiuses as in the upper right corners? It's late, nothing on TV, this is idle hands and mind at work.

 

[smokeythecat]

Looks like a classic 1898 with a small die chip on it.

 

[Sandog]

Looks like a classic 1898 with a small die chip on it.

Thanks for looking it over. These irregular coins are beyond me most of the time.