Morgan mint error? Or damage? 1 1

[Codywyramon]

Not sure I'm still learning but I'm trying to see if these small gouges below her ear and along her cheek are a mint error or damage? It's a 1880 S.

[powermad5000]

Clear, cropped photos of both sides of the coin would be useful to properly answer your question. Based on the turned to the side photo, it is not a mint error. Only a lamination error would cause a spot on the cheek like that, but lamination errors do not look anything like that. I would say it is just from rubbing against other coins in a mint bag during transport, but this coin just has some deeper bag marks on it.

[JKK]

I don't see a reasonable mint explanation of those marks emerging, so I'd have to say bag marks or post-mint damage.