And I don't think it was the cardboard... or clear material that covers the window.
I DO wonder if - as Phyllis suggested - there was adhesive or SOMETHING around that window from production that contributed to this.
(or if these were indeed the "bargain flips" I think I picked up at a swap meet - maybe they had been exposed to something somewhere)

Anyway - it doesn't matter.
There were just certain circumstances that made me remember getting this particular chip - and recalling SPECIFICALLY putting it in that flip and wondering if the "snug" storage of the too small holder could hurt it. (I figured, "Nah... and left it in there.)

Had this happened to any one of a 1000 other chips I have, by this I mean... had I taken one out and looked at it and noticed, "Yikes - this one is a little rough." - that would have been "end of story". and I would not have thought anything more than, "Wow - I didn't notice how banged up that was when I got it."

Oh well... not a big deal... (but I DO KNOW THAT CHIP WAS "FINE" when I got it! Not perfect... but not existing at a 10% loss)