Yeah, that looks like a lid chipped by an accidental drop.
I agree with never banking coals directly against the bowl either. It seems that where the grate straps are welding inside the bowl, those weld points more often than not pop the paint on the opposite side of the bowl. It seems more prominent on colored kettles than black ones. I have a feeling there is an issue with the make-up of the steel behind those weld points and how the paint ultimately adheres to it. None of my colored bowls have ever popped the paint in these areas, but I'm hoping its because I don't bank the charcoal directly against the bowl.