Did this mark on the chin happen before it left the mint?... clash?... The 4th image is inverted for a different view.
It's PMD. Remember that the high points on a coin are the low points on a die, so you would expect to see evidence of a clash (or polish marks to remove the clash) primarily in the fields
Additionally, it is IMPORTANT to note that "when it left the mint" is irrelevant. What is relevant is "when it left the coining chamber" and "before it hit the bag".
Yep. That reeding mark could've happened in the bag at the mint. The coin could've still been in the building, but once it left the machine that made it, anything that happened in the bag or afterwards is "post-mint" damage. (Which technically means post-strike damage.)
It's very plausible it happened when the coins ejected into the tray or when they were bagged. As such, I don't think it should keep the coin from getting a grade.
