It's hard for me to tell from the photos, but if the mark is raised above the surface, it would be a die break (or crack). Also, based on the 3rd photo, it looks like it may have extended, al least partly, between the "1" and "9". Chris
It goes from the left of the "1" to the right and upward from the 2nd "9". It is a die crack. If it had been a thread or other lint, it would have been likely visible across a number. Remember the field where the break is most apparent is the outward part of the die, the top of the number we see was a "deep" recessed part of the die, so the crack starts on the surface and doesn't extend far enough inward to affect the number, except possibly the first nine where it doesn't look lioke it filled completely, maybe due to the lesser pressure with the crack giving a little. IMO. Jim
