Isle of Man: Damaged two pound coin (2017)

[<k>]

Isle of Man, 2 pounds, 2017.

See the reverse, at the top.

[<k>]

This is what the reverse should look like.

[Figleaf]

I think you are right to describe the effect as damage, but as it affects only the ring, not the pill, the damage likely occurred during the minting process. Ring and pill flans are produced separately, but struck together, so the damage seems to have been done before striking. Since the damage was not undone by the striking, the part that was damaged may well be very slightly lower, so that the die could not reach it.

The most likely cause is the washing machine, a production phase that cleans away minute metallic part and traces of oil that could interfere with the striking procedure. The ring may have been caught somewhere in the washing machine and scraped mechanically during the washing.

Peter