I believe that the process used to hot-stamp chips is like that of an old-time printing press, i.e., one chip at a time. If you want to double the production rate, you run two presses, etc.

The error shown is indicative of when a chip is not turned over and run through the press for the second hot-stamp. (I am not sure of the sequence, but in order to print (hot-stamp) to both sides, you must first run all the chips through for side one and then again for side two, or after side one is done, immediately flip the chip and have side two done, pop the chip out and start again with a blank chip.

In any event, it looks like that chip missed being run through on one of the passes. Since that kind of error is a one-at-a-time event, and while it is possible to have it happen multiple times during a press run (an operator having a bad day) chances are there are only a few (if not any more at all) out there. I cannot go so far as to say it is unique, but unless there was a purpose behind it, I'd say you have something others do not.

Appears to be a nice find!

Jim