Coinscan give the Die Crack type for this variety.
Regitko (CCN 30 sept. page #24) call it the Tool Damage or Die Gouge.
Who's right ?
Errors/varieties types : http://www.coinsandcanada.com/index.php ... _varieties
5 cents 1964 XWL
I don't know the correct answer and don't know if anyone does. If it is a die crack then we should be able to find coins which show some progression of the crack. I would also think it would go right out to the rim, most cracks seem to start at the rim and go in. Perhaps it was a piece of metal struck into the die by the master punch which then fell out of the die? Or it could be a tool mark. I would lean more toward the last two possibilities but cannot say any is right or wrong without proof.