I don't see metal in the ear,, but one thing one must learn along the way many a coins been cleaned in part. in the smallest way to extreme dipping or polishing...the one thing they can not erase, unless by the deep dipping, is the dark areas at the lowest parts of the coin, the ear is one of those places...it has dark toning or crud, which can look like something else, but one needs super macro photo's to see whats really there,