My first thought was that too much of the rim was still present. If it was a clip, some of the rim would have been missing. And it looks like the clip is tapered, cut from both ways.
Having dealt with Mr Diamond and his expertise on a few questionable coins over the years I'm sure he would have a more substantive explanation and would be cautious to equivocate certainty without having the coin in hand. But thanks for quoting his email to you. It does tend to support your position without question.
Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited. Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use