I purchased HL#114 Great Captain Island flag number 4,053 Malaysian mold no rod. The piece has the small window below date, tan bricks, light gray base with gray seahorse to the right of flag.
So far so good for HL#114 Malaysian mold no rod until I noticed that the date is 1863 not 1868.
Did the change in date from 1863 to 1868 occur
later in production than flag #4,053? All I can find on this from research is that the change in date occured later in production with no flag numbers listed. Although it does "NOT" appear that the ventilator ball area has been repaired could I have a Malaysian mold with rod now without rod that has been artfuly repaired?

Please weigh in with your thoughts.

THANKS!