You actually got lucky.
Both my terracotta and my Heritage had dull smudgy areas below the ferrule, because someone had polished them. One came from SP and the other from GQ Tobacco, so at some point they began consistently polishing them. The GQ (Heritage) still had grey silver polish on the back of the bowl and the front of the shank. Anyone who has ever polished a ferrule knows that silver polish is death to wood, and whoever did these was not careful.
So you're lucky
Also, as an owner of a Terracotta and a Heritage (which was the initial plan), I think you're lucky in that regard as well - two tremendous stain choices. A Natural would have been nice, but let's face it - Peterson no longer can obtain briar that this grade would have required in the past, and the cost is pretty damned high. Besides, they sold all but one to their preferred customers before the big release.