Question about PIII QF06ES datecode

[Katmai500]

I was looking at the PIII QF06ES:



Following the FPO/datcode format for other Intel CPUs I read that this CPU was manufactured Week 8 of 2000. This seems odd as the CPU is an unrated Coppermine FC-PGA sample, and the packaging looks different than standard FC-PGA chips (traces appear different and die is turned 90 degrees). My assumption would be that this is an early Coppermine sample, however production 500MHz Coppermine Socket 370 PIII's can be found with Week 52, 1999 date codes, and the initial Coppermine Socket 370 ship date was in February 2000.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Is the QF06ES an early sample or something else?

Here's a PIII 500E Socket 370 with a 99/52 datecode:

[Neon_WA]