Sat in the box for a week. Looking at the front, I see an orange metallic multicoating. Looking through from the rear, I see tht the multicoating appears to be a sticker (like car window tint), and on the edges of the sticker, I see where it was applied unevenly. It looks almost like a crack in the glass on the edge (but it is not). Came from the same place where everyone gets T1's so that ain't the issue. And it is obviously new. Normal?

Pictures please.  This your description doesn't sound normal.  I'll reserve opinion on whether it is a knock off as I don't know where you bought it.  The lens coating for all Aimpoint sights are sealed between two pieces of high end European aged glass.  It isn't "stuck on" to the front or rear of the lens.

S/F

Crappy pics I know. Look at the top of the tube. There is a somewhat broken black circle that defines the tube and a shaded area defining the lens. AT the top of the tube, towards the right is a whitish curved line which is what I am talking about. That is not the flash glare, it is a gap on the edge of the multicoating. If I rotate the tube, the area that I am talking about rotates too.

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/5840/img1648tv9.th.jpg
http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/4012/img1647ou0.th.jpg

My t1 has an uneven almost frosted looking ring around the rear glass.  Without poking at it I'm assuming its either a little sealant or just the unpolished part of the glass...  Is that what you're seeing?  

Sort of. I think that I also see a slight smear of sealant. But there is also definitely a gap in the coating at the edge. I have never even mounted this Aimpoint BTW. I see the gap best when I am not using my glasses (bad vision) and have my eye about an inch away. With what I think is a normal eye relief, it is there, but less noticeable. I also looked at my new ML3, from the same seller, and it does not appear to have the same issue as the T1, though as you say, if I look for it, I can see that frosted ring.

i am looking at mine, it has a edge of something, without taking it apart; i think it is a gasket on the other side of the glass maybe sealant.