I've noticed it in stores, but never on my own. Of course I've seen 3DS that look like people repeatedly stabbed the bottom screen with the stylus.

They're fine as long as you don't use sandpaper on them, or scratch at them with your fingernails.

Ok. I see where this is going.

It wasnt the big issue certain people tried to make it out to be.

Same with that white dust stuff covering the consoles. I do know of one person this happened to.

I noticed it at my local Game on their trial.

But if Sony recalled the dodgy batch and replaced them without complaint then what's the issue?

Well, there is this 50-pages-thread on GAF: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=711160&page=50

And recently, there was another one but I can't find it, sadly, where OP asked if it's still there and some responded that it's still an issue.
Most answered: "If there is a problem, get it replaced". Case closed as Sony will most likely never say anything official to this case.

Edit: Found the other thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=806427

Yea if I had to guess the first batch of controllers had issues and it was either fixed then or those were the only ones affected. Maybe they were stored inproperly while awaiting the release of the PS4.

apparently that they didn't have an hour long press conference complete with public lynching over the matter..

Well I have a bad one that I decided to put Kontrol Freeks on.

One of the controllers that came with my console had this issue but the other never (and still doesn't) so I'm guessing like others that it was just an isolated issue!

Mine ironically seems to be different to the example given as it was the center of my stick that went (whilst playing Knack) but it doesn't detract anything from the functionality of the stick... just doesn't look as nice anymore lol