Andy, to me it looks like a Libby-Owens-Ford serial number on a Leupold-Stephens data plate.. I see no part number on the tube at 3:00 0'clock so it is not a L-S scope.
yes you are right.
Its a common thing to find a L-s plate on a L-o-f scope or viceversa??
I have no idea if such a thing is common. I never saw one before... SARCO had a number of original blank L-O-F data plates years ago. I don't know if they had any L-S ones.
i thought there should be a box surrounding the serial numbers?