Stan;
The true number of the engine is stamped on the block. The number stamped on the head was done later in the assembly process in order to make it easier to identify the engine from above.
The aluminium head was a replaceable item, no different than a piston or crank or valve. When you bought a replacement one, it would come to you with no number stamped, only the part number of the head.
Having said that, nothing stops you from removing the stamped number on the head.
As a point of info, the dash designating the compression was not a dash but rather a #1 turned on its side
