Ecuadorian Coins with Altona, Switzerland as the Mint [solved]

There are a number of coins from Ecuador where the mint is listed as Altona, Switzerland. I could find no information regarding this place but I did locate Altona (Hamburg), Germany. Anyone have a clue.

KM75c 1970 (5 centavos)
KM76c 1964, 1968, 1972 (10 centavos)
KM77.1c 1959, 1962. 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972 (20 centavos)
KM81 1963, 1971 (50 centavos)
KM78b 1964, 1970, 1971 (1 Sucre)

I'm not a referee for Ecuador anymore, but I added this information. It's from the official catalog of Ecuadorian coins: Ramiro Reyes "Numismática ecuatoriana", 2011. It clearly says "Altona (Suiza)"

Anyone have a clue as to which mint or company produced these coins in Altona, Switzerland.

Seeing as how this is not really a request to modify a coin's page, but rather a Numismatic question, I am going to mark this thread as Done.

That aside, this is a rather interesting situation. I searched for any sign of an Altona, Switzerland, but came up with nothing.

With that being said, take a look at this coin:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces5569.html

The last year-line comments make mention of Germany, although it does not specify Altona. But if you look at this link:
http://www.coinfactswiki.com/wiki/Ecuador_1979_sucre

Altona, Germany is mentioned.

To me, the odds of one country having their coins minted by two foriegn mints, both with the name Altona, seems slim. That is not to say impossible, but... improbable. But then again, mistaking Germany for Switzerland seems like a rather major error. I am really not sure what to think of this...

The mint in Altona, Germany was closed long time before the Ecuadorian coins had been minted (1861).

Still, in the Schön catalogue there is written that all mentioned coins were struck in the Hamburg mint, the one that is still active today.

Hi,

the Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke (Germany), nowadays VDM Metals Group had their headquarters near and a major factory in Altena, a small city in North-Rhine-Westfalia, Germany, where there has always been lots of metal related industry.
In the late 1960s and in the 1970s they managed to provide the metal dies for several Latin American mints.



I once met a guy, still living there, but in his 80s or 90s, who proudly told me that he was the sales guy selling to Bolivia the dies for this coin:

Bolivia 1 Peso 1968

So - to cut things short - it possibly can be a typo and it is neither Altona in Switzerland (which does not exist) nor Altona in Hamburg, but Altena

Quote: "Bavariat"​Hi,
​
​the Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke (Germany), nowadays VDM Metals Group had their headquarters near and a major factory in Altena, a small city in North-Rhine-Westfalia, Germany, where there has always been lots of metal related industry.
​In the late 1960s and in the 1970s they managed to provide the metal dies for several Latin American mints.
​
​
​
​I once met a guy, still living there, but in his 80s or 90s, who proudly told me that he was the sales guy selling to Bolivia the dies for this coin:
​
​Bolivia 1 Peso 1968
​
​So - to cut things short - it possibly can be a typo and it is neither Altona in Switzerland (which does not exist) nor Altona in Hamburg, but Altena

​Good Morning,

I've looked at this issue before and found similar information with regards to VDM. I think it is highly likely that it was this mint in Altena the one that produced the Ecuadorian coins and not an unknown mint in Altona, Switzerland. So, in short, I agree with Bavariat.

I've decided to remove the mentions to the Altona Mint from the Ecuadorian listings until I can definitely confirm which mint produced them. I'd rather there be no additional information rather than erroneous information. As Sulfur mentions, if it is an error that was made in the Reyes' catalogue (which I also checked), it is quite a big one.

on a side note, I regularly check the forums, but have refrained from commenting. I will be happy to correspond with anyone and everyone via private messages or modifications requests. You will find that I usually respond to either within 24 hours.

Best to you all,

John