Italian Stamp With Inverted Center. Real Or Fake?

Found this stamp in a collection. Anyone ever see one like this? (I'm still trying to figure out how to rotate this image with the tools on this site...sorry the stamp is sideways).

This may be Scott #22, doctored to look like #22a. The image is not good enough to see any details though.

I recommend you scan the stamp from and back at decent resolution.

It looks suspicious to me, like someone cut out the center and pasted it upside down to turn a $50 stamp into a very rare variety.

Chek if the stamp ist with gum or not. If not, it is surely an fake. If yes, it will be better to look for an Expertise.

So funny, don't you feel it's something glue over ? I can see it from here, and it's not even cut properly.

The stamp does have gum on the reverse. The impression of the outline of the head can also be seen. I have tried to get a better image but I'm stuck using the camera on an ipad. I'm going to have to submit the stamp for authentication by the PF. If a fake it'll cost me little. Thanks all for your input.

Most of these are fake made from printers waste. Save your money and show it to Sergio Sismondo. He attends most major shows. He is the leading expert for these.

Be sure and show the cert. here. Never seeing the cert. has left a void in me. Please.

Surely, even from this sub-optimal image shown here, someone has sliced out the center with an X-acto knife and pasted it upside down. A better scan is needed for me to see. Or you could simply invest in a magnifying device and reach the conclusion yourself about whether there is a false border between the center and the rest of the stamp. Perhaps dip the stamp in watermark fluid (Rosonol lighter fluid) and look for odd adjustments to the stamp?

If you show the reverse of the stamp, the answer will very easily be revealed

Jenny, agreed unless the cutout has been just added to the surface, or the stamp was rebacked. As others have said, a close examination of the stamp should save the original poster the cost of a cert. From the image supplied I would say there is a very high probability that it is a faked modification.
Don

This is the best picture I have been able to get of the stamp reverse with an ipad. The impression of the head can be seen clearly. I have looked for signs of tampering on the face of the stamp but can not detect anything that suggests it.

Well it's a fake , look on the one in the center the blue on the frame of the stamp is the same value as the one where is the Franco letter, in your stamp the colour value is not the same. Also look at the oval over the head, in the center stamp, it's perfect , on your's it'S flat

Or did I see the word proof at the back, also from the Scott and Michel catalogues the inverted copies are cancelled

gettinold thanks for showing the reverse. I'm now not sure what you have and agree that no obvious signs of tampering can be seen. The writing could be some sort of expert's/owner's mark. I suggest contacting an expert to get their opinion. Good luck!

Jenny. Thank you for your opinion. I have already contacted the PF regarding submission. Area66 does bring up valid points. My photograph does not capture the true color of the stamp due to poor lighting. I found this stamp buried in one of those stock cards that had been crammed full of stamps. I purchased a collection that hadn't been touched in more than 50 years. Going through those type of collections almost always yields a mystery. When the PF produces a cert I'll post it whether fake or genuine.

I wish for you that I'm wrong, you should find someone with a scanner , I think it's an essay or a proof, what is the writing at the back say ? Now the question, would you leave a stamp of that value in a stock card in a pile of stamps ?

Now my most objectives observations

1- The font of the lettering look authentic when compare to original not inverted stamps
2- We can't see the details of the lines and especially the oval flatness that I'm talking about.

Base on that this is why I'm thinking it an Essay ( more than a proof ) a good scan will fix the question for sure.