Is This A Fake Grill On A Possible #139?

While sorting through various large banknotes today, I came across this 10c that stood out to me. It appeared to have a very grill impression when I held it at the right angle in the light. The grille was also highlighted with charcoal on the back. This got me pretty excited, since a Scott #139 isn't something I see every day.

But upon closer examination, the front sure looks more like the reengraved #209. And the paper doesn't fluoresce much at all under UV light, which leads me to believe it's not the hard paper that a grilled stamp should be on.

Am I crazy, or is this a fake grill added to a #209 at some point in the past?

Yes, good catch. I also note that the grill points are too pronounced for a 139. The creator was too enthusiastic.

Thank you, all for the input. I figured it was too good to be true: finding a 139 hidden amongst other common bank notes. Oh well. Even as a fake, it's still pretty interesting. After the last fake coil I encountered, I may have to start a whole separate fakes section in my collection!

The stamp is definitely a Scott 209. Count the number of vertical lines to the left of the vignette. Scott 209 has 4 lines and the earlier issues have 5.

Indeed, the appearance of the grill and non-fluorescing paper does create controversy questions on its efficiency. One has to refrain from being too liberal with stamps such as these, more so where they are not on the right paper.