Its secured inside your lock box or deep in a dresser drawer - the $2 bill. But some of the less-used currency could be worth far more than face value.
Depending on the year and how a $2 bill was circulated, some $2 bills are now worth thousands.
A $2 currency note printed in 2003 sold online in mid-2022 for $2,400 onHeritage Auctions. The same bill sold again for $4,000 roughly two weeks later, according to the Texas-based auction house. Other $2 notes from 2003 have fetched prices in thehundredsof dollarsand higher.
The federal government first issued $2 currency notes in 1862, which initially included a portrait Alexander Hamilton on the cover. Thomas Jefferson's image didn't appear on the $2 billuntil 1869, according to theBureau of Engraving and Printing. Since then, $2 currency notes have undergone six different designs.
What is my $2 bill worth?
To find the value of your $2 bill, look at the year and seal color. Bills with red, brown and blue seals from 1862 through 1917 can be worth up to $1,000 or more on theU.S. Currency Auctions website, which bases the value on recent and past paper currency auctions.
U.S. Currency Auctionsestimates that uncirculated $2 bills from 1890 could sell for up to $4,500, and uncirculated bills from nearly every year between 1862 and 1917 for at least $1,000. The auction site reports that collectors offer these or similar rates depending on factors such as printing method and location.
Uncommon but not rare
The Federal Reserve reported that in 2022, $2 bills in circulation amounted to $3 billion, a small fraction of the total $54.1 billion currency circulated that year. The note is considereduncommonbut not rare.
About the $2 bill
The $2 bill has anegative reputation dueto superstitions and its association with illegal activities like voter bribery. The U.S. Treasury made an attempt to popularize the bill in the early 20th century, but it failed. As a result, the government stopped issuing new twos for a period of time.
The bill was reintroduced in 1976 as the United States approached its bicentennial and is still in circulation today.
The front of the current version features the face of Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. On the back, there is a portrait of the signing of that document.
You can find acomplete listof the values of collectible $2 bills by clicking on the link provided.
Includes reporting by USA Today Network reporters Doc Louallen, Sarah Al-Arshani and John Tufts.
If the $2 bill was minted and printed before 1976, it would likely be worth more than its face value on the collectibles market. In some cases, it might be worth only $2.25. The highest value is $4,500 or more for uncirculated notes from 1890, although most of those bills range in value from $550 to $2,500.
You can find the value of your $2 bill by visiting their U.S. currency price guide online at uscurrencyauctions.com. U.S. Currency Auctions estimates that uncirculated $2 bills from 1890 could sell for up to $4,500, and uncirculated bills from nearly every year between 1862 and 1917 for at least $1,000.
If your $2 bill dates back to 1886 and has a red seal with a silver certificate, you're in luck. That bill is worth $4,500. A number of other iterations of the $2 bills with a red seal can also fetch well over a $1,000. Bills with brown seals are also very valuable.
According to online auction service U.S. Currency Auctions, if the bill was minted and printed before 1976, it could actually be worth as much as $4,500. That eye-popping price also depends on if the bill was uncirculated.
If the serial number, printed on the left and right sides of the bill's face, starts with the number 1 and was printed in 1976, you could have hit the jackpot — the bill could be worth more than $20,000, per MarketWatch. Other serial numbers that would interest collectors are "solid" or "ladder" serial numbers.
“A serial number '1' for a 1976 $2 bill would be worth $20,000 or more. But [for] a majority of those people holding 1976 $2 bills, they are only worth face value. There are very few that actually exceed face value.” Other high-value serial numbers include what collectors call “solid” or “ladders.”
If the $2 bill was minted and printed before 1976, it would likely be worth more than its face value on the collectibles market. In some cases, it might be worth only $2.25. The highest value is $4,500 or more for uncirculated notes from 1890, although most of those bills range in value from $550 to $2,500.
The auction site U.S. Currency Auctions estimates that uncirculated $2 bills from nearly every year up to 1917 are worth at least $1,000. If you've got a $2 bill with a red seal, it can sell for $3 to $2,500.
A newer bill with a green one is likely worth face value. With a red seal, the value generally starts to go up. Age is also a huge factor. If you're looking for a high dollar $2 bill, it would be pre-1900, and it would have to be in a very high condition graded condition," said Pinto.
Some people carry $2 bills in their wallets or purses for good fortune. Some also believe the $2 bill is lucky because it's considered a "rare" denomination (in reality, it's just less common), while others say it's lucky because of its association with Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence.
How do you identify dollar bills worth up to $150,000? There are three things to look for: The series date located near the photograph of George Washington must read “Series 2013″ The bill must have a “B” Federal Reserve Seal above the serial number.
To find the value of your $2 bill, look at the year and seal color. Bills with red, brown and blue seals from 1862 through 1917 can be worth up to $1,000 or more, according to the U.S. Currency Auctions website.
A unique combination of eleven numbers and letters appears twice on the front of the note. Each note has a unique serial number. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year.
Although $2 bills are rare to find, if you own one, there's a chance it has a high value. Based on specific factors, some versions of the currency may be worth up to $5,000, per the US Currency Price Guide. FOX 13 Tampa reported that these bills were discontinued by 1966 but brought back 10 years later.
Any $2 bill dating back to 1976 that has been in circulation – and any uncirculated versions since 2003 – are worth only their face value, USCA says. Uncirculated bills between 1976 and 2003 range in estimated value from $2.25 to as much as $500.
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