Do you have a $2 bill tucked away in your drawer or wallet for good luck? Well, it’s time to take a closer look at those bills, as they may be worth more than you think.
U.S. Currency Auctions estimates that uncirculated $2 bills from 1890 could sell for at least $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 rates depending on factors such as printing method and location.
Newer bills could also have significant value, as a $2 bill printed in 2003 sold at an auction for $2,400 in 2022. This particular bill had a very low serial number for the 2003 series and was sold through Heritage Auctions, the largest numismatic auction house in the world. It was later resold for $4,000.
Is the $2 bill rare?
The Federal Reserve reported that in 2022, the number of $2 bills in circulation amounted to 1.5 billion, a small fraction of the total $54.1 billion of currency circulated that year.
About the $2 bill
The front of the current version of the $2 bill 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.
The $2 bill has a negative reputation due to superstitions and its association with illegal activities like voter bribery. The U.S. Treasury attempted to popularize the bill in the early 20th century, but it turned out to be a failure. 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.