The Origins of $2 Bills
$2 bills first came into circulation in 1862 and were issued by the federal government. The initial print on the bill was Alexander Hamilton, which then changed to Thomas Jefferson in 1869.
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Since then, there have been around 6 different designs on $2 bills. However, not many people will be aware of this or what the significance behind each design can mean for the value of the $2 bill.
$2 Bills Selling for Thousands
One person found an old $2 bill from 2003 in 2022 and decided to sell it. The bill was sold on an online auction, with the person who sold it managing to make $2,400.
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This same $2 bill was then sold again just two weeks later. It had almost doubled in price in just a matter of weeks as it was sold for $4,000. Other $2 bills from the same year have also sold for hundreds of dollars or, in some cases, higher.
$2 Bills Printed Before 1976 Are Worth a Lot
While $2 bills from within the last 30 years can be worth a lot in some circumstances, you’re more likely to find ones worth more that were printed and minted before 1976.
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The most valuable were printed in the 19th century. However, they are unlikely to be in circulation anymore unless someone finds them tucked away in their attic.
$2 Bills Printed Up to 1917
$2 bills printed before 1917 tend to be worth the most. As long as these bills are uncirculated, they are worth at least $1,000.
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Bills with a red seal tend to be worth anywhere between $3 and $2,500, but in some cases, they can be sold for more. Bills with blue or brown seals tend to be worth only a few hundred dollars at most.
The Value of $2 Bills
How much a $2 bill is valued at entirely depends on the year it was printed. Whether it has a brown or red seal will be valued the same amount in some circumstances, whereas in other circumstances, it will need to have a red seal to be worth anything.
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The highest bill sold was from 1890, at $4,500; however, other bills from the same year have ranged from $500 to $2,500. 1862 bills can range from $500 to $2,800, whereas 1869 $2 bills can sell for more than $3,800.
$2 Bills Are Unlucky
Most people don’t tend to use $2 bills, or if they are given one at checkout, they are keen to get rid of them straight away as they are seen as unlucky and awkward to use.
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After wartime inflation and economic expansion, the number of times they were used increased. However, this didn’t stop people from returning them to the Treasury with the corners ripped off so they couldn’t be used in circulation.
Portraits Needed to Make $2 Bills Valuable
There are a few factors that need to be taken into consideration for a $2 bill to be considered valuable. One is that it needs to include a portrait of either Alexander Hamilton or Thomas Jefferson.
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These $2 bills also need to be uncirculated. If the bill is still circulating, it may only be worth a few hundred dollars. However, if it is uncirculated, it could potentially be worth thousands.
Low Serial Numbers and Misprints
Older $2 bills seem more valuable than newer ones. However, if that bill has a low serial number or a misprint, it could still be worth a bit more than ones with high serial numbers or that have not been misprinted.
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This is because these bills are seen as being quite rare, and there will be certain collectors out there who would want to add at least one of these notes to their collection.
$1 Bills Can Also Be Worth Thousands
It’s not just $2 bills that might be worth thousands. While $1 bills are significantly more popular, some from certain years can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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These bills were printed in 2014 and 2016. Despite being relatively new, 6.4 million of them were printed with an error, and some of them will be worth $150,000.
How to Tell if a $1 Bill Is Worth Anything
There are a few things you need to look out for if you think you have a $1 bill that could be worth more than the value printed on the bill itself.
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The series date must have Series 2013 written on it next to a print of George Washington. It should have a B Federal Reserve seal above the serial number, end with a star and be between B00000001*-B00250000* or B03200001*-B09600000*.
How Is a $2 Bill Valuable?
To check whether your $2 bill is rare or worth any money, there are a few things you can look out for that will likely mean you should hold onto this bill to sell it for future use.
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If it has a palindrome (serial numbers read the same both forwards and backward), repeated serial numbers, or has a star on the serial number, making it a replacement bill and much rarer, you could stand to make thousands from it.