Long underlined the unloved stepsibling of the $1 bill, the $2 note has often been scoffed at by many Americans. Some even think $2 bills are rare, not printed anymore or have gone out of circulation.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) shared that “for most of their history, $2 notes have been unpopular, being viewed as unlucky or simply awkward to use in cash exchanges.”
Notes were often “returned to the Treasury with corners torn off, making them mutilated currency and unfit for reissue,” the BEP writes of superstitious people who ripped the corners, hoping to reverse the curse.
Some $2 notes, however, may be valued at thousands.
Making a fortune
While the $2 bill is synonymous with Jefferson’s portrait, the note has found several changes on the back, along with some on the front, including placement and size of the photo and the addition of colors.
And some of these bills may be worth far more than what is suggests.
To find the value of your $2 bill, look at the year and seal color. Crisp, uncirculated bills with red, brown and blue seals from 1862 through 1896 can fetch about $5,000 at U.S. Currency Auctions. And if your note is a little crumbled and used, circulated bills from the same time can be worth up to $1,100.
The auction site reports that collectors offer these rates depending on factors such as printing method and location.
Moreover, some notes come with “fancy serial numbers,” so if you’re lucky to find one of these very rare notes, your two dollars can be worth up to $6,000.
Do you have a rare $2 bill? Please let us know what you think of this story and make sure you share it with your friends!
