This $2 Bill in Your Pocket Could Be Worth Way More—Over $4,000 More—Than Face Value

A combination image compiled and designed by The Epoch Times using images in the Public Domain and National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History.

That $2 bill in your wallet—the one you always ignored—might be worth a pretty penny more than face value.

These less common, more innocuous “deuces” may elicit responses from many: “Oh, I didn’t know they even made $2 bills!” While savvier numismatists may ponder: “Hmm, how much is it worth?” The answer is, depending on when it was minted: thousands.

Indeed scarcer, $2 notes may crop up in a tip for an outstanding server on a special occasion, or as a novelty holiday gift. Yet the reason they are so sought-after and valued might elude the recipient. The reason has its roots.

Why $2 Bills Are So Rare

The first $2 bill specimens minted in 1866, during the Civil War, represented a tidy sum in their day—laborers only made about 10 cents an hour in 1860, on average. So, such large bills were less handy; people preferred to carry around $1 bills or, when they were needed, $5 bills instead.

An 1862 $2 bill, which uncirculated is valued to fetch $2,800 at auction. (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History/CC BY-SA 4.0)

An 1880 $2 bill.  (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History/CC BY-SA 4.0)

The redesign of $2 bills in 1869 saw them nicknamed “Toms,” because they featured the Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, and they were printed up until 1966 when they were discontinued.

Beyond their impracticality, $2 bills were associated with both gambling and government bribery, and so were considered bad luck. The term “deuce” also meant “devil,” thus people who were superstitious sometimes ripped the corners off, which supposedly would “reverse the curse.”

A series printed in 1976 marked the diminishing point where the worth of $2 bills in circulation started reflecting face value, and no more. A more recent batch minted in 2003, circulated or uncirculated, is worth $2, full stop.

An 1886 $2 bill. (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History/CC BY-SA 4.0)

An 1890 $2 note, which uncirculated is valued to fetch as much as $4,500 at auction. (Econ5470group7/CC BY-SA 4.0)

An 1891 $2 bill. (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Still, some have insisted on hoarding these newer bills, perhaps deeming the 1976 Series too beautiful to spend, as on their backs they depict an ornate vignette of the Declaration of Independence’s signing.

What Rare Deuces Are Worth

As to their worth, a few factors come into play: Whether the bills were circulated or remain uncirculated is one of the key things to watch for; their history and rarity, of course, are also all-important factors.

Recently, auctioneers have valued several $2 specimens to be worth over $2,000 with some worth in excess of $4,000. While an original $2 note minted in 1862 in circulation might fetch $500 at auction, the same bill uncirculated could fetch $2,800, according to a U.S. Currency Auctions estimate.

An 1896 $2 bill. (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History/CC BY-SA 4.0)

An 1899 $2 bill. (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History/CC BY-SA 4.0)

The highest-valued $2 note was an 1890 bill with a worth of $550-$2,500 circulated, and as much as $4,500 uncirculated with both red and brown seals being considered acceptable. Could the bill in your wallet help pay for that next beachside vacation?

Deuces start to drop in worth from about the turn of the century, with some exceptions. For example, the 1918 Federal Reserve Bank Note featuring a blue seal could fetch between $175-$375 circulated, while the same uncirculated could be worth $1,000.

Yet from about 1953, we can expect specimens to fetch only a few dollars above face value at best. For example, a 1963 $2 U.S. note in circulation was deemed worth $6, while one uncirculated was valued at $20. Not big bucks, but hey—you got yourself a specialty coffee there.

A 1928 $2 bill. (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History/CC BY-SA 4.0)

A heavily worn 1976 Series $2 bill, perhaps the most common find today. (Public domain)

A U.S. $2 bill reverse side from Series 2003 depicts the signing of the Declaration of Independence. (Public Domain)

Numismatics expert Ian Russel, president of California auctioneer GreatCollections, pointed out a set of notes minted in 1896 that recently fetched $12,698.

“It is possible that people can have these passed down in the family, but you are not going to find that in your wallet as people wouldn’t spend that today,” he told the Daily Mail.

These days, you are more likely to come across $2 bills minted after 1966. Nevertheless, you might still keep your eyes peeled for “$2 errors, or extremely high-grade notes,” Mr. Russel said. Kaleidoscopic duplicate serial numbers, for example, are highly sought after by collectors.

So, there it is. Minus rare markings, errors, or other oddities, that $2 note in your pocket is probably worth just that—$2.

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