Have a $2 bill lying around? It could be worth thousands (2024)

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Have a $2 bill lying around? It could be worth thousands? ›

Have any $2 bills lying around? You might want to check because they could be worth thousands. According to U.S. Currency Auctions, some versions of the $2 bill are valued at nearly $5,000. The company said $2 bills from 1890 with a brown or red seal could sell for up to $4,500.

If you have any old or new $2 bills laying around, they could be worth thousands. According to the auction site US Currency Auctions, nearly any $2 bill, from 1917 and older is worth at least $1,000.

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.

A circulated $2 bill, even if it's from the 1800s, may only be worth a few hundred dollars, the auction service reports. Newer bills, like one printed in 2003, could also have significant value. A $2 bill recently sold at an auction for $2,400, according to Heritage Auction. (It later resold for $4,000.)

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.

“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.”

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.

One way to determine if a $2 bill is worth more than another is the color of the seal and also the age of the bill. Newer versions with a green seal are likely worth face value, but denominations with a red seal have a higher value.

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.

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.

Can you get a $500 bill at the bank? ›

American paper currency comes in seven denominations: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. The United States no longer issues bills in larger denominations, such as $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 bills.

According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, 6.4 million $1 dollar bills were printed with a mistake that make them worth $150,000 by collectors. If you have any $1 bills in your wallet or under your couch, you might want to think twice before using them.

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.

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.

Newer versions with a green seal are likely worth face value, but denominations with a red seal have a higher value. And if you are searching for a $2 bill worth a lot of money, the bill would have to be dated pre-1900, with a "very high graded condition," FOX 13 noted.

Serial Numbers Matter

Any bill, regardless of the year it was printed, with a single-digit serial number can be worth a significant amount. These are bills with all zeros followed by a number from 1 to 9. Even two-digit serial numbers ranging from 10 to 99 can hold a value higher than their face value.