Here's how to tell if your old $2 bills are worth anything (2024)

FAQs

Here's how to tell if your old $2 bills are worth anything? ›

What is my $2 bill worth? 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 on the U.S. Currency Auctions website, which bases the value on recent and past paper currency auctions.

“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.”

Although $2 bills are rare to find, if you own one, there's a chance it has a high value. Based on specific factors, some versions of the currency may be worth up to $5,000, per the US Currency Price Guide.

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.

Serial Number

A unique combination of eleven numbers and letters appears twice on the front of the note. Each note has a unique serial number. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year.

A quick look at any U.S. banknote will show you a serial number. Those printed before 1995 have serial numbers consisting of eight digits sandwiched between two letters, like A12345678B. Today, only $1 and $2 bills follow this form, according to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing.

And if you have the right bill – even one of the most recent versions of the $2 bill -- it might fetch you big bucks. U.S. Currency Auctions has estimated that uncirculated $2 bills from 1890 could sell for $4,500. Uncirculated bills from nearly every year after 1862 to 1917 are estimated to be worth $1,000 or more.

The value of a $2 bill, including those from the 2017 C series with a red star, typically depends on its condition, rarity, and demand among collectors. Generally, a $2 bill is still worth its face value of $2 as legal tender.

What year $2 bill is worth a lot of money? ›

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. The auction site reports that collectors offer these or similar rates depending on factors such as printing method and location.

However, $2 bills are considered rare in comparison to our other currency and have even been known to be worth thousands of dollars. There are a number of factors that can make your $2 worth more than $2. First, there are one of two Founding Fathers that may appear on it: Alexander Hamilton or Thomas Jefferson.

Local banks should have $2 bills. If your bank does not have any current inventory, it can order $2 bills from the Federal Reserve Bank. Where can I purchase uncut sheet of currency? You can purchase uncut currency from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (Off-site).

Circulated examples of Series 1976 $2 FRNs can be bought for around face value or occasionally found in circulation. Uncirculated examples can bring a dollar or two over face. Serial Number 1 note.

Extremely Low Serial Number

First and foremost, what made this bill exceptional, was an exceptionally low serial number, specifically 00000007 *. In the world of currency collecting, low serial numbers hold a special allure as they signify bills that were among the first few to be printed.

The Series date located near the photograph of George Washington should read "Series 2013." The bill must have a "B" Federal Reserve Seal above the serial number. The serial number must end with a star (*) and fall between B00000001* – B00250000* or B03200001*-B09600000*

There are several ways to determine if the arrangement of the serial numbers on a particular bank note might fetch you some extra cash. One way is by going to a website such as Fancy Serial Number Checker, and typing in the eight-digit sequence of numbers.