Do you have a $2 bill lying around? It could be worth nearly $5,000 depending on these factors

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 are offering these rates depending on factors such as printing method and location.

Newer bills could also have significant value, as a $2 bill printed in 2003 recently sold at an auction for $2,400. This particular bill had a very low serial number for the 2003 series and was sold through Heritage Auction, the largest numismatic auction house in the world. It was later resold for $4,000, but Heritage estimates it could now be purchased for $6,000.

If you possess an uncirculated 1890 $2 bill with a red seal, it is now valued at $4,500. $2 bills with red seals can sell for $300 to $2,500, while those with brown or blue seals may fetch hundreds. 

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About the $2 bill

The $2 bill has a negative reputation due to superstitions and its association with illegal activities like voter bribery. The U.S. Treasury made an attempt to popularize the bill in the early 20th century, but it turned out to be a failure. As a result, the government stopped issuing new twos for a period of time.

The bill was reintroduced in 1976 as the United States approached its bicentennial and is still in circulation today.

The front of the current version features the face of Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. On the back, there is a portrait of the signing of that document.

The Federal Reserve reported that in 2022, $2 bills in circulation amounted to 1.5 billion, a small fraction of the total $54.1 billion currency circulated that year.

Is the $2 bill rare?

In 2017, there were 1.2 billion $2 bills worth $2.4 billion in circulation, according to the U.S. Currency Education Program. Making them uncommon but not rare.

You can find a complete list of the values of collectible $2 bills by clicking on the link provided.