No, Your $2 Bills Are Not Worth $20,000 (2024)

FAQs

How to tell if a $2 bill is rare? ›

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.

Unless it has a unique feature, like a low serial number or misprint, a newer $2 bill likely isn't worth much more than $2, even if it's uncirculated.

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.

“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.”

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.

Even that was a rare $2 bill, sporting a low serial number — a factor that can attract collectors. Unless it has a unique feature, like a low serial number or misprint, a newer $2 bill likely isn't worth much more than $2, even if it's uncirculated.

For example, an uncirculated 1890 series $2 bill with a brown seal can be worth at least $4,500. A circulated $2 bill with a red seal can sell for $2.25 to $2,500.

According to U.S. Currency Auctions, uncirculated $2 bills with red or brown seals can fetch thousands. For example, an uncirculated 1890 series $2 bill with a brown seal can be worth at least $4,500. A circulated $2 bill with a red seal can sell for $2.25 to $2,500.

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. FOX 13 Tampa reported that these bills were discontinued by 1966 but brought back 10 years later.

Where can I sell my two dollar bills? ›

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).

What Is a Silver Certificate Dollar Bill Worth Today? These certificates no longer carry monetary value as an exchange for silver, yet they are still legal tender at their face value. In the market, silver certificates are often worth more than their face value (e.g., $1) as collectors still seek out these prints.

A green seal to the right of the portrait represents the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The design of the seal was changed to incorporate an English inscription and appears on all Federal Reserve notes of the 1969 series year or later.

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.