15 Most Valuable 2 Dollar Bills: Complete Price Guide

Wondering if your old $2 bill is worth more than just two bucks? Well, you’re in for a big surprise. One $2 bill from the early years can fetch you a jaw-dropping amount.

Over the years, the 2-dollar bill saw many changes in its overall design, leading to different bill variations. Also, the different seal colors used as time passed aided in widening this diversity.

Only authentic $2 bills with a certain rarity can get you the big bucks you’re looking for. The prices of this rare 2-dollar bills have never been constant, and this variation is subject to the quantity in circulation, the condition, grading and star status.

So, if you have some old $2 bills and you’re looking to change them for some cash, we are here to show you how to identify and separate the valuable ones from the less valued ones.

15 Most Valuable $2 Bills

You’d be shocked to know that one of the only reasons the authorities changed the design of this bill frequently was due to poor popularity. Also, they earlier printed bills in somewhat low quantity.

Table displaying 10 of the Most Valuable US 2 Dollar Bills. From the table, initials A and B refer to particular variations in the series that are from the same year. We want to state that the different currency types require a slight elaboration. The authorities used five currency types to make the $2 bill series.

No.	Currency Type	Series (Year)	Avg Price (Circulated)	Avg Price (Uncirculated)
1	Treasury Note	1890	$550 – $2500	± $4500
2	United States Note	1869	$500 – $1200	± $3800
3	United States Note	1880	$600 – $2200	± $3500
4	United States Note	1862	$500 – $1000	± $2800
5	United States Note	1874	$400 – $1000	± $2400
6	United States Note	1875B	$375 – $1100	± $2300
7	Silver Certificate	1896	$300 – $1100	± $2100
8	Silver Certificate	1891	$250 – $900	± $2000
9	Silver Certificate	1886	$350 – $900	± $1400
10	Treasury Note	1891	$200 – $750	± $1400
11	Silver Certificate	1886	$350 – $900	± $1300
12	United States Note	1875/1875A	$300 – $650	± $1100
13	National Currency/FRBN	1918	$175 – $375	± $1000
14	United States Note	1928B	$70 – $175	± $1000
15	United States Note	1880	$125 – $350	± $550

Different Currency Types and How they Came into Circulation

First, we have the United States Note, also known as ‘Legal Tender Note’ & ‘Greenbacks’. This flat currency got its official name from the First Legal Tender Act. The USDT issued these notes to pay the Civil War expenses.

Banks chartered by the US govt issued another type of currency. They are commonly called the ‘National Bank Currency’. They weren’t exactly the legal tender at the time, but this didn’t stop the authorities from issuing them till the 1930s.

The Treasury Note or Coin Note was a short-lived currency type. The notes had extremely ornate designs with great details. Govt issued these notes to traders selling silver bullions to the USDT.

We also have the Silver Certificate; this is yet another currency representative that denotes the silver agitation. Different honorable persons occupied the note’s center. Interestingly, these obsolete bills remain valid legal tender at their face value.

FRBNs (Federal Reserve Bank Notes) were created to replace the national notes. It defined modern-time small-sized bills. However, FRBN discontinued issuing these notes to give the space to Federal Reserve Notes.

Large $2 bills sized are 7.4218” × 3.125” ≅ 189 × 79 mm in size while small $2 bills were 6.14” × 2.61” ≅ 156 × 66 mm. The large bills lasted from 1862 to 1928, whereas the small ones existed between 1928 – 1966.

#1. 1890 Treasury Note – Brown Seal

The bill that Portrays the image of James B. McPherson currently costs the most among collectors. His image lies to the right, and very close to it is a seal. Although there are different colors, the brown one is the most desirable.

#2. 1869 United States Note – Red Seal

It features Thomas Jefferson on the left side while the famous Capitol Hill is at its center. To the extreme right of this $2 note, you’ll find a large seal on the obverse. Additionally, you’ll observe that the serial number is in red just below the image of Thomas Jefferson.

#3. 1880 United States Note – Brown/Blue Seal

The banknote is quite similar to the 1869 tender bill; however, there is a little twist. The large seal used here seems brown when viewed closely. There are also extremely rare blue sealed 1880 Jefferson currency.

#4. 1862 United States Note – Red Seal

On this note, there is an image of Alexander Hamilton on its obverse side. The red serial number within the green overprint is also present in two furthest corners of the bill. Finally, there exist three different dates from the 1860s on its issuance.

#5. 1874 United States Note – Red Seal

This note appears to be a duller version of the 1869 Jefferson bills at first glance. However, you’ll also notice that the year isn’t the same after taking a closer look. The two distinctive red seals on the obverse add to its uniqueness.

#6. 1875B United States Note – Red Seal

With this note, the ambiguity in the 1875 series was dropped in the secondary version. The 1875B series are shinier, fresher, and the paper imprints are clearer. It also features two red seals that are visible with the naked eyes.

#7. 1896 Silver Certificate – Red Seal

The reverse of this note features an individual portrait of Robert Fulton and Samuel Morse side by side. On the obverse, you’ll observe an image that resembles scientific advancements in allegory. On its center is the allegory. There is also a red seal on its right side.

#8. 1891 Silver Certificate – Red Seal

A portrait of William Windom occupies the center for the redesigned silver notes. Also, on this note are enlarged waved texts that cover both sides of the portrait. The red seal is located to the right of the note, although slightly below the center on its right section.

#9. 1886 Silver Certificate – Brown Seal

Winfield S. Hancock’s portrait is placed to the left, while the seal is left to occupy the right side of this note. All the texts in the obverse section are located at the center of the note. Also, declined texts happened to hold the green reverse overprint.

#10. 1891 Treasury Note – Red Seal

A much-improved James B. McPherson image made it to the 1891 treasury note. But this time, unlike the 1890s version, where the image stays to the left, it occupies the right section. You’ll also find that the obverse exhibits an understandable greenish hue.

#11. 1886 Silver Certificate – Red Seal

The simple sealing color used here is the difference between this bill and its identical, from 1886. Except for the seal that appears brown or dull reddish at first glance, almost every other feature is similar to the previously mentioned banknote

#12. 1875/1875A United States Note – Red Seal

This note was somewhat different from the other issuance at the time. You’ll find a large-sized “2” on its front, which earned it the nickname ‘lazy deuce’. Numbers to cover the picture are also placed upward.

#13. 1918 National Currency/FRBN – Blue Seal

Here, you get a thick border note with an image of Jefferson. The reverse displays a battleship to denote WWI. Its notably compacted details with a catchy blue-colored seal make it one highly desired collectible.

#14. 1928B United States Note – Red Seal

You’ll notice that this note features a distorted interior border with a Thomas Jefferson in the obverse’s center. On the reverse, there’s an image of the Monticello in the middle. You’ll also notice that the reverse comes with a discolored-like green overprint.

#15. 1880 United States Note – Brown/Red Seal

A special reverse design differentiates this note from the previous 1880 US $2 bill. Also, you’ll find that it features a red or brown seal, not blue.

You should note that not every early $2 bill has a very high value. Also, there are several other notes before the 1976 version. Each possesses a slightly or notably higher selling price than their face value.

You can make some extra bucks from the recent ones. Uncirculated & even circulated notes in intact conditions should get you $3 – $8. However, the newer ones aren’t exactly worth the trouble.

Finally, you’ll find that many auctions don’t even include $2 bills because of their low pricing. But this doesn’t mean all hope is lost. You can check out the USCA listings to know the variations in this pricing. It’ll serve as a standard and help you understand rare banknotes’ probable pricing.

How Much is a $2 Bill Worth?

If you already have several early version $2 notes in your possession your next question should be, how do I determine the value of these 2 Dollar bills?

Standard and special factors contribute to the note’s final pricing. Here are essential points that will help you determine the worth of a $2 bill.

Overall Rarity

The low public popularity of the bill already ensured that the quantity of $2 in circulation was already low. So, rarity may not exactly be a great criterion when deciding the value of the bills. Authentic ones have been scarce since the time of the early versions.

Also, know that bills from the 1800s are worth more than 19^th-century notes. An estimated 2 billion of $2 notes account for only 1% of US currency in circulation; this is quite low compared to the 12 billion of $1 bills.

Current Condition

Do not expect to get anything from mutilated or worn-out bills. Only the finest, well-preserved banknotes are valued more than a hundred dollars.

According to the bill condition, the ones that will fetch you good cash can be classified into Extremely fine, fine & uncirculated notes.

Serial Number

The alphanumeric code on each note is the most important identifying feature. Some numbering patterns have always fascinated the collectors. So, a $2 bill with any of these number codes should be able to fetch you a high price on the bidding table.

Look out for an increase, decrease, or even consistency in the number pattern. Also, mirrored patterns are extremely rare; they increase a note’s value. Even the alphabets in the bracket may hold specific significance.

Certain Misprints

Mistakes made when printing currency also add to the note’s rarity. It often sets the intended money as the only one of its erroneous kind. Passionate collectors have to pay big bucks to have this one-of-a-kind paper.

Also, notes with doubled seals or improper seal alignment fall under this category. Anything that connotes a printing mistake can skyrocket the value of the note. Of course, you’ll barely find many of those among the regular 2 Dollar notes.

Star Banknotes

A keen eye for detail will catch the star pattern present on rare banknotes. The star lies immediately after the serial number on only a few bills. So, what does the one black star in the banknotes mean?

A star right next to the serial number denotes a replacement note. However, star notes are only printed for mutilated or unusable papers. Owning an authentic star $2 bill should immediately set the price incredibly higher.

So, from what we’ve seen in this section, uncirculated, well-preserved, rare, mistaken/replacement notes will get you the ultimate price.

Not all the notes are perfectly printed in the relevant facilities. And Bureau of Engraving & Printing (BEP) is charged with changing the damaged/imperfect bills.

Filtering banknotes before releasing them into circulation is an important job. This means since $2 old bills are already rare, replacements are rarer.

When was the Last 2 Dollar Bill Printed?

Several misconceptions have been circulated about the 2-dollar bills. The idea that no official printing or issuance of the note remains very popular.

The US Treasury Dept (USDT) discontinued printing the bills in 1963. You would wonder why the 2 Dollar bill was discontinued?

The Treasury stated that the reason for this was subject to the low & limited use associated with the bill. When the authorities paused the note’s issuance, the last printed type was from the ‘United States Note’.

In 1974 authorities revived the note, and this revival came with a then-new design. However, the two-dollar bill was reissued as a Federal Reserve Note this time.

Since then, the bill has remained a current US denomination. However, the authorities issue the note in limited quantity based on its demand.

How to Tell If 2 Dollar Bill is Real?

Fake paper money has always been a real problem for authorities worldwide, and we are sure you don’t want to get embarrassed over owning a fake vintage.

Since the chances of getting stuck with an old counterfeit $2 note aren’t low, you need to learn how to spot a fake from a mile away.

Bills from the early 1900s have a higher chance of being a forgery. Luckily, the chances of notes from the 1800s notes being fakes are minimal. Your $2 bill is possibly fake if you notice any of the following;

• The note is laminated. Laminating banknotes is always a bad idea, even for the circulating ones.
• Details in black/white. No denomination features simple black and white note details.
• Ordinary printed paper. Bills issued by the USDT are made from special paper, not the ones you’ll find in any regular stationery store.
• Irregular money size. Large or small – either one comes with precise specs for its size & weight.

The serial number is possibly the best way to confirm your bill’s authenticity. It’s also a great way to educate yourself on valuable $2 bills. Multiple websites let you access/validate the early banknote numbers.

Start with official sites like USDT’s Money Factory or US Currency. Other sites can evaluate values based on serial numbers. Enter yours to know the pricing from My Currency Collection or The Penny Hoarder.

However, the two Dollar bills are still the least counterfeited money. Frauds can’t even produce a large quantity with the early ones. There’s no point in making fake $2 notes instead of $100 bills.

Where can I Get a 2 Dollar Bill?

Well, it’s quite unlikely that you’ll get any valuable $2 from the banks or retail shops. Online sites like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy also feature some recent ones. Some of them from the early years that are unusable are gifted.

Like many people, don’t just jump at every $2 bill you see in circulation. This is the reason for the high misconception about the high selling prices of $2 bills. As we already stated, most $2 banknotes aren’t worth that much attention.

Many online dealers like Old Money Prices can help you with trading. However, the safest place to change your bills is always the bank. Random dealers may even unknowingly give you counterfeited notes.

Wrapping Up

The USDT had many reasons to keep the $2 bill issuance to a minimum. And its overall popularity isn’t exactly noteworthy to this day.

However, knowing the 15 most valuable $2 bills should offer you some good insights. We hope this complete price guide will help you unveil the actual price of these old notes.

Leave a comment below to let us know your expensive $2 bills.