Most $2 bills in circulation are worth exactly that: $2. And even though you don't see a lot of $2 bills in everyday life, they are still being printed.

If the $2 bill was minted and printed before 1976, it will 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.

Large-sized notes. In March 1862, the first $2 bill was issued as a Legal Tender Note (United States Note) with a portrait of Alexander Hamilton; the portrait of Hamilton used was a profile view, different from the familiar portrait in use on the small-sized $10 bill since 1928.

Why two dollar bills are so rare. You'll probably be surprised to learn that although $2 bills are indeed rare, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing still produces these bills on a regular basis. According to CNN, in 2022 the Bureau printed over 200 million of these bills, and over 1 billion of them are in circulation.

The $2 bill, first printed in 1862, is hard to find due to its lack of use. There have been several editions of the $2 bill, with the most recent version designed in 1963, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

The highest value for a $2 note is found on 1890 Treasury Note versions, with the circulated version worth between $550 and $2,500, or worth $4,500 or more if uncirculated. The collector value is the same for both versions of the 1890 bill, either with a brown seal, or a red one.

If you have bills and coins that are old, rare, unique or otherwise valuable, these are the best places to convert them into spendable cash.

• Heritage Auctions.
• eBay.
• Stack's Bowers Galleries.
• APMEX.
• Your Local Coin Dealer.

Fun Facts about the Two-Dollar Bill

• Nicknamed the “Tom” because they feature Thomas Jefferson's portrait on the face.
• Has been linked in the past to bribery, election rigging, gambling, prostitution, and bad luck in general.
• Used by Clemson University, Geneva Steel, and 2nd Amendment proponents.

But here's the thing, the $2 bill saved the government a bunch of money. “It's more cost-efficient to print twos instead of ones,” Bennardo says. “You can print half as many twos and get the same dollar amount.” Today, for example, it costs about 5 cents to make a dollar … and it costs the same amount to make a 2.

The highest value for a $2 note is found on 1890 Treasury Note versions, with the circulated version worth between $550 and $2,500, or worth $4,500 or more if uncirculated. The collector value is the same for both versions of the 1890 bill, either with a brown seal, or a red one.

Superstitious believers eventually deemed the bill denomination to carry bad luck. "The $2 bill was often thought to be bad luck, as 'deuce' was a name for the devil," CNB St. Louis Bank wrote. "Recipients would tear off one corner, believing it would negate the bad luck of the bill.

Bills issued with a brown or red seal during the 1800s are the most valuable at the moment, with some fetching prices as high as $4,500. But more recent bills can still far exceed their initial value, with some reaching between $200 and $1,000.

There are two uncirculated $2 bills that have a value that can exceed $4,500, according to U.S. Currency Auctions. Both are treasury notes from 1890. One has a brown seal, while the other has a red seal.