The two-dollar Federal Reserve note in this holder is guaranteed authentic, legal-tender currency of the United States of America. The addition of beautiful, full-color imagery, through a unique colorization process, enhances its appeal as a numismatic collectible.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. Sounds like a lot, right?

According to the auction site, the less a bill has been in circulation, the greater its value. In addition, older versions of the bill are consistently listed at higher prices. 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.

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.

But a decade later, as the United States approached the bicentennial, the Treasury designed a new $2 bill series with a portrait of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on the back. The aim was to cut the number of $1 bills in circulation and save the Treasury money on production costs.

There were 1.4 billion $2 bills in circulation in 2020, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve. Just keep this in mind: No matter how much your $2 bill is worth on the collectibles market, if you spend it at a store, you won't be able to get more than $2 worth of merchandise, so shop wisely.

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.

According to the auction site, the less a bill has been in circulation, the greater its value. In addition, older versions of the bill are consistently listed at higher prices. 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.

To get a rough idea of its value, compare your bill's year to the U.S. Currency auction's list. Look for any special printings, seal colors and serial numbers. Newer bills contain a green seal while the earliest bills contain red and brown seals.