The $2 bill is one of the most misunderstood denominations in US currency. People hoard them thinking they’re rare. They’re not. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced 204.8 million $2 bills in fiscal year 2024. They’re legal tender, they’re in active production, and most of them are worth exactly $2.
But “most” isn’t “all.” Certain $2 bills — specific years, star notes, red seal varieties, and bills with unusual serial numbers — are worth real money to collectors. Here’s how to tell the difference.
This guide is part of our US Paper Money Value Guide, which covers all major types of collectible US currency.
$2 Bill Value Chart by Year
| Year / Series | Seal Color | Circulated Value | Uncirculated Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Red | $10–$25 | $75–$250 | First small-size $2 |
| 1928B | Red | $50–$200 | $400–$2,500 | Key date — low print run |
| 1928C | Red | $20–$75 | $150–$800 | Scarce |
| 1928D | Red | $8–$20 | $50–$175 | |
| 1928E | Red | $15–$40 | $100–$350 | Low print run |
| 1928F | Red | $6–$15 | $40–$125 | |
| 1928G | Red | $5–$12 | $30–$100 | Most common 1928 |
| 1953 | Red | $4–$8 | $20–$50 | |
| 1953A | Red | $4–$8 | $18–$45 | |
| 1953B | Red | $4–$8 | $18–$45 | |
| 1953C | Red | $4–$8 | $18–$45 | |
| 1963 | Red | $3–$6 | $10–$25 | Last red seal $2 |
| 1963A | Red | $3–$6 | $10–$25 | |
| 1976 | Green | $2–$3 | $5–$15 | First green seal $2 |
| 1995 | Green | $2 | $3–$6 | |
| 2003 | Green | $2 | $3–$5 | |
| 2003A | Green | $2 | $3–$5 | |
| 2009 | Green | $2 | $3–$5 | |
| 2013 | Green | $2 | $2–$4 | |
| 2017A | Green | $2 | $2–$4 |
Star notes add a premium to every series. A 1953 $2 red seal star note in uncirculated condition might bring $50–$200, versus $20–$50 for a regular issue. Star notes on the 1928 series can be worth multiples of regular issues.
Are $2 Bills Rare?
No. The myth persists because $2 bills don’t circulate as visibly as other denominations. People receive them and save them instead of spending them. Banks order them less frequently than $1s or $5s because demand is lower. The result is a self-reinforcing cycle: people think they’re rare because they rarely see them, and they rarely see them because people save them instead of spending them.
The BEP has printed over 1.4 billion $2 bills since the modern green-seal series began in 1976. Current-year $2 bills are worth exactly $2.
Where the value lies is in the older series — particularly the red seal notes printed from 1928 through 1963 — and in varieties like star notes, low serial numbers, and error prints.
1976 $2 Bill Value
The 1976 $2 bill gets more questions than almost any other modern note. It was the first $2 bill with a green Treasury seal (replacing the red seal), redesigned with a new back featuring John Trumbull’s painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was released on April 13, 1976 — Thomas Jefferson’s birthday — as part of the Bicentennial celebration.
Many people took their new 1976 $2 bills to the post office that day and had them stamped with a first-day-of-issue cancellation. Those stamped notes have a small collector following but are worth $5–$10 in typical condition. The stamp has to be clean and legible to command any premium.
An unstamped 1976 $2 bill in uncirculated condition is worth $5–$15 depending on the Federal Reserve district. Circulated examples are worth face value. Over 590 million were printed — they are not scarce.
Exception: 1976 $2 star notes from certain Federal Reserve districts had low print runs and can be worth $25–$150+.
Red Seal $2 Bills (1928–1963): What They’re Worth
Red seal $2 bills are United States Notes (Legal Tender Notes) — a different type of currency than the green-seal Federal Reserve Notes used today. The red seal identifies them instantly. They were printed in several series from 1928 through 1963, and they’re the heart of $2 bill collecting.
1928 $2 Red Seal
The 1928 series was the first small-size $2 bill and comes in multiple sub-series (1928, 1928A through 1928G). Values range widely based on which sub-series you have.
The 1928B is the key date — with a print run under 800,000, it’s the scarcest small-size $2 bill in regular production. A circulated 1928B is worth $50–$200; uncirculated examples reach $400–$2,500+. The 1928C and 1928E are also relatively scarce and command premiums above other 1928 sub-series.
By contrast, the 1928G had the largest print run of the series and is the most affordable: $5–$12 circulated, $30–$100 uncirculated.
1953 $2 Red Seal
The 1953 series (1953, 1953A, 1953B, 1953C) is the most commonly encountered red seal $2 bill. Print runs were large across all sub-series, and many were saved in uncirculated condition. Circulated examples bring $4–$8; uncirculated $18–$50. The 1953 series is an excellent entry point for new collectors — genuine pre-1965 US currency at an accessible price.
1963 $2 Red Seal
The 1963 and 1963A are the last red seal $2 bills ever printed. The series ended when the Treasury transitioned the $2 denomination to Federal Reserve Notes in 1976. Values are similar to the 1953 series ($3–$6 circulated, $10–$25 uncirculated), but the “last of type” status gives them collecting appeal.
$2 Bill Star Notes: How to Identify and Value Them
A star note is a replacement bill printed when a defective note is detected during production. On modern bills, a star symbol (★) appears at the end of the serial number. On older series, it may appear at the beginning.
Star notes on $2 bills are more significant than on higher-denomination bills because $2 star note print runs tend to be smaller — the denomination’s lower production volume means replacement runs are correspondingly smaller.
| Series | Regular Print Run | Star Note Print Run | Star Note Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928B | ~800,000 | ~8,000 | 5x–10x regular |
| 1953 | 45,360,000 | ~720,000 | 2x–3x regular |
| 1963A | 13,600,000 | ~640,000 | 2x–3x regular |
| 1976 (varies by district) | Varies | 640,000–2,560,000 | 1.5x–5x regular |
| 2013 | Varies | Varies | Face value–$5 |
The key to star note value is the print run size.
$2 Bills Worth Money by Serial Number
Beyond star notes, the serial number itself can make any $2 bill valuable — even a modern one worth face value. Collectors call these “fancy serial numbers” and pay significant premiums for them.
The most valuable patterns on $2 bills:
- Low serial numbers (00000001–00000100): $50–$5,000+ depending on how low and the denomination
- Solid numbers (22222222): $300–$500+ on a $2 bill
- Ladders (12345678 or 87654321): $500–$2,000+
- Radars (24688642): $15–$50 on modern $2 bills
- Repeaters (20262026): $10–$30
A crisp, uncirculated $2 bill with serial number 00000001 from any recent series could sell for $2,000–$5,000. That turns a $2 face-value note into a genuinely valuable collectible.
Where to Buy and Sell $2 Bills
For common $2 bills (1976–present, circulated): any bank will order them at face value. There’s no collector premium to pay.
For red seal and vintage $2 bills: online dealers like APMEX and JM Bullion carry curated selections. eBay has the deepest inventory — search completed listings to establish current market values before buying or selling. For notes worth $500+, consider Heritage Auctions or Stack’s Bowers for auction placement.
For star notes and fancy serials on modern $2 bills: eBay is the primary marketplace. The collector community for modern currency varieties is active there, and buy-it-now pricing is transparent enough to establish fair market value quickly.
If you’re moving from coin collecting — Morgan Silver Dollars, Peace Dollars, or Pre-1933 gold — into paper money, $2 bills are a natural starting point alongside Silver Certificates. The price points are low, the variety is deep, and the red seal series offers genuine historical significance without a steep entry cost.
Related
- US Paper Money Value Guide — Complete overview of all collectible US currency
- Silver Certificate Values — Another accessible entry into currency collecting
- Silver Spot Price — Live silver pricing
- Gold Spot Price — Live gold pricing
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not financial or investment advice. FindBullionPrices.com is a price comparison platform and does not sell bullion or currency notes.
