‘Just not worth the fuss’: Bank teller reveals why you should never ask for $2 bills — even if they are prized by collectors

What to do with that two

No matter what any teller tells you, you reserve the right to ask for $2 bills (and use them) any time you like. Still, the stumbling blocks named by the employee (referred to as “Rachael”) are worth considering next time you line up at the window.

“Most people don’t even know $2 bills exist,” Rachael told GoBanking. “So we don’t keep a lot of them around. When someone does ask for them, we usually have to special order them, which is honestly a pain in the butt.”

Merchants and banks have every right to be skeptical and sometimes view the unusual bills as fraudulent.

“A lot of the newer tellers have never even seen a $2 bill,” Rachael said. “When one shows up, they might think it’s fake or a misprint. I’ve had to hop on someone else’s line to help clear it up more than once. It just slows everything down.”

In the end, you’re bound to throw some people off, especially in a digital age where most pay by contactless cards or smartphones.

The odds of snagging a rare and valuable bill equates to landing a four-leaf clover. Even if you happen to get a bill with a single-digit serial number, there’s the question of its condition. The previously auctioned $2 banknote, which sold for $1,175 in 2012, was rated 67 out of 70 on the widely used Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS) scale.

That meant it was near perfect with no signs of wear or damage. Because of its pristine condition, it was preserved in a frame. Meanwhile, the elusive deuce you pray for might be well-worn after being in circulation for too long.

Still, if you think you’ve landed a Eureka-worthy moment, it’s best to seek expert help on how to authenticate and appraise your find.

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Give you a $2 tour

The $2 bill has had a fascinating journey over the last 160 years. They were first introduced as legal tender in 1862, and Alexander Hamilton was on them until 1869, when he was replaced by Thomas Jefferson.

Today’s $2 bill first appeared in 1976 to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial. According to the Federal Reserve, 1.5 billion notes were in circulation as of 2022. That’s enough to put four twos in the hands of every American and still have change left over to buy a pack of Doublemint gum. It also puts into perspective your odds of hitting the jackpot.

The $2 bill is a bit of an oddity, as the note’s reverse side features painter John Trumbull's Yale version of the Declaration of Independence signing. Due to limited space, six of the 48 men in the painting were left out of the engraving. Those dropped include George Wythe, William Whipple, Josiah Bartlett, Thomas Lynch, Thomas McKean and Philip Livingston.

Regardless of those omissions on the flip side of the banknote, these days numismatists are all about the Jeffersons.