YORK, Pa. — How much is a $2 bill really worth?
Many of us keep those $2 bills somewhere in our home because well we're not so sure why, but someone, somewhere, told us they're special. There's been online chatter recently that those 2 dollar bills you have saved somewhere could be worth thousands.
FOX43 Finds Out took some bills to the experts to find out if you can get more bang for your buck.
Michael Steinmetz, the Vice President of Steinmetz Coins & Currency, says he has people coming into his coins and currency shop in York County all the time asking if these bills are worth more than 2 bucks.
More times than not, the answer is no. Mostly because the US government still prints them.
"They're printed relatively sporadically. They're not printed every single year, they're printed when the government feels like it," said Steinmetz.
But how rare does a $2 bill need to be to fetch thousands of dollars from collectors?
It comes down to the serial number.
Steinmetz said, "Someone had, I believe, a number 1. So it would be like getting that note in your hand and looking down and seeing all zeros and a 1 at the end. I believe that note was also brand new and never used. It's a combination that just doesn't happen, which was why that note was worth so much money."
The expert said usually with these $2 bills, the older they are, the more likely they're worth more than 2 bucks, but not much more.
"The 1963 and '53 series. They do have additional value, none too crazy though," Steinmetz said. "$3-4 a piece on regular notes. Really gorgeous ones, yeah you can do a lot more money, you can probably get $20-$30 on a perfect note."
Steinmetz says mostly anything that would make a $2 bill worth a lot of money, is the same thing that would make any bill worth more money. Those rare serial numbers, different color seals, or they're just really old.
"I did have a young gentleman who works at a local gas station who found a number 8 $20. So all zeros and number eight," he recalled. "That was worth $400, but it's a very rare thing to have happened.
So what should you be looking for to actually make money on your money?
A lot more money is typically in change.
"Look at for silver," explained Steinmetz. "That is the easiest way to find value in your coinage. All of our quarters, dimes, and halves from 1964 and older were made of 90% silver. A silver quarter right now is worth $5 or more."
If you feel inspired to check if your $2 bill stash is worth something more to collectors, check this link for a breakdown of how much you could get.
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