It may seem like we will soon become a completely cashless society, and that might sound appealing to some, but it is not yet possible. Even though big efforts have been made, we still need to carry cash and pay for some services this way.
Despite the existence of PayPal, Payoneer, credit cards, mobile wallets, and cryptocurrencies there is something so special and satisfying when paying in real cash. Virtual cash is taking over slowly so real paper money will increasingly become a sought-after collectible item. Now is the perfect time to invest some money in forming a collection that will significantly pay off in the future.
We have some suggestions about which banknote you should invest in now, while the prices are still relatively low. In this article, we will talk about the 1976 2 dollar bill value and where you can find one.
$2 Bill Short Overview
A $2 bill is one of the most uncommon US denominations due to its impracticality. But why is it impractical? At the time when the first $2 bill was printed, a lot of Americans earned only tens of dollars per month.
Naturally, most services cost less than a dollar so paying with a large $2 bill was very inconvenient. The first $2 was officially printed in 1862, and it featured a portrait of Alexander Hamilton. Later in 1863, the banknote was redesigned and Thomas Jefferson’s portrait was used instead.
Aesthetically, the $2 bill is one of the prettiest, and the one that got the most design makeovers out of all US banknotes. Before the 1976 design changes, the reverse side of the $2 bill featured a picture of Thomas Jefferson’s house.
No matter how inconvenient their use was, $2 bills were printed uninterruptedly from the Civil War until 2017 when the last series of $2 bills was printed. The only period when their production was on hold is from 1966 until 1976.
There are around 1.4 billion $2 bills still in circulation, but since they are very rare the average American who uses cash for paying can go for years without seeing one.
The Redesign Of The $2 Bill In Honor Of US Independence Day
To recognize the real 1976 $2 bill you’ll need to know a bit more about its design because in 1976 this banknote received a major makeover. The 1976 $2 bill still features the portrait of Thomas Jefferson on the front side, but the reverse side was completely redesigned.
The first thing that you need to pay attention to is the ink used for printing serial numbers which must be green, only bills made before 1976 used blue and red ink. The treasury seal is also green in color.
The most notable change is the addition of the famous painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on the back side. This major change was made to honor the 200th anniversary of the US Independence Day. This redesigned bill was released on April 13, 1976, the birthday of Jefferson.
A lot of collectors at that time thought that this was a limited edition of the $2 bill so they hoarded a large number of the 1976 dollar notes. Some people even got them stamped with the date of release, 13.04.1976.
Table Of The Most Valuable 1976 $2 Bills
What Determines The Value Of The 1976 $2 Bills?
Two-dollar bills are very popular among collectors since they are the rarest denomination printed out of all US bills. No matter the year of printing, $2 bills in uncirculated condition can fetch you, or cost you, a lot of money.
The 1976 $2 bill series are the most desired notes due to their redesign in honor of the US Independence Day. Like with other collectibles there are a few factors that will dictate the final price. Those are:
- Condition – When we talk about paper money we have uncirculated and circulated bills. Naturally, the uncirculated ones will cost more since they are in mint condition. The circulated bills have particular wear signs that will negatively impact the price no matter how rare your banknote is.
- Age of mintage – The older the bill the more valuable it will be.
- Serial number – You should know that different serial numbers have different values. Make sure you look for low or very high serial numbers, as well as “special” numbers.
- Errors and misprints – Errors are always possible when it comes to printing. The most common mistakes on paper money are things like doubled or improperly placed seals. These bills can achieve very high prices.
Which 1976 $2 Bills Are Most Attractive To Collectors?
In most cases, the highest value will be achieved by those bills that feature a special symbol, pattern, or serial number. The combination of digits in serial numbers can work wonders for the value of your bill. This is why you need to carefully pay attention to the following combinations:
- Star symbol – These bills feature a star symbol which tells you that this is a replacement banknote.
- Palindromes or radar notes – These are serial numbers that read the same whether you look at them backward or forwards (e.g. A12344321)
- Solid serial numbers – When a single digit repeats through the combination.
- Binary serial numbers – A combination of only two numbers in the whole set, it can be random or it can be a super repeater variety (e.g. A12121212A).
- Ladder serial number – It can be an upward or downward ladder serial number.
Where Can You Find 1976 $2 Bills For Purchase?
There aren’t so many places where you can get 1976 $2 bills but you can start your research on the Internet. First, visit the most popular market platforms such as eBay, Etsy, and even Amazon!
You can also visit websites that host auctions such as LiveAuctioneers, NumisBids, Dorotheum. You can also find them on forums for paper money enthusiasts as well on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram.
But I must warn you to be careful when it comes to this kind of deal. Make sure that someone with expertise checks the bill. Unfortunately, a lot of people are selling $2 bills for more than what they are truly worth, or they try to sell fake ones.
The safest place to look for these bills is at specialized shops that sell coins and banknotes, auction events, and shows. When you shop at these places you are able to see the bill with your own eyes before investing money in it, which significantly reduces the risk of being deceived.
Also Read:
- Most Valuable $2 Bill Value Chart (1963 $2 Legal Tender Note Can Reach Upto $30K?)
- Most valuable 2003 2 Dollar Bill (Worth Up to $24,950)
- 1953 2 Dollar Bill Value Chart (Worth Up to $12,925)
- Most Valuable 1995 2 Dollar Bill (Worth Up to $12,650)
- Value Of 1963 2 Dollar Bill: Are They Really A Star Notes?
FAQs
What is the estimated 1976 2 dollar bill value?
As with other paper banknotes, a regular circulated 1976 $2 bill is worth its face value or a little more if it is in extremely fine condition. It will be worth at least eight times more if it has an interesting serial number or a post office stamp on it. If it’s uncirculated, a regular $2 bill from 1976 will bring you at least $15.
If your bill has a star symbols it will worth a lot more then regular banknote. The estimated value of circulated replacement bill is around $8 to $10, while uncirculated bills go from $150 and upwards. Also, pay attention to were the bill was printed.
Star notes that were printed in The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City are considered the rarest. These notes will fetch you at least $75.
Are there 1976 $2 error bills?
There is an unknown number of error bills in circulation or available for purchase on the marketplace. The most notable error of 1976 $2 occurred when printing the serial number.
Generally, there are only two places where the serial number is printed on the obverse side – the right upper corner and the left lower corner. Both serial numbers should be the same because they are placed on the same bill.
In most cases, the error occurs during the printing process when two serial numbers on the same bill don’t match. These bills are very valuable collector items so check your pocket change just in case, since these errors are easy to oversee.
Why do some 1976 $2 bills have stamps on them?
Since the 1976 $2 bills was released into circulation on April 13, 1976, Jefferson’s birthday, a lot of people thought it would be a limited edition worth collecting. To make it a collectible item and prove it had not been circulated they took them to Post Office to have them canceled. In most cases this was done with a 13 cent stamp.
Today, stamped 1976 $2 bills will sell for about $5, but if they carry an exotic place stamp then the value might be closer to $15. However, don’t get fooled, no 1976 $2 bill with stamps are extremely valuable if unless they have a special serial number.
The 1976 $2 Bill Is Still A Very Popular Collectible
From the beginning the 1976, $2 bills were somewhat exciting to the general public. The main reason was that this was the first banknote that was redesigned after so many years. Also, the release date and the fact it was redesigned in the year when the US marked the 200th anniversary of Independence contributed to their popularity.
Since the 1976 $2 bill series are the most widely available variant among all the $2 bills on the market nowadays, make sure you know how to recognize the real and valuable ones.
In case you aren’t sure of your assessment skills, the best next thing is to ask someone who is expert in this field.
