Catalog
2 Dollars Federal Reserve Note
| Issuer | Federal Reserve System |
|---|---|
| Year | 1976-2017 |
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| Printer | Bureau of Engraving and Printing, United States (1862-date) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TWO DOLLARS |
| Reverse description | The reverse carries an intaglio reproduction of John Trumbull's painting 'Declaration of Independence,' centered within a decorative green guilloche border, with the denomination and national motto rendered in letterpress above and below the vignette. |
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| Comments |
The 1976 reissue of the $2 note marked the end of a six-year absence — the denomination had last appeared as a United States Note (red seal) before being discontinued in 1966. Its revival was timed to the Bicentennial, a decision that backfired commercially: much of the public treated the new notes as collectibles, pulled them immediately from circulation, and had them first-day-stamped at post offices, which only accelerated their hoarding.
That behavior has persisted across every subsequent print run, creating the odd situation where billions of $2 notes are technically in circulation but almost never seen in everyday transactions. The Federal Reserve keeps them in inventory; banks rarely order them; the cycle continues.
The security thread, reading "USA TWO," was added with the Series 1995 printing.