This page is here to show you the complete history of the $2 bill, at the federal level. (Though early on after the government introduced them, many states and banks made their own $2 bills, the information on those is harder to find.) It all started in 1861, at the beginning of the Civil War; in fact, the Confederacy was the first to release a $2 bill. The Union made their own as well, and after they'd won the war, continued using it. With many design changes, the $2 bill was used up until 1966, when it was discontinued. Thankfully, it was brought back in 1976, and it continues to be produced today, despite a surprising lack of public awareness.
Below, you will find every generation of the federal $2 bill, along with pictures and all of their information, in chronological order by printing year. Because they are printed based on demand, and $2 bills are the least common, there are often several-year gaps between printing years.
Below, you will find every generation of the federal $2 bill, along with pictures and all of their information, in chronological order by printing year. Because they are printed based on demand, and $2 bills are the least common, there are often several-year gaps between printing years.
THE BEGINNING - DURING THE CIVIL WAR
1861
Confederate States Note -- First Series (#1)
GENERAL INFORMATION
These were the first $2 bills ever released in the US, and they even beat the Union to it. Like all confederate bills, they were cut, signed, and numbered by hand. Being the first year that they were separated from the Union, this was the first year the Confederacy had printed any money.
These, like all Confederate bills, were cut, signed, and numbered by hand.
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
There is nothing on the back. The front features a picture of Judah P Benjamin on the left, and two men and an eagle fighting in the center. The text reads: "Six months after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United Sates, The Confederate States of America will pay two dollars to bearer." It also says "Receivable in payment of all dues except export duties" and "Fundable in eight per cent stock on bonds of the Confederate States." They are dated "September 2, 1861."
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DIMENSIONS
~3.1 by ~7.4 by [?]
(The confederate bills were cut by hand, so the size wasn't exactly uniform.) IMAGE (click to enlarge)
From www.donckelly.com
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1862 (concurrent with other two)
United States Note -- Series 1862 (#1)
GENERAL INFORMATION
These were the first $2 bills released by the United States, though they were the second released overall, because the Confederacy had released theirs the previous year. However, these were likely designed before the Confederacy even broke off from the US, as the bottom of the bill says "Patented April 23rd 1860" and the right side says "Patented 30 June 1857." These are also much more professional-looking, with nothing written or cut by hand.
This printing was sufficient to last until 1869.
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
This bill features an unusual profile view of Thomas Jefferson. The text reads "Act of July 11th 1862. The United States will pay the bearer two dollars at the treasury in New York." They are dated "August 1st 1862." They also say "Patented April 23rd 1860," "Patented 30 June 1857," and "National Bank Note Company" twice. On the back it says "This note is a legal tender for all debts public and private except duties on import and interest on the Public Debt; and is receivable in payment of all loans made to the United States."
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DIMENSIONS
3.125 by 7.4218 by 0.0043
IMAGE (click to enlarge)
From www.en.wikipedia.org
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1862 (concurrent with other two)
Confederate States Note -- Second Series (#2)
GENERAL INFORMATION
This is the second design of $2 bill made by the Confederacy, and it is very strange. The reason for it's oddity is not the design itself, but the fact that is was made concurrently with the third series Confederate $2 bills, which are very similar to this one and identical to the 1861 first series. Why they would make two different series at the same time, I have no idea, especially since there is only one real design difference (besides, of course, the series number), that being the giant "2 TWO" printed across this one.
These, like all Confederate bills, were cut, signed, and numbered by hand.
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
There is nothing on the back. The front features a picture of Judah P Benjamin on the left, and two men and an eagle fighting in the center. It has a large "2 TWO" printed across it, which is the only design difference between it and the previous/next design. The text on the bill reads: "Six months after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United Sates, The Confederate States of America will pay two dollars to bearer." It also says "Receivable in payment of all dues except export duties" and "Fundable in eight per cent stock on bonds of the Confederate States." They are dated "June 2, 1862."
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DIMENSIONS
~3.1 by ~7.4 by [?]
(The confederate bills were cut by hand, so the size wasn't exactly uniform.) IMAGE (click to enlarge)
From www.relicman.com
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1862 (concurrent with other two)
Confederate States Note -- Third Series (#3)
GENERAL INFORMATION
This is the third design of $2 bill made by the Confederacy, and it is very strange. The reason for it's oddity is not the design itself, but the fact that is was made concurrently with the previously-listed second series Confederate $2 bills, which are very similar to this one. Why they would make two different series at the same time, I have no idea, especially since there is only one real design difference, which can be seen on the second series bills above. In addition to that, besides the date and series number, these bills are exactly identical to the 1861 first series, so this is all very confusing.
These, like all Confederate bills, were cut, signed, and numbered by hand.
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
There is nothing on the back. The front features a picture of Judah P Benjamin on the left, and two men and an eagle fighting in the center. The text reads: "Six months after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United Sates, The Confederate States of America will pay two dollars to bearer." It also says "Receivable in payment of all dues except export duties" and "Fundable in eight per cent stock on bonds of the Confederate States." They are dated "June 2, 1862."
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DIMENSIONS
~3.1 by ~7.4 by [?]
(The confederate bills were cut by hand, so the size wasn't exactly uniform.) IMAGE (click to enlarge)
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1863
Confederate States Note -- Fourth Series (#4)
[?]
Confederate States Note
(a normal bill, only for the Confederate states during the Civil War, backed by nothing) |
From www.relicman.com
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BILL PRODUCTION NUMBERS & PERCENTAGES (2012)
NOTE: All amounts are from data or calculated using data from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing website. Data used is from the 2012 fiscal year, because it is, according to that data, the most recent year in which all denominations of bills were printed. For whatever reason, in this year, the number of $1 bills produced is lower than usual, and the amount of $100 bills produced is higher than usual; other than that the numbers appear to be about average.
BILL DENOMINATION
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NUMBER PRODUCED (in 2012)
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PERCENTAGE PRODUCED (of All Bills in 2012)
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$1
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2,022,400,000
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24.1313478%
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$2
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134,400,000
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1.6036655%
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$5
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729,600,000
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8.7056128%
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$10
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652,800,000
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7.7892325%
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$20
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1,568,000,000
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18.7094311%
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$50
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246,400,000
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2.9400535%
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$100
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3,027,200,000
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36.1206567%
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