The $2 Bill

[airplanedoc]

I have a neighbor who is one a one man mission to return the $2 bill to is place of greatness in the american monetary system (I admit I was unaware that it ever had a place of greatness). He gets them from the bank $100 at a time religiously and spends them every chance he gets. I recently read that the $2 bill is somewhere around 1% of the $670 Billion in US currancy in circulation. He paid me for something about a month ago in them, so I made sure to dispurse them arround the community. The reactions when I forked them over were quite widespread. One clerk apparently had never seen or heard of the $2 bill, and had to call a manager, one was rather perturbed that there was no place to put it in the drawer and why couldnt I spend it some place else, and some were quite impressed and wanted to know where I got them. I suggested that my neighbor put a couple on the where's George website to attempt to track it.

So do any of you ever see $2 bills? Do you horde them, or spend them freely? Is there anyone else activly working to return the $2 bill to greatness?

 

[ouch]

I try to pay all of my debts with $3 bills.

 

[tgarza]

I try to pay all of my debts with $3 bills.

 

[RichGem]

I have a neighbor who is one a one man mission to return the $2 bill to is place of greatness in the american monetary system (I admit I was unaware that it ever had a place of greatness). He gets them from the bank $100 at a time religiously and spends them every chance he gets. I recently read that the $2 bill is somewhere around 1% of the $670 Billion in US currancy in circulation. He paid me for something about a month ago in them, so I made sure to dispurse them arround the community. The reactions when I forked them over were quite widespread. One clerk apparently had never seen or heard of the $2 bill, and had to call a manager, one was rather perturbed that there was no place to put it in the drawer and why couldnt I spend it some place else, and some were quite impressed and wanted to know where I got them. I suggested that my neighbor put a couple on the where's George website to attempt to track it.

So do any of you ever see $2 bills? Do you horde them, or spend them freely? Is there anyone else activly working to return the $2 bill to greatness?

I worked at a bank in the late '80s/early '90s and we were "under orders" to confiscate them and return them to the Fed (tho we didn't enforce that in the case that a customer requested them for a gift or something). They are still legal tender, but (at least at the time), the Fed didn't want them in circulation. I think that has since been changed, but I don't think any new $2s have been printed since the '80s.

edit: as I think about it, I'm pretty sure that we were also supposed to return 50 cent and dollar coins (except the dumb $1 coin that looked like a quarter). but, we kept a bunch on hand for people requesting them to collect or as gifts. plus, you had to have so many before you could return them to the Treasury.

 

[airplanedoc]

but I don't think any new $2s have been printed since the '80s.

The ones that I got from my neighbor were issued in 2004 or 2007, I cant remember which but they were brand new, in sequential order.

 

[RichGem]

The ones that I got from my neighbor were issued in 2004 or 2007, I cant remember which but they were brand new, in sequential order.

Interesting, so I guess "they" printed a few more at least.

 

[gollum83]

I worked at a bank in the early '90s and we were "under orders" to confiscate them and return them to the Fed. They are still legal tender, but (at least at the time), the Fed didn't want them in circulation. I think that has since been changed, but I don't think any new $2s have been printed since the '80s.

No, I actually have a few from a run they did in 1995 and another from one they did back in 2003, which is the last run they have printed thus far to my knowledge.

And yes, to answer the OP, I have tried to use them from time to time. It's amazing how fascinated people are when you actually try to pay for stuff with them. Well except for that dumb cashier at the Walmart up in Houghton, Michigan. She didn't believe they were real.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Which President is featured on the $2 Bill?

I always like the idea of a $3.14 Bill, but then again I just like Pi.

 

[gollum83]

Tommy Jefferson.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Tommy Jefferson.

Must be nice to be on such close terms with President Jefferson.

 

[Brodirt]

I got one last week. In Brooklyn. I put it away along with another 1/2 dozen or so I have stashed away. So I am doing my best to counteract your neighbor! Its nothing compared to what I have done to the circulation of 1976 quarters, Susan B. Anthony dollars, Sacagawea and golden eagle dollars. I have hundreds and hundreds of the quarters an quite a few of the dollars.

 

[gollum83]

Must be nice to be on such close terms with President Jefferson.

Yeah, he's a swell guy.

Actually he's on both the front and back of the $2 bill. Once on the observe and once of the reverse, which features an engraved reproduction of The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull. The reverse also shows John Adams as well as, which makes it the only current bill to feature two presidents.

 

[sol92258]

I try to pay all of my debts with $3 bills.

That's the one with Billy Clinton on the front, right?
(oh yeah, LOVE you and Tim's new titles! )

 

[_JP_]

I try to pay all of my debts with $3 bills.

I have one! Bill Clinton is on it.

A friend of mine is on a mission to get the dollar coins in common use, by also getting them from the bank and spending them. Doesn't work so well in the Midwest. But they are common on the East Coast, as I have learned again because I'm currently there. Hoping to make it into NYC tomorrow by taking the train. The ticket machines for the NJ Transit system gives change in dollar coins.

 

[RichGem]

That's the one with Billy Clinton on the front, right?
(oh yeah, LOVE you and Tim's new titles! )

And a GAP logo on the back?

 

[wbw0126]

I've done the same thing as your neighbor just for the reactions. Most banks have a drawer full of $2 bills and they're happy to get rid of them.

I haven't used them in a while, but whenever I did the cashiers thought it was so interesting. Including one cashier that got so excited, I think it made her day, which is kind of weird, but she wanted to bring it home and give it to her son. Some are collectible because they are old, but most are just another piece of paper money.

 

[jasonboyd]

You can get the $1 coins for change around here at the post office. The stamp vending machines give them out.

 

[Gogo]

Back in my college days at the University of Virginia our football team made the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Thomas Jefferson was our founder so the administration thought it was a good idea to flood the city with $2 bills. We all received our per deim money in twos! I doubt we made an impact on overall economical community but it was fun. By the way, we gave up a big lead to Champ Bailey and the Georgia Bulldogs and lost.

 

[Sabledog]

I don't see many of them but they have a place in my wee heart--the one I have stashed away (that will never be spent) I got in '76 at Monticello with a commemorative stamp on it (a real stamp and an ink date stamp).

 

[wbw0126]

Back in my college days at the University of Virginia our football team made the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Thomas Jefferson was our founder so the administration thought it was a good idea to flood the city with $2 bills. We all received our per deim money in twos! I doubt we made an impact on overall economical community but it was fun. By the way, we gave up a big lead to Champ Bailey and the Georgia Bulldogs and lost.

Wow, that's a cool idea. The school gave you per diem just to be in the student section?