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Is getting a $2 bill in change as excessively rare as getting a silver quarter?
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
Last night, I had to get home early to watch the kiddies and get them into bed, so that Mrs. L. could go to some liberal fundraiser in our town. At the fundraiser (essentially they were selling things to support the less fortunate in my town), someone paid with a $2 bill. Not knowing what it was, but sensing that this could be a big score 
, Mrs. L dutifully exchanged two Washingtons for the $2 bill. She presented it to me when she arrived at home, as the kids were well nestled into bed.
Personally, I have NEVER received a $2 bill in change. Does anyone know if this is as excessively rare as receiving a silver quarter in change (which has never happened to me either). I thought it was pretty cool.
, Mrs. L dutifully exchanged two Washingtons for the $2 bill. She presented it to me when she arrived at home, as the kids were well nestled into bed.Personally, I have NEVER received a $2 bill in change. Does anyone know if this is as excessively rare as receiving a silver quarter in change (which has never happened to me either). I thought it was pretty cool.
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
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Hoarding $2 bills seems to be as popular as hoarding silver quarters. The trouble is hoarding $2 bills is not logical, at from an economic point of view.
I've probably gone through 100 packs in the last 10 years! It's like a business card. Taxi drivers, valets and bartenders ALWAYS remember "the TWO guy."
be saving all Ikes and $2 bills. I just spend them around.
bob
i haven't received a silver quarter in change in more than a decade.
60 years into this hobby and I'm still working on my Lincoln set!
<< <i>Considering that I get fresh packs of 100 $2's at a time at my bank and pass them out all over, no, they are not rare.
I've probably gone through 100 packs in the last 10 years! It's like a business card. Taxi drivers, valets and bartenders ALWAYS remember "the TWO guy."
I can imagine.
They probably think to themselves....................
"There's that cheap ass that only gives me a $2 tip."
Ray
<< <i>Hoarding $2 bills seems to be as popular as hoarding silver quarters. The trouble is hoarding $2 bills is not logical, at from an economic point of view. >>
From an economic point of view it's more like hoarding bicentennial quarters than silver quarters, because the latter is financially worthwhile...
I just spent 300.00 of green seals and have about 300 reds in my drawer.
Steve
<< <i>Red seal or green?
I just spent 300.00 of green seals and have about 300 reds in my drawer. >>
I assume we're talking about the $2 FRNs from the 1970s and later, not the $2 United States Notes discontinued after the 1963 series.
Twos are never given out in change unless you ask for them, I get them in 7-11's but by asking for them. I am actually more likely to find them and halves, and dollar coins at 7-11 than the bank - because people that are desperate for smokes and beer spend their "lucky" money for the necessities.
Commonly encountered? No.
Rare (as in worth a premium)? Also no, as there are been more than half a billion $2 notes printed since 1996.
I heard once that $2 notes were given out as change (rather than ones) to the patrons at some Vegas strip joints, as a way of automatically doubling the dancers tips. I don't know if this is true or not.
<< <i>From your average retail establishment I would argue its quite a bit more rare as they have no place to put a $2. >>
And this is the #1 problem. Cashiers don't know what to do with them and end up putting them with their 50's or drop them in the safe to get rid of them. Just like the $1 coins-they have to pass the cashier test. If cashier's won't use them, they will circulate very little.
I made a nice score five years ago or so, though. I was in the grocery store and spotted a Red Seal in the cashier's drawer. I asked for all of the $2s and she was happy to hand me THREE Red Seals! (all circulated, but still a nice score for face).
Check out the Southern Gold Society
... cut her expense in half.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
> Does anyone know if this is as excessively rare as receiving a silver quarter in change (which has never happened to me either)
Mr. Longacre, you must be quite a young pup if you've never gotten a silver .25¢ in change. Some of us on this forum have memories of silver in circulation as being everyday 'normal' ... clad stuff having not even been minted yet
Visit Monticello sometime. When you pay your entrance fee it's likely you will receive crisp new $2's in your change
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
<< <i>
They probably think to themselves....................
"There's that cheap ass that only gives me a $2 tip."
Ray >>
I like to leave a few of them, not just one, particularly if the service was good. People like getting them, one waitress came out and asked me if she could buy some more.
Almost all in crisp uncirculated and many consecutively numbered.
The worn ones I'm spending and I'll keep some of the nicer ones.
I even got one star note & a few crisp ones from 1976.
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
~Wayne
also rare....an OLD STYLE $20!
No question that two dollar bills are more common than silver quarters. I certainly spend more two dollar bills than silver quarters.
However I am much more apt to get a silver quarter in change than a two dollar bill.
Pre 1963 two dollar bills were relatively common in Massachusetts and Maine. Any bank would have hundreds of them on hand. We even kept a slot open for them in the cash register. Usually it was empty; but during harness racing season, we were flooded with them. All twos in those days were red seal United States Notes and I believe all red seal money ($2 and some $5) went to the Boston. If anybody has evidence otherwise, I would be interested in hearing about it. I have evidence that in WW I times $2 were concentrated in the NE and rare in the SW. (Red seal $1 went to Puerto Rico in 1945; red seal $100 went to Puerto Rico, New York and Washington D.C.)
<< <i>
<< <i>From your average retail establishment I would argue its quite a bit more rare as they have no place to put a $2. >>
And this is the #1 problem. Cashiers don't know what to do with them and end up putting them with their 50's or drop them in the safe to get rid of them. Just like the $1 coins-they have to pass the cashier test. If cashier's won't use them, they will circulate very little. >>
I carry them and spend them, and usually see the cashier lift up the cash drawer to toss it under there for a quick trip back to the bank.
One time down in The Loop I saw the nice young lady start to do that, and I smiled sweetly and said: "Now be sure to give that back out in change!"
The poor girl almost burst into tears, and she said "I can't!"
Wondering if there was some sort of bizarre store policy against it, I asked "Why not?"
She half cried "I don't know how!!!"
When their fans travel they pay in $2 bills, but stamp each w/ an orange tiger paw. Last time they were in town I received stamped $2 bills in chage from almost every bar I went to, as well as the beer vendor pregame.
Sure, I've gotten a few more when spotted and requested, or by buying them at banks and such, but freely given in change? I get silver dimes or wheaties more often, though only once each a silver quarter and $1 silver certificate. Plenty of 40% and some 90% halves by roll searching many years ago
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Yes, and if I only knew then what I know now. I remember big piles of silver quarters to seach through. I would occasionally see an odd one which intrigued me. On closer examination they were always well worn and dirty, so I did not examine then further. Now I realize those were the type B's. They had a sharp lettering and wing versus field boundarys that filled in with dirt and tarnish and became very obvious. I never did pick up on a high grade one in those days, but they must have been there.
<< <i>Commonly encountered? No.
Rare (as in worth a premium)? Also no, as there are been more than half a billion $2 notes printed since 1996.
I heard once that $2 notes were given out as change (rather than ones) to the patrons at some Vegas strip joints, as a way of automatically doubling the dancers tips. I don't know if this is true or not. >>
It's true; we used to go to the strip joints for Monday night football $1 lap dances during 1/2 time - but when you went to get change they would give you $2 dollar bills.
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