Have you ever held a $2 bill in your hand? If you have, you probably remember it. It’s one of those things that makes people pause and go, “Wait, are these even real?” Despite being totally legit money, the $2 bill is one of the rarest sights in anyone’s wallet. Some people think they stopped making them. Others think they’re worth more than face value. The truth? The $2 bill is still out there, still spendable, and still way cooler than most of our cash.

So what’s the deal? The two-dollar bill was first printed way back in 1862, during the Civil War. Back then, paper money was kind of a new thing, and the government needed fast ways to raise money. In 1869, President Thomas Jefferson’s face made it onto the bill – and he’s been there ever since. But the $2 bill had a rocky run. It got a bad rep for being used in sketchy places like horse races and gambling halls, and by 1966, the government stopped printing it altogether.

As if its shady reputation wasn’t enough, the $2 bill also got dragged down by the number itself – “deuce” was an old slang term for the devil, which only added to the bad vibes surrounding it. 

According to a 1925 New York Times article. “He who sits in a game of chance with a two-dollar bill in his pocket is thought to be saddled with a jinx. The only place where it is supposed to consort happily with Lady Luck is at the race track where, strangely, it is relied on to bring good fortune.” Basically, the $2 bill went from being just unpopular to being considered bad luck.

But plot twist! The $2 made a comeback in 1976 to celebrate America’s 200th birthday. It even got a glow-up: The back now features a famous painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You’d think people would be hyped, but nope. Most of them either hoarded the bill thinking it would become a collector’s item or just didn’t use it at all. 

That’s where the myth of the “rare $2 bill” comes from – it’s not actually rare, just rarely used. The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing still makes them, but banks don’t stock them unless people ask. And most cashiers? They don’t even know what to do when someone tries to use one. 

There have even been stories of people getting questioned or straight-up accused of using fake money just for trying to pay with it. Still, for some, the $2 bill is a symbol of luck or tradition. “My mom always keeps a spare $2 bill in her wallet for good luck, and she says she’ll never use it,” said Olivia Kim in an interview with The Science Survey.

So next time you go to the bank, try asking for a $2 bill. You might just start a conversation or confuse a cashier but hey, that’s half the fun. Whether you spend it, save it, or frame it, one thing’s for sure: The $2 bill is one underrated piece of American history that’s worth more than just its face value.