Collectors call 1866 $2 bills lazy deuces. The nickname derives from the fact that the large two on the front of each bill is laying on its side. At some point someone said the term lazy deuce and it stuck. The two dollar national bank note was discontinued in 1878, so that leaves just a twelve year production period. Most 1866 two dollar bills are very scarce today. The most common examples in poor condition are worth around $1,000. Examples from rare banks or bills that are in perfect condition are worth and sell for several thousand dollars or more. Even if a bank was open in 1866 it didn’t necessarily print two dollar bills. There were plenty of dollar coins circulating in the 1860s, so a lot of national banks didn’t bother to print one and two dollar bills because the need was already being satisfied by coinage. Even if a bank did choose to print 1866 two dollar bills, they were still only printed at a rate of one two dollar bill for every three one dollar bill. Most banks that did print $2 bills almost always issued less than 10,000 examples over the entire life of the bank. You can see why some are so rare and valuable today.
Remember that Series of 1875 can also printed on $2 bills in addition to the 1866 charter date. These notes can have a red seal that is spiked or rounded. Each two dollar bill may or may not have a red charter number stamped on its face. It all depends on when the bill was actually printed between 1866 and 1878.
We provide free appraisals for all national currency. Send us a picture of your bank note and we would be happy to tell you how much it is worth. We can also provide our buy and sell prices.
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The following national banks printed 1866 $2 bills:
- Charter 1631 – First National Bank of Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Charter 1648 – Merchants National Bank of Little Rock, Arkansas
- Charter 1648 – First National Bank of Little Rock, Arkansas
- Charter 1651 – Colorado National Bank of Denver, Colorado
- Charter 1652 – Rocky Mountain National Bank of Central City, Colorado
- Charter 1630 – Chattahooche National Bank of Columbus, Georgia
- Charter 1639 – National Bank of Athens, Georgia
- Charter 1640 – Merchants National Bank of Savannah, Georgia
- Charter 1637 – First National Bank of Pekin, Illinois
- Charter 1641 – First National Bank of Olney, Illinois
- Charter 1662 – Ridgeley National Bank of Springfield, Illinois
- Charter 1629 – First National Bank of Grinnell, Iowa
- Charter 1661 – First National Bank of Fort Dodge, Iowa
- Charter 1660 – Kansas Valley National Bank of Topeka, Kansas
- Charter 1660 – First National Bank of Topeka, Kansas
- Charter 1626 – Louisiana National Bank of New Orleans, Louisiana
- Charter 1643 – United National Bank of Winona, Minnesota
- Charter 1627 – First National Bank of Sedalia, Missouri
- Charter 1665 – National Bank of The State of Missouri, Missouri
- Charter 1649 – First National Bank of Helena, Montana
- Charter 1633 – Omaha National Bank, Nebraska
- Charter 1645 – Laconia National Bank, New Hampshire
- Charter 1655 – National Bank of Newport, New York
- Charter 1632 – National Bank of New Berne, North Carolina
- Charter 1656 – First National Bank of Wilmington, North Carolina
- Charter 1659 – First National Bank of Salem, North Carolina
- Charter 1647 – National Bank of The Republic of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Charter 1663 – Pennsylvania National Bank of Pottsville, Pennsylvania
- Charter 1663 – Pennsylvania National Bank & Trust Company of Pottsville, Pennsylvania
- Charter 1636 – German National Bank of Memphis, Tennessee
- Charter 1664 – National Bank of Lebanon, Tennessee
- Charter 1642 – National Bank of Texas, Texas
- Charter 1644 – First National Bank of Houston, Texas
- Charter 1657 – San Antonio National Bank, Texas
- Charter 1646 – Miners National Bank of Salt Lake City, Utah
- Charter 1634 – National Union Bank of Swanton, Vermont
- Charter 1638 – Northfield National Bank, Vermont
- Charter 1653 – National Bank of Bellows Falls, Vermont
- Charter 1628 – Planters National Bank of Richmond, Virginia
- Charter 1635 – Shenandoah Valley National Bank of Winchester, Virginia
- Charter 1658 – First National Bank of Clarksville, Virginia
- Charter 1650 – Appleton National Bank of Appleton, Wisconsin
