Collectors call 1870 $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 eight year production period. Most 1870 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 1870 it didn’t necessarily print two dollar bills. There were plenty of dollar coins circulating in the 1870s, 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 1870 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 1870 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 1870 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 1870 $2 bills:
- Charter 1736 – City National Bank of Selma, Alabama
- Charter 1741 – First National Gold Bank of San Francisco, California
- Charter 1741 – First National Bank of San Francisco, California
- Charter 1741 – Crocker First National Bank of San Francisco, California
- Charter 1703 – Merchants & Planters National Bank of Augusta, Georgia
- Charter 1706 – Monmouth National Bank of Monmouth, Illinois
- Charter 1709 – Corn Exchange National Bank of Chicago, Illinois
- Charter 1715 – Salem National Bank, Illinois
- Charter 1717 – First National Bank of Sterling, Illinois
- Charter 1717 – First Sterling National Bank, Illinois
- Charter 1719 – Jacksonville National Bank, Illinois
- Charter 1721 – First National Bank of Watseka, Illinois
- Charter 1723 – First National Bank of Tuscola, Illinois
- Charter 1733 – State National Bank of Springfield, Illinois
- Charter 1734 – German National Bank of Chicago, Illinois
- Charter 1755 – First National Bank of Lanark, Illinois
- Charter 1739 – South Bend National Bank, Indiana
- Charter 1724 – First National Bank of Chariton, Iowa
- Charter 1726 – Iowa National Bank of Ottumwa, Iowa
- Charter 1744 – Merchants National Bank of Burlington, Iowa
- Charter 1757 – First National Bank of Sioux City, Iowa
- Charter 1718 – First National Bank of Ottawa, Kansas
- Charter 1732 – Second National Bank of Lawrence, Kansas
- Charter 1702 – National Bank of Maysville, Kentucky
- Charter 1705 – Farmers National Bank of Stanford, Kentucky
- Charter 1720 – Fayette National Bank of Lexington, Kentucky
- Charter 1728 – First National Bank of Richmond, Kentucky
- Charter 1748 – National Bank of Somerset, Kentucky
- Charter 1747 – Teutonia National Bank of New Orleans, Louisiana
- Charter 1699 – Kidder National Gold Bank of Boston, Massachusetts
- Charter 1722 – First National Bank of Decatur, Michigan
- Charter 1725 – First National Bank of Schoolcraft, Michigan
- Charter 1730 – Muskegon National Bank, Michigan
- Charter 1731 – First National Bank of Lapeer, Michigan
- Charter 1745 – Hastings National Bank, Michigan
- Charter 1752 – First National Bank of Holly, Michigan
- Charter 1758 – First National Bank of Charlotte, Michigan
- Charter 1740 – First National Bank of Lake City, Minnesota
- Charter 1701 – National Bank of Springfield, Missouri
- Charter 1701 – First National Bank of Springfield, Missouri
- Charter 1711 – First National Bank of Shelbina, Missouri
- Charter 1712 – Moniteau National Bank of California, Missouri
- Charter 1735 – First National Bank of Palmyra, Missouri
- Charter 1751 – First National Bank of Pleasant Hill, Missouri
- Charter 1737 – First National Bank of Hightstown, New Jersey
- Charter 1759 – Central National Bank of Hightstown, New Jersey
- Charter 1750 – First National Bank of Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Charter 1697 – First National Bank of Port Henry, New York
- Charter 1753 – Keeseville National Bank, New York
- Charter 1756 – Fayetteville National Bank, North Carolina
- Charter 1743 – National Security Bank of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Charter 1743 – National Security Bank & Trust Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Charter 1707 – First National Bank of Gallatin, Tennessee
- Charter 1708 – Second National Bank of Lebanon, Tennessee
- Charter 1713 – First National Bank of Columbia, Tennessee
- Charter 1727 – National Bank of Pulaski, Tennessee
- Charter 1746 – City National Bank of Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Charter 1698 – Howard National Bank of Burlington, Vermont
- Charter 1698 – Howard National Bank & Trust Company of Burlington, Vermont
- Charter 1700 – Baxter National Bank of Rutland, Vermont
- Charter 1700 – Central National Bank of Rutland, Vermont
- Charter 1704 – Peoples National Bank of Norfolk, Virginia
- Charter 1716 – Citizens National Bank of Alexandria, Virginia
- Charter 1738 – Loudon National Bank of Leesburg, Virginia
- Charter 1742 – Citizens National Bank of Charlottesville, Virginia
- Charter 1754 – Merchants National Bank of Richmond, Virginia
- Charter 1710 – First National Bank of Brodhead, Wisconsin
- Charter 1714 – National Bank of Menasha, Wisconsin
- Charter 1729 – First National Bank of Evansville, Wisconsin
- Charter 1749 – First National Bank of Appleton, Wisconsin
