Lots of good trivia buried in this Marketplace article. Having gone to a university founded by Thomas Jefferson, there were always lots of these bills floating around Charlottesville, Virginia.

Now, back to trivia on the $2 bill that will impress your friends:

• First printed: 1862
• For ten years after 1966, no $2 bills were printed
• Considered a collector’s item during the bicentennial celebration in 1976
• Costs a nickel to make a $1 or $2 bill
• 4 billion $1 bills printed every year
• 1.2 billion $2 bills currently in circulation today vs. $1.2 TRILLION of coins and bills
• Lifespan of $1 bill: about 18 months; for a $2 bill: 6 years
• Most banks carry the $2 bill; ask at the teller window
• Federal Reserve has a machine that can test bills for fitness (saw one of these in operation at the SF Fed recently)

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

More posts by Tim