3/12/26 Report - New Finds from a Morning Bottle Hunt. Two Dollar Bills and What to Look For.

 

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.

Chas. H. Fletcher CASTORIA Bottle Find.

I caught a decent low tide this morning and decided to go on another bottle hunt.  The last hunt wasn't very productive, but I thought I might find one nice loner if I kept at it long enough.  I did take a while.  I thought about turning back a few times before I finally saw this nice blue Chas. H. Fletcher Castor bottle on the sand.  It was pretty much exposed.  It is a nice bottle, but nothing really great.  The cork is still inside.

I found both Dr. Pitcher's and Chas. Fletcher castoria bottles before, so it wasn't anything new to me.  I posted those bottles in TGBottleBarn.blogspot.com.

This product started as Dr. S. Pitcher’s Castoria , the formula being patented on May 18, 1868.  Several years later the rights to that product and recipe was sold to Charles H. Fletcher, and marketed through the J. B. Rose Company and later the Centaur Company.

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I also found a nice old aqua A. B. G. M beer bottle.   A. B. G. M. CO. isembossed on the bottom and stands for the Adolphus Busch Glass Manufacturing Co.

Adolphus Busch Glass Manufacturing Beer Bottle.

I also found a COCOA Coca Cola bottle.  It isn't in good condition and is a "patent registered" bottle rather than one of the more valuable ones.

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My wife's recently deceased aunt left three $2.00 bills.  I found a few when my dad passed away too.  

I never see the otherwise.  To me it seems they are as rare as hen's teeth, but everything says they are not rare.

Here is what I found.

$2 bills are not rare; there are over 1.4 billion in circulation in the United States, making them relatively common. While many people believe they are rare, they continue to be printed, and certain bills can be valuable to collectors. The $2 bill is considered uncommon but not rare, and it has a bit of a negative reputation due to superstitions. Overall, while they are less frequently seen in everyday transactions, they 

are still widely available.

Here are production numbers from the Bereau of Engraving and Printing (www.bep.gov)

So, in both 2022 and 2023 over 100 million were made.  Still, I don't think I've ever received one in circulation.

There are reportedly valuable bills, but it looks like the same kinds of factors are important for $2 bills as other denominations.

Here is what to look for.

Key Factors That Make $2 Bills Valuable

1. Age and Series

• 19th-century bills: Large-size $2 bills from 1862, 1869, and 1890 are highly collectible, often fetching $500 to over $20,000 depending on condition and rarity. 

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• 1928–1953 series: Red seal notes, particularly the 1928-B Woods-Mills star note, are extremely rare and valuable. 

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• 1976 and later: Most modern $2 bills are worth face value, but special features can increase value significantly. 

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  2. Seal Color
• Red seal notes are generally more valuable than green seal notes due to lower print runs and collector demand. 

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  3. Serial Numbers
• Star notes: Replacement bills marked with a star at the end of the serial number are collectible.
• Low serial numbers: Bills starting with multiple zeros or unique patterns (solid, ladder, radar) can command high prices, sometimes reaching five figures for elite patterns. 

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  4. Condition and Grading
• Uncirculated bills in pristine condition are worth more than circulated ones. Professional grading (PMG or PCGS) can significantly increase value. 

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  5. Printing Errors
• Bills with misprints, inverted overprints, or ink smears are rare and can be highly sought after by collectors. 

Here is a link to follow up on that.  $2 Bill Value Chart 2025 - Is Your Two Dollar Bill Worth Thousands?

They sell a bunch of them on eBay - of course for a premium.  Many of those are uncirculated in series bills.

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Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

The most interesting thing in that chart is the up to seven foot shown in the future. However, I'm not expecting it to turn out that big. It could be though.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net