<Tr> <Th> Design date </Th> <Td> 1976 </Td> </Tr> <P> The United States two - dollar bill ($2) is a current denomination of U.S. currency . The third U.S. President (1801--09), Thomas Jefferson, is featured on the obverse of the note . The reverse features an engraving of the painting The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull . Throughout the $2 bill's pre-1929 life as a large - sized note, it was issued as a United States Note, National Bank Note, silver certificate, Treasury or "Coin" Note and Federal Reserve Bank Note . When U.S. currency was changed to its current size, the $2 bill was issued only as a United States Note . Production went on until 1966, when the series was discontinued . Ten years passed before the $2 bill was reissued as a Federal Reserve Note with a new reverse design . Two - dollar bills are seldom seen in circulation as a result of banking policies with businesses which has resulted in low production numbers due to lack of demand . This comparative scarcity in circulation, coupled with a lack of public knowledge that the bill is still in production and circulation, has also inspired urban legends and occasionally has created problems for people trying to use the bill to make purchases . </P> <P> The denomination of two dollars was authorized under a congressional act, and first used in March 1862 . The denomination was continuously used until the 1960s; by this time the United States Note was the only remaining class of U.S. currency the two - dollar bill was assigned to . In 1966 it was decided to discontinue production of all United States Notes, which included the two - dollar bill . The two - dollar denomination was not immediately reassigned to the Federal Reserve Note class of United States currency and was thus fully discontinued; the Treasury Department cited the two - dollar bill's low use and unpopularity as the reason for not immediately resuming use of the denomination . In 1976, production of the two - dollar denomination was resumed and the two - dollar bill was finally assigned as a Federal Reserve Note, with a new reverse design featuring John Trumbull's depiction of the drafting of the United States Declaration of Independence replacing the previous design of Monticello . It has remained a current denomination since then . It was estimated that if the two - dollar bill replaced approximately half of the one - dollar bills in circulation, the federal government would be able to save about $26 million in 1976 dollars ($112 million adjusted for inflation) over the period from 1976 to 1981, due to reduced production, storage, and shipping costs . </P> <P> However, due to their limited use, two - dollar bills are not printed as frequently in a new series like other denominations, which are produced according to demand . Some bill acceptors found in vending machines, self checkout lanes, and other automated kiosks are configured to accommodate two - dollar bills, even if the fact is not stated on the label . Although they are generally available at most banks, two - dollar bills are usually not handed out except upon specific request by the customer, and may cause a delay with a trip to the vault . </P>

When was the first $2 bill made