Collection

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United States 1976 — The Bicentennial $2 Note Collection

The United States Bicentennial of 1976 marked the nation’s 200th anniversary of independence and became one of the largest coordinated public celebrations in American history. Every federal agency was asked to contribute something lasting and symbolic. For the Treasury Department, that contribution was the revival of the dormant $2 bill — a denomination not printed since 1966 — as the only circulating paper-money commemorative ever issued by the United States.

Released nationwide on April 13 1976 — Thomas Jefferson’s birthday — the new note carried Jefferson’s portrait on the face and an entirely re-engraved reverse featuring John Trumbull’s 1818 painting “The Signing of the Declaration of Independence.” It linked the revolutionary past to a modern currency system and invited every American to hold a keepsake of the country’s 200 years. Banks and post offices sold the notes with special “First Day of Issue” cancellations, creating an instant fusion of philately and numismatics. Millions were saved rather than spent, ensuring their survival in exceptional condition.

The six Richmond-District examples below trace every major expression of that Bicentennial $2 phenomenon — from hand-signed Treasury autographs to post-office-cancelled souvenirs, production-format sheets, and technical rarities like replacement stars. Together they tell the full story of how one ordinary note became a national emblem of celebration, design, and public memory.

1976 Bicentennial 2 Dollars — Richmond District, Francine Neff courtesy autograph on Jefferson note, PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated — Bicentennial $2 — Francine Neff Courtesy Autograph (PMG 66 EPQ) . Personally signed by the U.S. Treasurer during the 200-year celebrations; the official hand-signature version of the nation’s commemorative note.

1976 Bicentennial 2 Dollars Star Replacement Note — Richmond District E* Block, PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated — Bicentennial $2 — Star Replacement (PMG 64 EPQ) . Printed to replace a defective sheet within the Bicentennial run; scarcer “star” variant combining production rarity with historical symbolism.

1976 Bicentennial 2 Dollars — Richmond District, ‘DUECE DUKE’ Pedigree, PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated — Bicentennial $2 — “DUECE DUKE” Pedigree (PMG 66 EPQ) . High-grade example recognized for near-perfect centering and color depth; encapsulates the presentation quality achieved in 1976 printings.

1976 Bicentennial 2 Dollars — Richmond District First Day of Issue Stamped Note PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated — Bicentennial $2 — First Day of Issue Stamped (PMG 64) . Classic April 13 1976 hand-cancelled souvenir combining numismatics and philately; a physical record of the release day itself.

1976 Bicentennial 2 Dollars — Richmond District uncut four-note sheet PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated — Bicentennial $2 — Uncut Four-Note Sheet (PMG 65 EPQ) . BEP-issued souvenir sheet sold directly to the public; preserves full plate layout and margin structure of the Bicentennial printing.

1976 Bicentennial 2 Dollars — Richmond District First Day Stamp Cancel with Missouri Flag PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated — Bicentennial $2 — First Day Stamp Cancel (Missouri Flag, PMG 63) . Regional state-flag cancellation variant; Missouri’s 13-cent stamp adds a local layer to the nationwide Bicentennial story.

The national idea behind the Bicentennial $2. In 1976 the United States treated history itself as a public project: ships retraced colonial routes, cities rebuilt parade floats from 1776, and schoolchildren collected commemorative quarters. Yet the $2 bill was the only keepsake designed to circulate through every hand. It linked Jefferson, author of the Declaration, to Trumbull’s engraved vision of that same signing, uniting art, finance, and citizenship. These Richmond-District examples—autographed, starred, stamped, and sheeted—capture that once-in-a-century moment when money became the messenger of national memory.

Why this collection matters. Each piece documents a different facet of the 1976 release: government participation, public enthusiasm, and the Bureau’s precision printing. Together they form a miniature exhibition of America’s Bicentennial currency—the only paper-money issue ever created to commemorate independence itself, and a timeless reminder that even an everyday note can carry a country’s entire story.

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