Your $1 and $2 bills could be worth thousands: What to look for

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FILE-A person holds a $1 bill. (Photo by Grabowsky/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

While it may seem like $1 and $2 bills aren’t worth much on the surface, you should hold on to them just in case, because certain denominations may be worth more than you think.

Several versions of these bills are worth thousands of dollars and some currency collectors are willing to pay top dollar for them.

So, if you have a $1 or $2 bill stashed in your wallet or under the sofa, here’s what you should look for to determine the value.

How to find $1 bills worth thousands of dollars

Some $1 bills printed in 2014 and 2016 are highlighted by a mistake from the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing that could make the denominations worth $150,000 by collectors, per Wealthynickel.com.

There are approximately 6.4 million $1 bills printed with this error in 2014 and 2016, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing noted.

If you believe you’re holding one of these rare $1 bills, Wealthynickel shares three things to look for to find the misprinted bills possibly worth a ton of cash:

The series date located near the photograph of George Washington must read "Series 2013"
The bill must have a "B" Federal Reserve seal above the serial number
The serial number must end with a star (*) and fall between B00000001* – B00250000* or B03200001*-B09600000*

One thing to remember is the value of this specific misprint is pairing it to the other bill with a matching serial number. According to Wealthynickel.com, there have been 37 complete pairs identified so far.

Experts estimate that matching pairs of bills would sell for between $20,000 and $150,000, depending on the condition and serial number.

Here’s how to find $2 bills worth thousands of dollars

Certain $2 bills worth thousands more

According to the US Currency Pricing guide, depending on certain factors, that $2 face value could be worth a lot more, even up to $5,000. A recent auction just saw one sell for almost $2,500.

Although $2 bills are rare to find, if you own one, there’s a chance it has a high value. Based on specific factors, some versions of the currency may be worth up to $5,000, per the US Currency Price Guide.

FOX 13 Tampa reported that these bills were discontinued by 1966 but brought back 10 years later.

One way to determine if a $2 bill is worth more than another is the color of the seal and also the age of the bill.

Newer versions with a green seal are likely worth face value, but denominations with a red seal have a higher value.

And if you are searching for a $2 bill worth a lot of money, the bill would have to be dated pre-1900, with a "very high graded condition," FOX 13 noted.

FOX 13 Tampa contributed to this report. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.