Curse of the $2 Bill... REALLY!?!

[tip]

Not true, a 2 dollar bill is almost useless,even in Mexico.

 

 

Really? Crew members can bank their cash on the ship and then make withdrawals, wire cash back home to families, (etc.) Not all crew members spend their entire stash of tips while in port. I still submit that a crew member would be happier with a single $2 bill as a tip rather than a single $1 bill as a tip.

[tip]

Okay I give what the heck is wrong with a $2.00 bill? It seems really .................interesting that people are "scared" of a legal tendered $2.00 bill. I wish they would bring ours back instead of the toonie.

tigercat

 

 

You are right. Some folks just can not acccept change. In the USA the $2 bill did not gain acceptance because the American public is just too set in its ways.

[boogs]

You are right. Some folks just can not acccept change.

 

I have no problem when a register clerk hands me change. :)

 

In the USA the $2 bill did not gain acceptance because the American public is just too set in its ways.

 

Considering that these bills were first introduced in 1862, I doubt your observation has any validity. After 150 years, they still aren't well liked. It's not like the American public didn't have time to get used to them.

 

A much larger reason they aren't preferred today is that cash registers do not have a separate compartment for $2 bills, which causes additional handling for these infrequently used bills when used to purchase items.

Edited November 24, 2013 by boogs

[luddite]

Cash register drawers have no space for 2$ bills. They are an annoyance.

Using them to tip the crew is an exercise in cutesiness that just results in more work for the crew.

[sail7seas]

If you read my original post, it's that I have a bunch of $2 bills in my possession, not that I wanted to use them for no reason.

 

TY to the people for the bank suggestion... Yes I realize I can do that.

 

The reason I was asking for personal experience as opposed to anecdotes is because I was really trying to understand if this is a true issue or one of those many cruising urban legends.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

May I suggest......

 

If you needed to ask, you likely suspected your $2 denomination bills could be a nuisance to a crew person who may receive them from you.

 

If it wasn't out of the norm and unusual, you wouldn't need to ask.

Why put the crew person in the position of having to deal with the inconvenience?

 

[OCruisers]

I would take them to our bank and get other denomination currency exchanged for the $2 bills. Why burden a person you wish to thank by tipping with 'cutesy' money they may have trouble using?

 

Totally agree with Sail! The $2 bills are not widely accepted and can be a problem for those you wish to tip to use.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[taglovestocruise]

Really? Crew members can bank their cash on the ship and then make withdrawals, wire cash back home to families, (etc.) Not all crew members spend their entire stash of tips while in port. I still submit that a crew member would be happier with a single $2 bill as a tip rather than a single $1 bill as a tip.

I yield. You may have found the only exception.. happy cruising

[Tiggertastic]

ok you are going to think I am weird but I'm from the UK, been to the USA at least 15 times and never knew a $2 bill existed

 

If I saw one I'd think it was fake - so its possible some crew would too although they've been to the USA more than I have

 

yes I#d get them changed at the bank too

 

How old are these notes? Any chance they may be worth something to a note dealer?

[navybankerteacher]

Of course, given the shrinking purchase power of the dollar, it would probably make sense to scrap the ones altogether, save money printing, and make twos the lowest denomination. The penny now costs more to make than it is worth, so the smallest coin might as well be the nickel.

[Shmoo here]

ok you are going to think I am weird but I'm from the UK, been to the USA at least 15 times and never knew a $2 bill existed

 

If I saw one I'd think it was fake - so its possible some crew would too although they've been to the USA more than I have

 

yes I#d get them changed at the bank too

 

How old are these notes? Any chance they may be worth something to a note dealer?

 

The $2 bill was first authorized in 1862, and has had various incarnations through the years. The most recent one was issued 1976 and is not widely used.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_two-dollar_bill

 

As to it's potential value, I wouldn't think it's much more than face value.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Shmoo here

[Haoie]

I'd be more concerned to encounter a $3 bill!

[lady_cruiser]

I've read that because they are rarely seen that some places will not accept them (thinking they are not real currency). It might be hard for the crew to actually use them.

 

True but we were told my crew members that they can get these changed over to $1.00 bills at the purser's desk.

Edited November 25, 2013 by lady_cruiser

[notentirelynormal]

True but we were told my crew members that they can get these changed over to $1.00 bills at the purser's desk.

 

This just comes back to - why make them go an additional step to get their tip? Why not just tip them in $1s?

[swsfrail]

True but we were told my crew members that they can get these changed over to $1.00 bills at the purser's desk.

 

This just comes back to - why make them go an additional step to get their tip? Why not just tip them in $1s?

 

Exactly! As long people think it's not much trouble for the the crew to change the $2 bills into something they can actually use, these people might as well give the crew their tips with the left over pennies that always seem to accumulate around the house. :rolleyes:

Edited November 25, 2013 by swsfrail

[grand isle joe]

.....was the two dollar bills a "boobie" prize? I would go to the bank and get some "real" money for tips......and I would not even think about the Susan B Anthony dollars......:eek:

[Anthony63]

We were in Australia and a tour bus driver asked us if they were real. Someone thought it was cute to give it to him as a tip. Problem was, the bank wouldn't take it. So not only didn't they give him a good tip but they wasted his time in having to go to the bank. Totally worthless. People in the US don't like them. Why would you expect anyone else to?

 

so part of the tour was to stop by a bank. i think the tour bus driver would have thought the first one was cute and kept it. just like i have kept 2 of all currency from other countries up to the USA equivalent of 10.00

[Anthony63]

A couple of years ago some guy went into Best Buy (US electronics retailer) to pay off his account with $2. bills.

 

The csr person called the cops....who were about to arrest him until their superior showed up and straightened it all out.

 

I have no preference for or against $2. bills. I do find great disappointment in clueless sales people.

 

I would not take them on a cruise to use for tips.

 

the bestbuy i am going to assume was in the USA. i see it hard to believe they would have had a problem taking them or that the employee would call the police before they called their manager.

[Anthony63]

Wow!!!!!!!!! Your husband must be an elderly gent for him to have been around when they "... first came out...". Do you still take him cruising?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They first came out in 1862. I'm pretty sure he hasn't kept them that long.

 

more than likely she is referring to when they were reissued back in 1976 as part of through bicentenial.

[Anthony63]

I can't help but think that giving unusual tips, whether it's two dollar bills, or silver dollars, etc., is more about the giver than the recipient. It seems that the giver wants (needs?) to be noticed and/or remembered, more than they care about the ease of use for the recipient.

 

They've already worked hard to earn your tip, consider whether you really need to be noticed so much that you'll also make them go out of their way to redeem or use it?

 

 

the op did not go out of their way to get 2.00 bills they were given to them and thought what a cute way to spend them.

 

 

You are right. Some folks just can not acccept change. In the USA the $2 bill did not gain acceptance because the American public is just too set in its ways.

 

the problem isn't being set in their ways but that they were revived from circulation in 1976 after having 10 years been discontinued. they did not really gain acceptance again.

[Anthony63]

Be prepared to get a barrage of comments from this board on how $2 bills are unwanted. By the way, these comments will not be coming from crew members. On the other hand, any crew member who is tipped a single $2 bill will be happier than if you tipped him/her a single $1 bill!;)

 

my hope to be last post on this subject.

 

i agree with you i think they would be happier with a single 2.00 but i am going to experiment.

I am going to take 100 2.00 bills and when i go to tip i will hold up a 2.00 & 1.00 and ask which one they want. i think it will be an interesting experiment.

[Cruznjuly]

You can clear this up once and for all!!!

Let us know the result Anthony63!! :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sail7seas]

my hope to be last post on this subject.

 

i agree with you i think they would be happier with a single 2.00 but i am going to experiment.

I am going to take 100 2.00 bills and when i go to tip i will hold up a 2.00 & 1.00 and ask which one they want. i think it will be an interesting experiment.

 

 

Speaking only for myself.....

 

I would be offended to be put into that circumstance and would politely decline both. I would find that demeaning and insulting....

 

but that is just me.

 

[trev71]

Id for sure go to the bank despoit them and then go and withdraw the bills you want withthe teller.. Just be lucky you dont live in Canada all our $1 and 2$ are coins

[grand isle joe]

Id for sure go to the bank despoit them and then go and withdraw the bills you want withthe teller.. Just be lucky you dont live in Canada all our $1 and 2$ are coins

 

 

Yes my pockets are bursting with those Loonies and Toonies when we visit......and at least your government are doing away with those darn pennies....funny how they round up to the next 5 cents. Love N.B. Canada,all are friendly and beautiful sea shore....:)

[iheartbda]

the bestbuy i am going to assume was in the USA. i see it hard to believe they would have had a problem taking them or that the employee would call the police before they called their manager.

FWIW.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2005-03-08/news/0503080089_1_bolesta-pole-baltimore-county