I collect them. Whenever I get my hands on one it goes in the safe.

I'm strange.

We coin guys often amuse ourselves by spending odd denominations such as $2 bills, Kennedy half dollars, Presidential dollars, even the occasional Ike, just to confuse the hapless clerk. It is a big chuckle all the way around (for us). Sometimes, if we are really lucky, we get arrested by the local police for attempting to pass "counterfeit" money. Then we can take pictures, call the Secret Service (speed dial for many of us) and make a news story out of it for our coin blogs and message boards. One easy way to get arrested is to start with an uncut sheet, and cut a bill or two from it.

When I was the international editor at Coin World (1999-2000), a project left undone was to take 2-cent, 20-cent, and 3-cent coins -- and a photographer -- and try to buy at some local stores. That is prohibitively expensive unless you want to tell 100,000 paid subscribers, or really need the thigh-slapping belly-laughing moment.

We have a friend whose penchant is sending $2 bills with birthday greetings. Never have a bit of trouble with them. I guess being in an odd part of the country, oddity is an accepted way of life.

Given their relative scarcity, I'm surprised she knew what they were.

I wonder if she thought they were counterfeit?

As to the spending the $2 bills, yes on the few occasions I tried, I too had difficulties over it.