A paper savings bond prints 8 items on its face, and 2 decide almost everything: the issue date and the names. The issue date sets the value, and the names joined by "OR" or "P.O.D." say who may cash the bond.
The series and the denomination (the face value, the dollar amount printed on the bond) pick the value table; the print date and a "Mail to" name decide nothing.
This page follows the order of the face. ClaimMyBonds is a private company, not Treasury or TreasuryDirect (Treasury's own savings bond website), and our website never asks you for a serial number or a Social Security number. For how paper and electronic bonds work, see our overview of US savings bonds.
The 8 Items Printed on the Face of a Paper Savings Bond
TreasuryDirect's example diagram labels 8 items on a paper savings bond: denomination, series, issue date, print date, owner, address, co-owner and serial number. The table below follows Treasury's order.
Table 1: The 8 items on the face of a paper savings bond
| Item | Where on the face | What it shows | What it is used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Denomination | Upper left | The face value, "50" on Treasury's diagram | Picks the value, with series and issue date |
| 2. Series | Upper right | EE, E, I, HH or Savings Note; "Patriot Bond" is EE | Picks the value table and the cashing route |
| 3. Issue date | Right side, below the series (Series E: upper right-hand portion) | Month and year; always the 1st of the month payment arrived | Sets the value, cash-in dates and final maturity |
| 4. Print date (validation date) | Right side, below the issue date (Series E: lower right-hand portion) | Month, day and year, "FRB PITT 11-30-05" on the diagram | Never used for value; can be later after a reissue |
| 5. Owner | Middle, after the Social Security number line | First name on the bond, with the owner's or first co-owner's number | Registration decides ownership |
| 6. Address | Under the owner | Street, city, state and ZIP | Mailing only; does not affect ownership |
| 7. Co-owner or beneficiary | Under the address | "OR" plus a name, or "P.O.D." plus a name | Decides who may cash it and who takes it at a death |
| 8. Serial number | Lower right corner | Denomination letter, number and series letter or letters | Treasury forms, status letters and bank checks; see savings bond serial number |
Source: TreasuryDirect savings bond calculator page (example diagram) and calculator instructions; FS Publication 0022 (Rev. October 2022); 31 CFR 316.2, 351.42, 353.5, 353.7. Checked November 11, 2026.
Treasury's diagram is a $50 Series I bond with the issue date "11 2005", the print date "FRB PITT 11-30-05" and the co-owner line "OR BEN SMITH". A savings bond calculator, ours or TreasuryDirect's, needs only 3 of the 8 items: the series, the denomination and the issue date. No serial number is needed.
Series: The Letter in the Upper Right Corner
The series is printed in the upper right corner of the bond: EE, E, I, HH or a Savings Note. Each series was sold in a fixed window of issue dates.
- Series EE: January 1980 to December 2011 (paper).
- Series E: May 1941 to June 1980.
- Series I: September 1998 to December 2011, plus paper I bonds bought with tax refunds through 2024.
- Series HH: January 1980 to August 2004.
- Savings Notes: May 1967 to October 1970.
The window tells you which rules apply, and the list of types of US savings bonds covers every series from A to I.
Some bonds carry a designation, not a different series. A "Patriot Bond" is a paper Series EE bond issued December 2001 to December 2011, valued like any EE bond of its issue month.
Defense Savings Bonds (1941) and War Savings Bonds (1942 to 1945) are Series E; Gulf Coast Recovery Bonds (March 29, 2006 to September 30, 2007) are paper Series I. An HH bond prints a tax-deferral legend, the part of its price that was interest carried over from exchanged E or EE bonds ("0" if none).
A bond dated before 1980 is never Series EE (a 1955 bond of this type is Series E), and an HH bond is cashed only by Treasury by mail.
Denomination: Face Value Is Not What the Bond Is Worth
The denomination in the upper left corner is the face value, not what the bond pays today. The price paid differs by series: half of face for paper EE, 75% for E, full face for paper I and HH, and 81% for Savings Notes. Paper EE bonds came in 8 face values, $50 to $10,000.
The value depends on the issue month. A $100 Series EE bond issued December 1988 is worth $207.36 in November 2026 and has stopped earning interest. One issued December 2011 is worth $54.76, below face, and still earns interest.
Values can change on the 1st of each month (Fiscal Data Savings Bonds Value Files, updated November 2, 2026). See how much a $100 savings bond is worth by series and issue year.
Why an Older Bond Looks Different From Treasury's Diagram
Treasury's diagram shows a 2005 Series I bond, so a 1950s or 1970s bond printed on older stock does not match its layout.
Paying agent rules group paper bonds into 3 stock eras: paper before October 1957, punch card or machine-readable before January 1989, and machine-readable after December 1988 (31 CFR Part 321, Appendix). TreasuryDirect's timeline says Treasury announced a new face for EE and HH bonds on March 29, 1985.
Positions differ by series. A Series E bond puts the issue date in the upper right-hand portion and the print date in the lower right-hand portion (31 CFR 316.2(c)); a Savings Note puts the issue date in the right-hand portion (31 CFR 342.2(d)).
Issue Date: The Only Date That Sets a Savings Bond's Value
The issue date is the month and year printed on the right side of the face, below the series, and it is always the first day of the month in which the issuing agent received payment (31 CFR 351.42, 359.27, 316.2(d)).
A calculator uses this date and no other. TreasuryDirect's glossary places it in the upper right corner.
Illustration: a $100 Series EE bond with the issue date "12 1988" is worth $207.36 in November 2026. Suppose the same bond shows a later print date, June 2010, which is possible after a reissue or a replacement.
Entering June 2010 as the issue date gives $62.88, which is $144.48 too little (Fiscal Data Savings Bonds Value Files, updated November 2, 2026).
Issue Date vs Print Date (Validation Date)
The print date, also called the validation date, is the day the bond was printed, and it is never used to value the bond (FS Publication 0022, Rev. October 2022). The table below sets the two dates side by side.
Table 2: Issue date versus print date on a paper savings bond
| Issue date | Print (validation) date | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | 1st day of the month payment was received | The day the bond was printed |
| Format | Month and year | Month, day and year (1/02/89) |
| Where | Right side below the series; E: upper right-hand portion | Below the issue date; E: lower right-hand portion |
| Sets the value? | Yes, the only date used | No, never |
| Can differ? | Never changes for the bond | Can be later after a reissue or replacement |
| Rule | 31 CFR 351.42, 359.27, 316.2(d) | 31 CFR 316.2(c)(3), 351.41 |
Issue date versus print date on a paper savings bond. Source: FS Publication 0022 (Rev. October 2022), which says "Do NOT use it to determine the value"; 31 CFR Parts 316, 351, 359.
A bond is validly issued only with an issue date and an issuing agent's validation (31 CFR 351.41, 359.26, 352.3(b)). A later print date is normal after a reissue or a replacement.
What the Issue Date Controls
The issue date controls 4 things: the monthly value, the earliest cash-in date, the early-cashing penalty and final maturity.
- Value: a $100 Series E issued November 1965 is worth $736.12 in November 2026, and one issued December 1965 is worth $512.48. Both are frozen: E bonds issued through November 1965 ran 40 years, later ones 30 years (31 CFR 316.8(b)).
- Earliest cash-in: EE and I bonds after 12 months if dated on or after February 1, 2003, and after 6 months if dated on or before January 1, 2003; E bonds after 2 months (31 CFR 351.6, 359.6, 315.35(c)).
- Penalty: cashing before 5 years costs the last 3 months of interest on all I bonds and on EE bonds issued May 1997 or later (31 CFR 351.31, 359.7; tables: 351.51(b)).
- Final maturity: 30 years for EE and I, 40 or 30 years for E, and August 1, 2024 at the latest for HH.
Bonds never expire, and no deadline applies to cashing one (Executive Order 13968, 85 FR 83745). They only stop earning interest, and when savings bonds stop earning interest depends on the series.
Owner: The First Name, the Social Security Number and the Address
The owner is the first person named on the bond, and the registration, not possession of the paper, decides ownership (31 CFR 353.5(a), 315.5(a): "Registration is conclusive of ownership"). The registration is the owner line, the co-owner or beneficiary line and the form of the names.
Treasury pays only the registered owner or another person entitled by regulation (31 CFR 353.15, 353.39(b)). A bond cannot be sold, transferred or pledged (31 CFR 353.15 and 353.16), so finding a bond gives you no right to its money.
The Social Security Number Printed on the Bond
The Social Security number on the bond is the owner's or the first co-owner's, and on a gift bond it can be the purchaser's (31 CFR 353.5(c)). The second name needs no number, and a number masked as asterisks plus the last 4 digits is "NOT a problem", according to TreasuryDirect.
A Series E bond carries a number only if it was issued on or after January 1, 1974 (31 CFR 316.2(c)(1)). TreasuryDirect's timeline gives October 1, 1973 for issuing agents, and the regulation date is the rule.
Treasury does not reissue a paper bond to correct a wrong number; on request it can update its records when the error affects benefits such as Social Security (TreasuryDirect).
The Address and the "Mail to" Line
The printed address only told the post office where to mail the bond, and it "does not affect ownership" (TreasuryDirect). A person named after "Mail to" has no rights of ownership (31 CFR 353.5(c), 360.5(c)) and "is NOT entitled to payment" (FS Publication 0022). A changed name does not change the owner either.
OR Co-Owner: Two Names Joined by "OR"
"OR" between two names makes both people co-owners, and either may cash the bond alone (31 CFR 353.37). A co-owner owns the bond together with another person. Once one co-owner cashes it, the other loses any interest.
Paper bonds use "OR", and electronic bonds use "WITH". The inscription "A and B" is not authorized (31 CFR 353.7, 315.7), and a bond registered in a non-conforming form is not validly issued. Part 353 governs EE and HH.
The co-owner who paid for the bond reports its interest, even if the other co-owner cashes it (IRS Publication 550 (2025)). When one co-owner dies, the survivor becomes the sole owner (31 CFR 353.70(b)(1)). That follows the savings bond co-owner rules for who owns the bond when one owner dies.
POD Beneficiary: What POD Means on a Savings Bond
POD on a savings bond means "payable on death": the first name is the owner, and the name after "P.O.D." is a beneficiary who receives the bond only when the owner dies (31 CFR 353.7). A beneficiary is a person named to receive the bond at the owner's death.
While the owner lives, Treasury pays the owner only (31 CFR 353.38), and the beneficiary has no rights. If the owner cashes the bond, the beneficiary's interest ends.
At the owner's death, a surviving beneficiary becomes the sole owner, and the bond stays outside the estate (31 CFR 353.70(c)(1)). A will cannot change that (31 CFR 353.20(a); Free v. Bland, 369 U.S. 663 (1962)). What the beneficiary gets, and when, is set out for POD savings bonds.
Single Owner, OR or P.O.D.: The Registration Lines Compared
A paper bond owned by individuals carries 1 of 3 authorized registration lines: one name, two names joined by "OR", or a name, "P.O.D." and a second name. The table below adds the 2 lines that are not owner lines, "AND" and "Mail to".
Table 3: Registration lines on paper savings bonds
| Line printed | Who owns it | Who may cash it while all are alive | At a death |
|---|---|---|---|
| "A" (one name) | A | A only | Goes to A's estate |
| "A OR B" | A and B, co-owners | A or B alone; the other loses any interest | Survivor is sole owner; both dead: estate of the last to die |
| "A P.O.D. B" | A; B is the beneficiary | A only; B has no rights | B is sole owner if alive; if B died first, A's estate |
| "A AND B" | Not an authorized form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| "Mail to C" | C is not an owner | C is never paid | No effect |
Registration lines on paper savings bonds and what they mean. Electronic bonds use WITH instead of OR. Rules: single name 31 CFR 353.5, 353.7; OR 353.37, 353.70(b); P.O.D. 353.38, 353.70(c); AND 353.7, 315.7; Mail to 353.5(c) and FS Publication 0022. Source: 31 CFR Part 353 (eCFR), TreasuryDirect glossary; checked November 11, 2026.
If both co-owners have died, the bond belongs to the estate of the one who died last (31 CFR 353.70(b)(2)).
Stamps on a Savings Bond and What Each One Means
4 stamps or marks can appear on a paper savings bond: the issuing agent's validation (the print date), a paying agent's PAID stamp, a Circular 888 special endorsement and a signature certification stamp. The table below shows who applies each.
Table 4: Stamps and marks on paper savings bonds
| Stamp or mark | Applied by, and where | What it means | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Validation (print date) | Issuing agent at issue; right, below the issue date | The bond was validly issued | 31 CFR 316.2(c)(3), 351.41 |
| PAID stamp | Paying agent at cashing; left of the issue date | The bond was paid | 31 CFR 321.13; Part 321 Appendix, para. 14 |
| Special endorsement (Circular 888) | Qualified paying agent; on the request for payment | Replaces the owner's signed request | 31 CFR Part 330; 330.3(d) |
| Certification seal or stamp | Notary or certifying officer; on the signed request | The signer was identified | FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026) |
Stamps and marks on paper savings bonds. Source: 31 CFR Parts 316, 321, 330, 351; FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026). Rules as of November 2026.
A PAID Stamp: The Bond Was Cashed
A PAID stamp on the face means a paying agent cashed the bond. A paying agent is a bank or other eligible financial institution that redeems paper bonds.
The stamp is at most 1 1/8 inches and shows "Paid $___", the agent's name and location, a four-digit code or ABA routing number, "Date ___" and "By ___".
It sits immediately left of the issue date and the validating data, and it never covers the serial number (31 CFR 321.13; Part 321 Appendix, para. 14).
Banks may cash paper bonds but are not required to (FS Publication 0022), and may not accept an image or copy (31 CFR 321.25). Dated policies appear under banks that cash savings bonds.
The Back of the Bond: Request for Payment and Endorsement Stamps
The back of a paper bond carries the request for payment, which the owner signs only when cashing the bond. A qualified paying agent may stamp it under Circular 888 instead (31 CFR Part 330), but only for the owner, a co-owner or a beneficiary (31 CFR 330.3(d)).
If you plan to convert the bond to an electronic bond, TreasuryDirect says "please don't sign the back of your savings bonds". The conversion tool, SmartExchange, takes Series E, EE and I bonds of $25 or more, up to 50 per cart, one way only.
To cash by mail, the detached request is the FS Form 1522 request for payment (Rev. April 2026). Above $1,000, a notary or a certifying officer, an authorized officer of a financial institution, signs and stamps it, for example with a Signature Guaranteed or medallion stamp.
What to Do After Reading Your Savings Bond
5 next steps follow from the face: check the value, cash the bond, trace missing bonds, claim a deceased relative's bonds or act on bonds you found. The 5 steps are listed below.
- Check the value with our savings bond calculator, built on Treasury's published value files.
- Cash the bond at a bank or by mail: how to cash savings bonds.
- Trace bonds you cannot locate: find lost or missing savings bonds, now that Treasury Hunt is closed.
- Claim a deceased relative's bonds: savings bonds after death, where heirs cash or reissue.
- Act on bonds you found: found old savings bonds, step by step.
Reading a Savings Bond: Questions
Where is the issue date on a savings bond?
The issue date is on the right side of the face, below the series, as a month and year. On a Series E bond it is in the upper right-hand portion. A date with a day in it, such as 1/02/89, is the print date.
What does OR mean on a savings bond?
"OR" means two co-owners, and either may cash the bond alone (31 CFR 353.37). The other co-owner then loses any interest in it.
Can a POD beneficiary cash a savings bond before the owner dies?
No: while the owner lives, Treasury pays a POD bond only to the owner (31 CFR 353.38). After the death, the beneficiary cashes it with a certified death certificate.
How do I read a Series EE savings bond?
Read a Series EE bond in 4 places: "EE" in the upper right, the face value in the upper left, the issue month and year below the series, and the names in the middle. Paper EE issue dates run January 1980 to December 2011, and Patriot Bonds read the same. Rates and value by issue year are under Series EE savings bonds.
Is a savings bond without a Social Security number still valid?
Yes: a Series E bond issued before January 1, 1974 can lack a Social Security number (31 CFR 316.2(c)(1)). A bond is validly issued only with an issue date and an issuing agent's validation (31 CFR 316.2(c), 351.41). Series E ran 1941 to 1980; see Series E savings bonds.
Can I read my savings bond online?
No: a paper bond is read from the paper, and electronic bonds have no face and are listed in the owner's TreasuryDirect account. TreasuryDirect has used an ID.me login only since October 28, 2026. See electronic savings bonds and TreasuryDirect accounts.
How to find the value of savings bonds?
Read the series, denomination and issue month off the face and enter them in a savings bond calculator; values can change on the 1st of each month. A $100 Series EE bond issued December 1988 is worth $207.36 in November 2026.
How do I change the POD beneficiary on a paper savings bond?
A paper EE or I bond's beneficiary changes by reissue with FS Form 4000 (Rev. April 2026), and the new bond is electronic only (no paper reissue after February 14, 2014; 31 CFR 353.48(a), 360.48(a)). No reissue is possible within one month of final maturity or after it, and such a bond can only be cashed (31 CFR 353.45(b); TreasuryDirect). The form is the FS Form 4000 request to reissue savings bonds.
Savings Stamps Are Not Stamps on a Bond
Savings stamps are separate stamps once sold to save toward a bond, not marks on a bond. Their sale ended June 30, 1970, and 31 CFR 316.6(c) names the places that redeem them. The page on savings stamps and war savings stamps covers old stamp albums.
Fake Bonds and Fake Claims About Reading a Bond
A paper bond is genuine only with an issue date and an issuing agent's validation, and criminals do create fraudulent paper bonds from public information (Treasury's 2024 SECURE 2.0 report to Congress).
Claims that a birth certificate gives access to bonds are false, according to TreasuryDirect. Treasury calls the serial number and the Social Security number the 2 items most likely to facilitate fraud (89 FR 102735). See savings bond scams for fake finders.