A 1961 Series E savings bond is worth $197.18 to $206.75 per $25 of face value (the amount printed on the bond) in November 2026, by issue month.
A $100 bond is worth $788.72 to $827.00, and a $10,000 bond $78,872.00 to $82,700.00. Each is worth 10.52 to 11.03 times its price of 75% of face.
Every 1961 bond stopped earning interest in 2001, so these values are final. They come from Treasury's Savings Bonds Value Files, and the letter on the bond is E, never EE.
Values for November 2026 (final values)
How Much Is a 1961 Series E Savings Bond Worth in November 2026?
A 1961 Series E bond is worth $197.18 (a $25 bond issued in January) to $82,700.00 (a $10,000 bond issued in December) in November 2026, final values. For the rules of Series E savings bonds, 1941 to 1980, see that guide. Every 1961 issue month has 7 face values, so Table 1 lists 84 values.
Table 1: What a 1961 Series E savings bond is worth in November 2026, by issue month and face value
| Issue month | $25 | $50 | $100 | $200 | $500 | $1,000 | $10,000 | Interest stopped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1961 | $197.18 | $394.36 | $788.72 | $1,577.44 | $3,943.60 | $7,887.20 | $78,872.00 | Jan 1, 2001 |
| February 1961 | $199.07 | $398.14 | $796.28 | $1,592.56 | $3,981.40 | $7,962.80 | $79,628.00 | Feb 1, 2001 |
| March 1961 | $201.37 | $402.74 | $805.48 | $1,610.96 | $4,027.40 | $8,054.80 | $80,548.00 | Mar 1, 2001 |
| April 1961 | $201.36 | $402.72 | $805.44 | $1,610.88 | $4,027.20 | $8,054.40 | $80,544.00 | Apr 1, 2001 |
| May 1961 | $201.36 | $402.72 | $805.44 | $1,610.88 | $4,027.20 | $8,054.40 | $80,544.00 | May 1, 2001 |
| June 1961 | $201.95 | $403.90 | $807.80 | $1,615.60 | $4,039.00 | $8,078.00 | $80,780.00 | Jun 1, 2001 |
| July 1961 | $201.95 | $403.90 | $807.80 | $1,615.60 | $4,039.00 | $8,078.00 | $80,780.00 | Jul 1, 2001 |
| August 1961 | $203.88 | $407.76 | $815.52 | $1,631.04 | $4,077.60 | $8,155.20 | $81,552.00 | Aug 1, 2001 |
| September 1961 | $206.17 | $412.34 | $824.68 | $1,649.36 | $4,123.40 | $8,246.80 | $82,468.00 | Sep 1, 2001 |
| October 1961 | $206.15 | $412.30 | $824.60 | $1,649.20 | $4,123.00 | $8,246.00 | $82,460.00 | Oct 1, 2001 |
| November 1961 | $206.15 | $412.30 | $824.60 | $1,649.20 | $4,123.00 | $8,246.00 | $82,460.00 | Nov 1, 2001 |
| December 1961 | $206.75 | $413.50 | $827.00 | $1,654.00 | $4,135.00 | $8,270.00 | $82,700.00 | Dec 1, 2001 |
Note: face values issued in 1961 are $25, $50, $100, $200, $500, $1,000 and $10,000, in every month (TreasuryDirect calculator windows). Prices are 75% of face (31 CFR 316.2(b)).
Source: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Savings Bonds Value Files (Fiscal Data, dataset 015-BFS-2014Q3-094, updated November 2, 2026), redemption month November 2026. Values for each face value are the file's $25-unit value times face/25; Series E values have not changed since final maturity.
A 1961 Savings Bond Is Series E, Never Series EE
A savings bond dated 1961 is a Series E bond, because Series EE began in January 1980 and every bond dated May 1941 to June 1980 is Series E. E and EE differ in price and maturity, so EE answers do not fit a 1961 bond. See how Series EE savings bonds, sold from 1980, differ.
Why Every 1961 Bond Stopped Earning Interest in 2001
Every 1961 Series E bond reached final maturity (the date interest stops) between January 1 and December 1, 2001, 40 years after its issue month, and has stopped earning interest (31 CFR 316.8(b)). Four facts follow.
- Issue: January to December 1961, at 75% of face
- Maturity group: issues June 1959 to November 1965, final maturity June 1999 to November 2005
- Life: 40 years, the rule for issues May 1941 to November 1965
- Final maturity: January 1 to December 1, 2001, the 1st of the issue month
See when savings bonds mature and stop earning interest for other series.
1961 and 1971: Two Issue Years That Stopped Earning in 2001
1961 and 1971 bonds both stopped earning in 2001, but a 1961 bond earned for 40 years and a 1971 bond for 30. The rule gives 40 years to issues through November 1965 and 30 years from December 1965 (31 CFR 316.8(b)).
A $100 bond from 1971 is worth $504.24 to $507.80 in November 2026, against $788.72 to $827.00 for 1961. For both, interest not reported earlier was reportable for tax year 2001, the year of final maturity (26 U.S.C. 454; IRS Publication 550).
Why 1961 Values Sit Between 1960 and 1962, in Nine Groups
A 1961 bond's value depends on its issue month because each month reached its 40-year final maturity at a different date, and the value file prices the 12 months in nine groups.
A $100 bond gains $38.28 from January to December. Values rise or hold, except two dips: March to April (one cent per $25) and September to October (two cents).
January 1961 has the same value as December 1960 ($197.18 per $25), and December 1961 the same as January 1962 ($206.75). No 1961 month is worth less than any 1960 month or more than any 1962 month.
Table 2: The nine 1961 value groups and the months next to them, November 2026
| Issue months | Months | $25 value | $100 value | Year page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1960 | 1 | $197.18 | $788.72 | 1960 Series E savings bond value |
| January 1961 | 1 | $197.18 | $788.72 | this page |
| February 1961 | 1 | $199.07 | $796.28 | |
| March 1961 | 1 | $201.37 | $805.48 | |
| April and May 1961 | 2 | $201.36 | $805.44 | |
| June and July 1961 | 2 | $201.95 | $807.80 | |
| August 1961 | 1 | $203.88 | $815.52 | |
| September 1961 | 1 | $206.17 | $824.68 | |
| October and November 1961 | 2 | $206.15 | $824.60 | |
| December 1961 | 1 | $206.75 | $827.00 | |
| January 1962 | 1 | $206.75 | $827.00 | 1962 Series E savings bond value |
Note: January 1961 has the same value as December 1960, and December 1961 the same as January 1962. The one-cent step from March to April and the two-cent step from September to October 1961 are in Treasury's file.
Source: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Savings Bonds Value Files (Fiscal Data, dataset 015-BFS-2014Q3-094, updated November 2, 2026), redemption month November 2026. Values for each face value are the file's $25-unit value times face/25; Series E values have not changed since final maturity.
What a 1961 Bond Cost and How It Grew for 40 Years
A 1961 Series E bond cost 75% of its face value, $18.75 for a $25 bond, $75 for a $100 bond and $7,500 for a $10,000 bond, and grew inside its value until 2001 (31 CFR 316.2(b)).
Treasury pays the interest only when you cash the bond (31 CFR 315.30): $713.72 to $752.00 on a $100 bond.
Only December 1961 is worth more than 11 times its price ($206.75 against $18.75, where 11 times is $206.25). September ($206.17) falls just short. Half-price pricing belongs to paper Series EE; a 1961 $100 bond cost $75.
Which Face Values Were Issued in 1961: Seven, From $25 to $10,000
Treasury's calculator prices 1961 Series E bonds in 7 face values, all valid for every 1961 issue month: $25, $50, $100, $200, $500, $1,000 and $10,000. The list gives each issue price and November 2026 value range.
- $25: $18.75 ($197.18 to $206.75)
- $50: $37.50 ($394.36 to $413.50)
- $100: $75 ($788.72 to $827.00)
- $200: $150 ($1,577.44 to $1,654.00)
- $500: $375 ($3,943.60 to $4,135.00)
- $1,000: $750 ($7,887.20 to $8,270.00)
- $10,000: $7,500 ($78,872.00 to $82,700.00)
The $10 ended in March 1950 and the $75 began in May 1964, so neither has a 1961 date (TreasuryDirect calculator). It lists no $5,000 Series E bond.
Which Savings Bonds Were Sold in 1961: Series E and Series H
A savings bond bought in 1961 is one of 2 series: Series E (75% of face, interest added to the value) or Series H (face value, interest paid every six months).
Series J and K sales ended in April 1957 and F and G in April 1952. Treasury began offering Series E bonds in place of a cash tax refund in September 1962 (TreasuryDirect timeline), so no 1961 bond came from one.
Table 3 compares the two series.
Table 3: Savings bonds sold in 1961: Series E and Series H
| Attribute | Series E | Series H savings bonds |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 75% of face | face value |
| Face values | $25 to $10,000 (Table 1) | $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 |
| Interest | added to the value | paid every six months |
| Interest stopped | 40 years after issue (2001) | 30 years after issue (1991, our calculation) |
| Paid today | Table 1 value | face value |
| Where to cash | a financial institution that cashes savings bonds, or FS Form 1522 by mail | FS Form 1522 by mail (banks may not pay Series H, 31 CFR 321.7(a)) |
Sources: 31 CFR 316.2(b), 316.8(b); 31 CFR 332.8; TreasuryDirect historical and retired bonds page (as of November 11, 2026).
How to Find the Exact Value of Your 1961 Savings Bond
Treasury prices a 1961 Series E bond by its issue month and face value; the serial number and the name printed on it do not change the value. Our savings bond calculator, built on Treasury's published value files, prices paper Series E bonds.
- Check that the bond says Series E.
- Read the issue date on a paper savings bond: the month and year it was issued, upper right (31 CFR 316.2(c)(2)).
- Ignore the validation date, lower right.
- Read the face value.
- Find the row and column in Table 1, and check the month for March and April and for September and October, which differ by one or two cents per $25.
TreasuryDirect's free calculator marks E bonds "MA" (matured). A 1961 bond did not need a Social Security number; one is required only for bonds issued on or after January 1, 1974 (31 CFR 316.2(c)(1)).
Cashing a 1961 Savings Bond and Reporting Its Interest
A 1961 Series E bond is cashed at a financial institution that cashes savings bonds or by mail with FS Form 1522, and Treasury charges no fee. Read how to cash savings bonds.
Banks may cash paper bonds but need not (FS Publication 0022, Rev. October 2022), and may not charge you (31 CFR 321.23(c)). Your Social Security number goes on the bond (31 CFR 315.39(a)).
FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026; PDF, TreasuryDirect) goes with the bond to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150. Treasury says 3 months or longer in your name, 5 or longer if not (November 11, 2026). You can cash by mail with FS Form 1522.
A request of $1,000 or less in total needs a copy of your ID: one December $100 bond ($827.00), or one January $100 and one January $25 bond ($985.90).
Above $1,000, a notary, or a certifying officer at a bank, trust company or credit union, must certify your signature: two January $100 bonds ($1,577.44), or any bond of $200 or more.
Tax Year 2001: When Interest on a 1961 Bond Was Reportable
Interest on a 1961 bond that was never cashed became reportable for tax year 2001, the year of its final maturity, unless the owner reported it earlier (31 CFR 316.9; 26 U.S.C. 454; IRS Publication 550).
The interest is $713.72 to $752.00 per $100 bond, federal only (31 CFR 316.9(a)). A tax professional can advise on a missed year; see federal tax on savings bond interest.
Lost, Found or Inherited 1961 Bonds
Five situations change what an owner or heir does with a 1961 bond: lost, inherited, inherited with unreported interest, found, or held in Treasury's records only (Table 4).
Table 4: Lost, found or inherited 1961 bonds
| Situation | Rule for a 1961 bond | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Lost, stolen or destroyed | Claim on FS Form 1048 (Revised March 2026). Claims 6 years or more after final maturity need the serial number (31 CFR 315.29(c)); for 1961 bonds that is December 2007 at the latest (our calculation). Treasury's 2024 Report to Congress (March 11, 2025) said its records from October 1957 onward, which include 1961 issues, were digitized. Treasury Hunt has been unavailable since September 30, 2025. | FS Form 1048 claim for lost, stolen or destroyed savings bonds |
| Owner has died | The surviving "OR" co-owner or the P.O.D. (payable-on-death) beneficiary takes the bond, otherwise the estate (31 CFR 315.70). | savings bonds after death |
| Inherited, interest never reported | If the owner died after the 2001 final maturity, the interest was reportable for 2001 as the owner's income. Only if the owner died before final maturity is pre-death interest income in respect of a decedent, unless reported on the final return (IRS Publication 550). Ask a tax professional about a missed year. | taxes on inherited savings bonds |
| Found among papers | The value comes from Table 1. Check the owner name, co-owner and beneficiary before cashing. | found old savings bonds |
| Held in Treasury records, not in hand | A bond over 3 years past final maturity may be shared with a State that has an information-sharing agreement (31 U.S.C. 3105(f)); none is publicly known as of November 11, 2026 (89 FR 102735, December 18, 2024). | unclaimed savings bonds |
Other Issue Years and Face Values
The same tables exist for neighboring issue years, other series and every face value.
- 1959 Series E savings bond value
- 1960 Series E savings bond value
- 1962 Series E savings bond value
- 1963 Series E savings bond value
- 1965 Series E savings bond value (the year split between 40 and 30 years)
- 1971 Series E savings bond value (also stopped earning in 2001)
- Series J and K savings bonds (sold until April 1957)
- $25 savings bond worth
- $50 savings bond worth
- $100 savings bond worth
- $200 savings bond worth
- $500 savings bond worth
- $1,000 savings bond worth
- $10,000 savings bond worth
- Series E bonds bought with savings stamps
1961 Savings Bond FAQ
How much is a $25 Series E savings bond from 1961 worth today?
A $25 Series E savings bond from 1961 is worth $197.18 to $206.75 in November 2026, by issue month, final values. It cost $18.75.
How much is a $100 savings bond from 1961 worth?
A $100 Series E bond issued in 1961 is worth $788.72 to $827.00 in November 2026, final values. It is about 65 years old and stopped earning in 2001.
How much is a $1,000 savings bond from 1961 worth?
A $1,000 Series E bond issued in 1961 is worth $7,887.20 to $8,270.00 in November 2026, final values. It cost $750; by mail it needs a certified signature.
How much is a $10,000 savings bond from 1961 worth?
A $10,000 Series E bond issued in 1961 is worth $78,872.00 to $82,700.00 in November 2026, final values. It cost $7,500.
Do savings bonds from 1961 expire?
No: a 1961 savings bond does not expire and can be cashed at any time (31 CFR 315.35(c); EO 13968, 85 FR 83745). It has earned nothing since 2001.
Was there a $5,000 savings bond in 1961?
Treasury's calculator lists no $5,000 Series E bond; a 1961 bond with a $5,000 face is Series H, paid at face.
Is a 1961 Series E bond a Defense Bond or a War Bond?
Neither: Treasury's history names the Series E bond the "Defense Bond" of 1941 and the "War Bond" of 1942-45, and "subsequently just the savings bond", so a 1961 Series E bond is simply a post-war savings bond (TreasuryDirect, volunteer program). A December 1961 $25 bond is worth $206.75 in November 2026 under either name. See Defense and War Savings Bonds of 1941 to 1945.
Is a 1961 savings bond worth more to a collector?
Treasury pays a 1961 bond's redemption value, $197.18 to $206.75 per $25 in November 2026, and no collector premium. Treasury pays only the registered owner or a person entitled (31 CFR 315.39(b)).
Claiming from Treasury and from state programs costs nothing, and the forms are free. Found bonds you cannot cash, or a relative's bonds? ClaimMyBonds is a private company, not the government; we can help with the paperwork, tracing and follow-up.