A 1971 Series E savings bond is worth $126.06 to $126.95 per $25 of face value (the amount printed on the bond) in November 2026, by issue month.
That is $504.24 to $507.80 for a $100 bond and $50,424.00 to $50,780.00 for a $10,000 bond. Every 1971 issue stopped earning in 2001, after 30 years, so these values are final.
Values for November 2026 (final values)
How Much Is a 1971 Series E Savings Bond Worth in November 2026?
A 1971 Series E bond is worth $126.06 (a $25 bond issued in July) to $50,780.00 (a $10,000 bond issued in June) in November 2026.
The redemption value is what Treasury pays if you cash the bond today. All 12 issue months share one final-maturity group, June 1969 to November 1973 (31 CFR 316.8(b)). See Series E savings bonds.
Table 1: What a 1971 Series E savings bond is worth in November 2026, by issue month and face value (final values)
| Issue month | $25 | $50 | $75 | $100 | $200 | $500 | $1,000 | $10,000 | Interest stopped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1971 | $126.30 | $252.60 | $378.90 | $505.20 | $1,010.40 | $2,526.00 | $5,052.00 | $50,520.00 | Jan 1, 2001 |
| February 1971 | $126.60 | $253.20 | $379.80 | $506.40 | $1,012.80 | $2,532.00 | $5,064.00 | $50,640.00 | Feb 1, 2001 |
| March 1971 | $126.60 | $253.20 | $379.80 | $506.40 | $1,012.80 | $2,532.00 | $5,064.00 | $50,640.00 | Mar 1, 2001 |
| April 1971 | $126.60 | $253.20 | $379.80 | $506.40 | $1,012.80 | $2,532.00 | $5,064.00 | $50,640.00 | Apr 1, 2001 |
| May 1971 | $126.60 | $253.20 | $379.80 | $506.40 | $1,012.80 | $2,532.00 | $5,064.00 | $50,640.00 | May 1, 2001 |
| June 1971 (highest) | $126.95 | $253.90 | $380.85 | $507.80 | $1,015.60 | $2,539.00 | $5,078.00 | $50,780.00 | Jun 1, 2001 |
| July 1971 (lowest) | $126.06 | $252.12 | $378.18 | $504.24 | $1,008.48 | $2,521.20 | $5,042.40 | $50,424.00 | Jul 1, 2001 |
| August 1971 | $126.36 | $252.72 | $379.08 | $505.44 | $1,010.88 | $2,527.20 | $5,054.40 | $50,544.00 | Aug 1, 2001 |
| September 1971 | $126.36 | $252.72 | $379.08 | $505.44 | $1,010.88 | $2,527.20 | $5,054.40 | $50,544.00 | Sep 1, 2001 |
| October 1971 | $126.36 | $252.72 | $379.08 | $505.44 | $1,010.88 | $2,527.20 | $5,054.40 | $50,544.00 | Oct 1, 2001 |
| November 1971 | $126.36 | $252.72 | $379.08 | $505.44 | $1,010.88 | $2,527.20 | $5,054.40 | $50,544.00 | Nov 1, 2001 |
| December 1971 | $126.66 | $253.32 | $379.98 | $506.64 | $1,013.28 | $2,533.20 | $5,066.40 | $50,664.00 | Dec 1, 2001 |
Note: face values issued in 1971 are $25, $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1,000 and $10,000, in every month (TreasuryDirect calculator windows). Prices are 75% of face (31 CFR 316.2(b)). All 1971 issues share the 31 CFR 316.8(b) group June 1969 to November 1973 and a 30-year life.
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 1971 Savings Bond Is Never Series EE
A savings bond dated 1971 is never Series EE, because Series EE began in January 1980. Most 1971 bonds are Series E, sold May 1941 to June 1980 (31 CFR 316.1), and a 1971 bond can also be Series H or a Retirement Plan Bond (Table 3).
A chart for Series EE savings bonds gives a wrong value for a 1971 bond, in every issue month. So does the "doubles in 20 years" rule or half of face: a $100 bond from 1971 is worth $504.24 to $507.80, not $50.
When 1971 Bonds Stopped Earning Interest: January to December 2001
Every 1971 Series E bond reached final maturity on the 1st of its issue month in 2001, 30 years after issue, and has earned no interest since (31 CFR 316.8(b)). Three items follow: the dates, the rule and its source.
- 1971 issues: January 1 to December 1, 2001, months 20 to 31 of the June 1969 to November 1973 group (final maturity June 1999 to November 2003)
- Rule: 40 years for May 1941 to November 1965 issues, 30 years for December 1965 to June 1980 issues
- Timeline: TreasuryDirect's history of the savings bond dates the 30-year rule to 1989
The 1961 bonds stopped on the same days, after 40 years, so a January 1961 $100 bond is worth $788.72 against $505.20 for a January 1971 one. savings bonds mature and stop earning interest on their own schedules, set by series.
Why a January 1971 Bond Is Worth Less Than a December 1970 Bond
A January 1971 Series E bond is worth $505.20 per $100 in November 2026 and a December 1970 bond $560.04, a gap of $54.84 ($13.71 per $25) between two issue months one month apart. Both earned exactly 30 years and share one 316.8(b) group, so the gap is not a final-maturity boundary.
December 1970 is the highest of all 175 issue months with a 30-year life. The drop to January 1971 is the second largest of 174 one-month steps, behind only February to March 1978 ($19.91 per $25). Table 2 groups the 1971 months.
Table 2: The six 1971 value groups and the months next to them, November 2026
| Issue months | Months | $25 value | $100 value | Interest stopped | Year page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1970 | 1 | $140.01 | $560.04 | Dec 1, 2000 | 1970 Series E savings bond value |
| January 1971 | 1 | $126.30 | $505.20 | Jan 1, 2001 | this page |
| February to May 1971 | 4 | $126.60 | $506.40 | Feb 1 to May 1, 2001 | |
| June 1971 | 1 | $126.95 | $507.80 | Jun 1, 2001 | |
| July 1971 | 1 | $126.06 | $504.24 | Jul 1, 2001 | |
| August to November 1971 | 4 | $126.36 | $505.44 | Aug 1 to Nov 1, 2001 | |
| December 1971 | 1 | $126.66 | $506.64 | Dec 1, 2001 | |
| January 1972 | 1 | $125.88 | $503.52 | Jan 1, 2002 | 1972 Series E savings bond value |
Note: December 1970 has the highest value of the 175 Series E issue months with a 30-year life (December 1965 to June 1980). The drop from December 1970 to January 1971 ($13.71 per $25) is the second largest between two consecutive issue months in that group of months. All rows share one 31 CFR 316.8(b) group, June 1969 to November 1973, and a 30-year life.
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.
Why Every 1971 Issue Month Is Worth Almost the Same
1971 has six value groups within $0.89 per $25, the narrowest range of any full Series E issue year. Apart from the June to July drop, the value rises or holds month to month. Every 1971 month is worth less than every month of 1968 to 1970.
What a 1971 Bond Cost and How Much Interest It Earned
A 1971 Series E bond cost 75% of face value, $18.75 for a $25 bond and $75 for a $100 bond, and grew until 2001 (31 CFR 316.2(b)). A $100 bond carries $429.24 (July) to $432.80 (June) of interest. Treasury pays that interest only at cashing (31 CFR 315.30).
Which Face Values Were Issued in 1971: Eight, From $25 to $10,000
Treasury's calculator prices 1971 Series E bonds in 8 face values, all valid in every 1971 month: $25, $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1,000 and $10,000. The list below gives each face value's issue price and its November 2026 value range.
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$25: issue price $18.75, value $126.06 to $126.95
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$50: issue price $37.50, value $252.12 to $253.90
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$75: issue price $56.25, value $378.18 to $380.85
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$100: issue price $75, value $504.24 to $507.80
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$200: issue price $150, value $1,008.48 to $1,015.60
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$500: issue price $375, value $2,521.20 to $2,539.00
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$1,000: issue price $750, value $5,042.40 to $5,078.00
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$10,000: issue price $7,500, value $50,424.00 to $50,780.00
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$5,000: no Series E exists in Treasury's calculator, so a $5,000 bond dated 1971 is Series H
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$10: priced only for June 1944 to March 1950 issue dates, so no 1971 bond has this face
Which Savings Bonds Were Sold in 1971: Series E, Series H and Retirement Plan Bonds
A savings product bought in 1971 is one of 3 kinds: a Series E bond, a Series H bond or a U.S. Retirement Plan Bond. Series E sold at 75% of face, while Series H and Retirement Plan Bonds sold at face value (Table 3).
Savings Notes (Freedom Shares) ended October 31, 1970 and savings stamps June 30, 1970, so 1971 is the first full year without either. Series H paid interest every six months, and banks may not pay it (31 CFR 321.7(a)); Table 3 gives its terms.
Table 3: Savings products sold in 1971
| Kind | Price | Face values | Interest | Stopped earning | Paid today | Where to cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series E | 75% of face | $25 to $10,000 (Table 1) | added to the value | 2001 (30 years) | Table 1 value | a financial institution that cashes savings bonds, or FS Form 1522 by mail |
| Series H savings bonds | face value, or by tax-deferred exchange of E bonds and Savings Notes, $500 minimum (31 CFR part 339; 36 FR 23856, December 15, 1971) | $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 | paid every six months | 30 years after issue (1971 issues: 2001, our calculation) | face value | FS Form 1522 by mail (banks may not pay Series H, 31 CFR 321.7(a)) |
| Retirement Plan Bonds | face value | $50, $100, $500, $1,000 | not stated in our sources | by the 60th month after the registered owner's death (31 CFR 341.1(b)); some may still earn | not in our data | FS Form 1522 by mail |
Note: not sold in 1971 were U.S. Savings Notes (Freedom Shares), May 1, 1967 to October 31, 1970 (31 CFR 342.0), and savings stamps, sales ended June 30, 1970 (31 CFR 316.6(c)). Sources: 31 CFR 316, 332.8, 339, 341, 321.7(a); TreasuryDirect historical and retired bonds page (as of November 11, 2026).
How to Find the Exact Value of Your 1971 Savings Bond
Treasury prices a 1971 Series E bond by its issue month and face value, and for 1971 the month moves the value by at most $0.89 per $25 ($3.56 per $100). Use our savings bond calculator, built on Treasury's published value files, to get the figure for your bond.
- Check that the paper says Series E.
- Read the issue date on a paper savings bond: month and year, upper right (31 CFR 316.2(c)(2), (d)).
- Ignore the validation date, lower right.
- Read the face value.
- Find the row and column in Table 1. A December 1970 date belongs on the 1970 page and is about $55 more per $100.
- Expect no Social Security number: a 1971 bond need not carry one, because inscription was required only for bonds issued on or after January 1, 1974 (31 CFR 316.2(c)(1)).
Cashing a 1971 Savings Bond and Reporting Its Interest
A 1971 Series E bond is cashed at a financial institution or by mail with FS Form 1522, and Treasury charges no fee. Banks may cash paper bonds but need not (FS Publication 0022, Rev.
October 2022), may not charge you (31 CFR 321.23(c)) and need your Social Security number (31 CFR 315.39(a)). See how to cash savings bonds.
You can cash by mail with FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026; PDF, TreasuryDirect), sent with the bond to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150.
Treasury gives 3 months or longer for bonds in your name and 5 months or longer for bonds not in your name (TreasuryDirect contact page, as of November 11, 2026).
Up to $1,000, sign and enclose a copy of your ID: a June 1971 $100 bond plus a June 1971 $75 bond is $888.65. Above $1,000 a notary or certifying officer must certify your signature on FS Form 1522, and three kinds of 1971 bonds pass that line.
- Any 1971 $200 bond ($1,008.48 and up)
- Any two 1971 $100 bonds ($1,008.48 at the least)
- Any 1971 bond of $500 or more ($2,521.20 and up)
Tax Year 2001: When Interest on a 1971 Bond Was Reportable
Interest on a 1971 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; IRS Publication 550). Under 26 U.S.C. 454(c), the year is final maturity or redemption, whichever comes first.
The interest is the value minus the price, $429.24 to $432.80 per $100, and is exempt from state and local income tax (31 CFR 316.9(a)). Ask a tax professional about a missed year; the rules are in federal tax on savings bond interest.
Lost, Found or Inherited 1971 Bonds
Five situations change what an owner or heir does with a 1971 bond: lost, inherited, inherited with unreported interest, found, or held in Treasury records only. Table 4 gives the rule for each situation and links to its page for that case.
Table 4: Lost, found or inherited 1971 bonds
| Situation | Rule for a 1971 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 1971 bonds that is 2007 at the latest (our calculation). Treasury's 2024 Report to Congress (March 11, 2025) says records of October 1957 to November 1973 issues were digitized in a phase completed January 2024. 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 before the bond's final maturity, interest earned before death is income in respect of a decedent unless reported on the owner's final return. If the owner was alive at final maturity, the interest was reportable for that year (26 CFR 1.454-1(a)(1); IRS Publication 550). | taxes on inherited savings bonds |
| Found among papers | The value comes from Table 1. Check the issue month (a December 1970 date belongs on the 1970 page) and the owner, 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 the neighboring issue years and every face value, listed below. Year pages cover 1961 and 1969 to 1973, and each face-value page covers every series and issue year, so one page answers one face value.
- 1961 Series E savings bond value (also stopped in 2001, after 40 years)
- 1969 Series E savings bond value
- 1970 Series E savings bond value
- 1972 Series E savings bond value
- 1973 Series E savings bond value
- $25 savings bond worth
- $50 savings bond worth
- $75 savings bond worth
- $200 savings bond worth
- $500 savings bond worth
- $5,000 savings bond worth (Series H in 1971)
- $10,000 savings bond worth
1971 Savings Bond FAQ
How much is a $25 savings bond from 1971 worth today?
A $25 savings bond from 1971 is worth $126.06 to $126.95 in November 2026, and these are final values, not estimates. A July 1971 $25 bond is worth $126.06, a June 1971 one $126.95, and a February 1969 one $137.27.
How much is a $100 savings bond from 1971 worth after 30 years?
Every $100 Series E bond issued in 1971 is worth $504.24 (July) to $507.80 (June) in November 2026, after exactly 30 years, and it cost $75 to buy in 1971. See what a $100 savings bond is worth in any series.
How much is a $1,000 savings bond from 1971 worth after 30 years?
A $1,000 Series E bond from 1971 is worth $5,042.40 (July) to $5,078.00 (June) in November 2026, after 30 years, and it cost $750 to buy in 1971 and stopped earning in 2001. See $1,000 savings bond values by series and issue year.
How much is a $10,000 savings bond from 1971 worth?
A $10,000 Series E bond from 1971 is worth $50,424.00 (July) to $50,780.00 (June) in November 2026. It cost $7,500 to buy in 1971, and cashing it needs a notary or certifying officer to certify your signature on FS Form 1522.
Is a 55-year-old savings bond from 1971 still worth something?
Yes: a 1971 US savings bond, now 54 to 55 years old, is worth its final value of $126.06 to $126.95 per $25, does not expire and can be cashed at any time (31 CFR 315.35(c); EO 13968, 85 FR 83745). Treasury sets no deadline for cashing it.
Has the value of a 1971 bond changed since 2001?
No: a 1971 bond's value has not changed since its final maturity in 2001. The value files show one figure per issue month through May 2027, so keeping the bond unredeemed adds no interest and no value to it at all.
Is a 1971 savings bond worth more to a collector?
Treasury pays a 1971 bond's redemption value, $126.06 to $126.95 per $25 in November 2026, and no collector premium. It pays only the owner or a person entitled (31 CFR 315.39(b)). Compare any offer with the Table 1 value before you sell.
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.