Series H savings bonds are paper current-income bonds issued from June 1952 to December 1979 in $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 denominations, and every one stopped earning interest by December 2009. Each bond is now worth exactly its face value, the amount printed on it. Only Treasury redeems it, by mail with FS Form 1522.
ClaimMyBonds is an independent private guide, not Treasury, and Treasury's forms are free. This page covers how H bonds were bought, when each one reached final maturity, what it pays today and how to redeem one by mail.
What Are Series H Savings Bonds?
A Series H savings bond is a paper current-income bond: Treasury sold it at face value and paid its interest to the owner every six months instead of adding the interest to the bond.
Treasury offered H bonds under 31 CFR part 332, and the offer ended December 31, 1979 (44 FR 77158, December 31, 1979). Series EE and HH bonds were first issued in January 1980, while Series E payroll issues continued to June 1980.
Series H is one of the series that no longer earn interest. All the types of US savings bonds are compared side by side on our series overview. The table below sums up the main terms of an H bond.
| Attribute | Series H detail |
|---|---|
| Issued | June 1952 to December 1979; offer ended December 31, 1979 |
| Price | Face value |
| Denominations | $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000; paper only |
| Interest | Paid every six months until maturity |
| Final maturity | 29 years 8 months or 30 years; the last in December 2009 |
| Issuing agents | Federal Reserve Banks and Treasury only |
| Worth today | Face value |
| Cashing | Treasury only: FS Form 1522 by mail, paid by direct deposit |
| Rules | 31 CFR part 332 (offering), part 339 (exchange), part 315 (payment) |
| Bonds issued and unredeemed | 16,386,525 issued; 26,680 unredeemed |
Sources: 31 CFR parts 332, 339 and 315 (eCFR); TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026; Fiscal Data, September 30, 2026.
How Owners Got Series H Bonds: Cash Purchase or Exchange of E Bonds and Savings Notes
Owners got H bonds in 2 ways: a cash purchase at face value, or a tax-deferred exchange of Series E bonds and Savings Notes (31 CFR part 339, Treasury Circular No. 1036, 36 FR 23856, December 15, 1971).
An exchange needed at least $500 and form PD 3253. Only Federal Reserve Banks and Treasury issued H bonds. Sales peaked in 1955 at $1,177 million (Treasury's 1991 savings bond history).
In an exchange, the interest earned on the old bonds stayed untaxed until a later event, explained under the tax heading below. Owners who traded in Series E savings bonds or Savings Notes (also called Freedom Shares) carried that deferral into the new H bond.
Series H Terms: Face-Value Price, Four Denominations and Interest Every Six Months
Series H bonds had 3 fixed terms: a price equal to face value, 4 denominations ($500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000) and interest paid every six months until maturity. The price was the amount printed on the bond, so a $1,000 bond cost $1,000.
Because Treasury paid the interest out, the bond itself never grew. 31 CFR part 315 calls H a current-income bond. A bond could be redeemed at face value after six months from issue (31 CFR 315.35(e)), and payment today is at face value as well.
Does a Series H Bond Still Earn Interest?
No. TreasuryDirect lists Series H among the series whose bonds no longer earn interest, and the last H bonds stopped in December 2009 (31 CFR 332.8). No H bond earns any rate in November 2026, so a search for a current Series H interest rate has no answer.
Holding a bond longer adds nothing. Savings bonds have no deadline to cash (Executive Order 13968, 85 FR 83745, December 2020).
When Did Series H Bonds Reach Final Maturity? 29 Years 8 Months or 30 Years
Series H bonds reached final maturity 29 years 8 months after issue for June 1952 to January 1957 issues and 30 years after issue for February 1957 to December 1979 issues (31 CFR 332.8), so the first stopped in February 1982 and the last in December 2009.
Final maturity is the date a bond stops earning interest for good. The table gives both tiers.
| Issue dates | Life to final maturity | Final maturity dates | Earning in November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1952 to January 1957 | 29 years 8 months | February 1982 to September 1986 | No |
| February 1957 to December 1979 | 30 years | February 1987 to December 2009 | No |
Dates are the 1st of each month. Source: 31 CFR 332.8 (eCFR as of November 11, 2026).
TreasuryDirect's 1989 timeline entry says that 30-year stopping is already the case with Series H bonds, which simplifies the rule. The regulation's table governs, and it gives 29 years 8 months for the early issues.
Fiscal Data counts 26,680 of 16,386,525 Series H bonds issued, about 0.16 percent, still unredeemed on September 30, 2026. The dates for every series are set out under final maturity by series.
How Much Is a Series H Bond Worth? Its Face Value
A Series H bond is worth exactly its face value: a $1,000 H bond pays $1,000 whenever it is cashed (31 CFR 315.35(e)).
The interest went to the owner every six months, so no value table or calculation applies. Series H is not in Treasury's value files. The four denominations and what each pays are shown below.
| Face value | Price paid | Worth when cashed | Value by face value |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $500 | $500 | how much is a $500 savings bond worth |
| $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | how much is a $1,000 savings bond worth |
| $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | how much is a $5,000 savings bond worth |
| $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | how much is a $10,000 savings bond worth |
Source: 31 CFR 315.35(e), "A Series H bond will be redeemed at face value" (eCFR as of November 11, 2026).
A paper bond is cashed whole, never in part. A $5,000 H bond therefore pays $5,000 in one direct deposit.
How to Redeem Series H Bonds: FS Form 1522 by Mail
Redeem Series H bonds in 4 steps: get FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026), fill it out, have your signature certified if the bonds total more than $1,000, and mail the form and bonds to Treasury Retail Securities Services in Minneapolis.
Every item on the form is walked through under FS Form 1522 by mail. The 4 steps are listed below.
- Get FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026) from TreasuryDirect, where it is free.
- Fill in each bond's issue date and serial number and your direct deposit details.
- Certify your signature if the bonds total more than $1,000, otherwise enclose an ID copy.
- Mail the form, the bonds and any legal evidence to the address below.
Because the value equals face value, the $1,000 signature test is simple addition, as the table shows.
| Bonds cashed together | Total value | What FS Form 1522 needs |
|---|---|---|
| One $500 H | $500 | Signature plus copy of driver's license, passport, state ID or military ID |
| One $1,000 H | $1,000 | Same: not more than $1,000 |
| One $500 and one $1,000 H | $1,500 | Notary or certifying officer |
| One $10,000 H | $10,000 | Notary or certifying officer; see savings bond signature certification |
Values equal face value. Sources: FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026); 31 CFR 315.35(e).
Treasury Retail Securities Services
P.O. Box 9150
Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150
Phone: 844-284-2676 (toll free)
Source: FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026); TreasuryDirect Contact Us, as of November 11, 2026
A notary is a state-commissioned official, and a certifying officer is an official Treasury's rules authorize to confirm your identity and signature.
Anyone cashing bonds that are not in their own name adds legal evidence, which Treasury does not return. Treasury charges no fee, and there is no limit on the number or value of bonds you mail.
Why a Bank Cannot Cash a Series H Bond
A bank cannot cash a Series H bond, because 31 CFR 321.7(a) and 321.9(b) leave Series F, G, H, J, K and HH to Treasury. TreasuryDirect states: "Banks cannot cash H or HH bonds."
Only Federal Reserve Banks and Treasury issued H bonds. A bank may cash paper E, EE or I bonds, and the policies are collected under what banks cash savings bonds.
After You Mail Series H Bonds: Processing Time, Payment and Tax
Cashing paper bonds by mail takes three months or longer when you are named on the bonds, and five months or longer when they are not in your name (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026).
Treasury pays face value by direct deposit only, to the account on FS Form 1522. The routing number has nine digits and begins with 0, 1, 2 or 3.
H interest is subject to federal income tax and exempt from state and local income tax (31 U.S.C. 3124). The semiannual payments were reported each year.
Interest deferred from exchanged E bonds or Savings Notes is reportable in the year of the first of 3 events: cashing, the bond stopping interest, or a taxable reissue (IRS Publication 550, "Series H and HH").
Ask a tax professional which year applies to you, and see federal tax on savings bond interest for all series.
Series H Bonds After a Death or a Loss
A Series H bond left by someone who died is redeemed, never kept or reissued: FS Form 5336 (Rev. April 2026) states in Part F, "Series H/HH bonds must be redeemed as they are no longer earning interest." The table shows where each situation leads.
| Situation | What happens | Owner page |
|---|---|---|
| Owner died, surviving co-owner or beneficiary | Redeem only: FS Form 1522 plus a certified death certificate; bonds not in your name take five months or longer | savings bonds after death |
| Estate not administered, $100,000 or less | A voluntary representative files FS Form 5336, Part F; payment only | FS Form 5336 |
| Lost, stolen or destroyed H bond | FS Form 1048 (Rev. March 2026), signed before a notary or certifying officer; paid, not replaced | FS Form 1048 |
| You do not know whether a relative held H bonds | Treasury Hunt has not been available since September 30, 2025 | savings bond lookup |
| You have no serial number | The six-year rule in 31 CFR 315.29(c) applies | savings bond serial number |
Sources: TreasuryDirect death-of-owner pages; FS Form 5336 (Rev. April 2026); FS Form 1048 (Rev. March 2026); 31 CFR 315.29.
Every Series H bond is more than six years past final maturity, so a claim for a lost H bond is considered only with its serial number (31 CFR 315.29(c)). Treasury Hunt, Treasury's discontinued online search, has not been available since September 30, 2025.
Series H and the Other Savings Bond Series
Series H is one of 13 lettered savings bond series plus the Savings Notes. With A to G, J, K and the Savings Notes, it no longer earns interest, and Series HH joined them in August 2024 (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026).
Series HH: The Current-Income Bond That Replaced Series H in 1980
Series HH bonds were first issued in January 1980 as the current-income bond that followed Series H. They were issued to August 2004 at face value, $500 to $10,000, had a 20-year life, and all stopped by August 1, 2024. Treasury alone cashes them, as described under Series HH savings bonds.
Proceeds of matured H bonds could be reinvested in HH (31 CFR 352.8). Owners who did so moved their money from one current-income bond to the next.
Series J and K: Sold Alongside Series H From 1952 to 1957
Series J and K were sold from May 1952 to April 1957, alongside the first H bonds, with a 12-year maturity. J sold at 72 percent of face and K at face value. Both are paid by mail, as covered under Series F, G, J and K savings bonds.
Series H FAQ
Can You Still Buy Series H Savings Bonds?
No. The Series H offer ended December 31, 1979 (31 CFR 332), and new savings bonds are electronic Series EE and I.
Is There a Series H Savings Bond Calculator?
No calculator is needed, because an H bond pays face value. Our savings bond calculator, built on Treasury's published value files, covers paper Series E and EE bonds.
Could Series EE Bonds Be Exchanged for Series H Bonds?
No. Series H sales ended December 31, 1979, before the first Series EE bonds were issued in January 1980. E and EE bonds were exchanged into Series HH until August 31, 2004 (IRS Publication 550, "Prior to September 2004").
Do Savings Bonds Stop Earning Interest After 30 Years?
The life of a bond depends on its series, as the list shows.
- Series EE and I: 30 years
- Series E: 40 or 30 years
- Series HH: 20 years
- Series H: 29 years 8 months or 30 years
Can Series H Bonds Be Converted to Electronic Bonds?
No. TreasuryDirect states: "You cannot convert H or HH bonds." SmartExchange, the tool used to convert paper savings bonds to electronic form, accepts only Series E, EE and I bonds of $25 or more (31 CFR 363.161).
How Do You Check Whether a Series H Bond Was Already Cashed?
Write to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150. List the serial numbers, sign the letter and do not send the bonds. A bond with no claim within 10 years of its recorded redemption is presumed properly paid (31 CFR 315.29(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.