How much does a savings bond cost?
Purchase price by series and denomination, today's buying rules, and what typical bonds are worth now.
United States Savings Bond Values & GuidanceUpdated Values current through October 2026
What a savings bond costs depends on when it was bought. Today every new savings bond is electronic and costs exactly its face value, in any amount from $25 to $10,000. Paper bonds were different: a paper EE bond cost half the amount printed on it, a paper I bond cost the full amount, and an old Series E bond cost three quarters. Below are the prices by denomination, and what typical bonds are worth now.
- New savings bonds are electronic only and sell at face value: you choose any amount from $25 to $10,000, to the penny, and pay that amount (EE bonds, I bonds, buying savings bonds).
- You can buy up to $10,000 in electronic EE bonds and $10,000 in electronic I bonds per Social Security Number each calendar year; gift bonds count toward the recipient's limit (TreasuryDirect).
- Paper Series EE bonds sold for half their face value: a $100 paper EE bond cost $50 (TreasuryDirect).
- Series I bonds, paper or electronic, are issued at face value (IRS Publication 550); old Series E bonds sold at 75% of face (TreasuryDirect: historical and retired bonds).
- Example: a $100 paper EE bond issued May 2010 cost $50 and is worth $62.88 as of (Treasury value file).
What a savings bond costs today
Treasury sells two savings bonds, Series EE and Series I, and only electronically through a TreasuryDirect account (TreasuryDirect: buying savings bonds). New EE bonds are electronic only, and as of January 1, 2025, I bonds are only available electronically (EE bonds, I bonds). An electronic bond has no fixed denomination: you pay the amount you choose, from $25 up to $10,000, to the penny (TreasuryDirect's example is $75.38), and that is its face value. "We sell electronic EE bonds for their face value. You pay $100 for a $100 electronic EE bond" (TreasuryDirect).
How much you can buy (TreasuryDirect: how much can I spend/own):
- $10,000 in electronic EE bonds and $10,000 in electronic I bonds per calendar year, counted by the Social Security Number (or EIN) of the first person named on the bond.
- Bonds bought for a child or as a gift count toward the recipient's limit, not the buyer's. Each child has the same yearly limit.
- There is no limit on how much you can own in total, and converting paper bonds to electronic does not count toward the yearly limit.
Current rates for new bonds are on the I bond rates page; this site does not recommend buying either one.
Purchase price by series
| Series | Sold | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic EE and I | Today, in TreasuryDirect | Face value (the amount you choose) | TreasuryDirect, TreasuryDirect |
| Paper EE | January 1980 to December 2011 | Half of face value | TreasuryDirect, TreasuryDirect, FS P 0022 |
| Paper I | From September 1998; electronic only since January 1, 2025 | Face value | IRS Pub. 550, TreasuryDirect (Gulf Coast Recovery Bonds), TreasuryDirect |
| Paper E | May 1941 to June 1980 | 75% of face value | TreasuryDirect |
| Paper HH | No longer sold | Face value | TreasuryDirect |
Paper EE issue dates are the range Treasury's guide for banks gives as valid (January 1980 to December 2011) (FS Publication 0022). The Patriot Bond, a paper EE design sold from December 2001 to December 2011, also cost half of face (TreasuryDirect).
What each paper denomination cost
| Face value | Paper EE | Paper I | Paper E |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25 | not issued | not issued | $18.75 |
| $50 | $25.00 | $50.00 | $37.50 |
| $75 | $37.50 | $75.00 | $56.25 |
| $100 | $50.00 | $100.00 | $75.00 |
| $200 | $100.00 | $200.00 | $150.00 |
| $500 | $250.00 | $500.00 | $375.00 |
| $1,000 | $500.00 | $1,000.00 | $750.00 |
| $5,000 | $2,500.00 | $5,000.00 | not issued |
| $10,000 | $5,000.00 | $10,000.00 | $7,500.00 |
So "a $100 savings bond" cost $50 if it is a paper EE bond, $100 if it is a paper I bond or an electronic bond, and $75 if it is a Series E bond. The series is printed on the bond. There was no $25 EE bond; a $25 purchase bought a $50 EE bond.
What it cost vs what it is worth today
Official Treasury redemption values as of October 2026, for bonds issued in May of the years shown (the same file behind TreasuryDirect's calculator; every denomination is an exact multiple of the per-$25 value). Other issue months and years are in the value tables.
Series EE (paper)
| Face value | Paper EE cost | Value now, issued May 2000 | Value now, issued May 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | $25.00 | $62.20 | $31.44 |
| $75 | $37.50 | $93.30 | $47.16 |
| $100 | $50.00 | $124.40 | $62.88 |
| $200 | $100.00 | $248.80 | $125.76 |
| $500 | $250.00 | $622.00 | $314.40 |
| $1,000 | $500.00 | $1,244.00 | $628.80 |
| $5,000 | $2,500.00 | $6,220.00 | $3,144.00 |
| $10,000 | $5,000.00 | $12,440.00 | $6,288.00 |
Series I (paper)
| Face value | Paper I cost | Value now, issued May 2000 | Value now, issued May 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | $50.00 | $254.40 | $79.38 |
| $75 | $75.00 | $381.60 | $119.07 |
| $100 | $100.00 | $508.80 | $158.76 |
| $200 | $200.00 | $1,017.60 | $317.52 |
| $500 | $500.00 | $2,544.00 | $793.80 |
| $1,000 | $1,000.00 | $5,088.00 | $1,587.60 |
| $5,000 | $5,000.00 | $25,440.00 | $7,938.00 |
| $10,000 | $10,000.00 | $50,880.00 | $15,876.00 |
The purchase prices are visible in the value file itself. The first value Treasury published for each of these bonds, once it could be cashed, sits just above the price above:
| Bond | Cost of a $100 bond | First cashable month | Value of $100 face then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series EE, | $50.00 | $51.32 | |
| Series EE, | $50.00 | $50.52 | |
| Series I, | $100.00 | $104.16 | |
| Series I, | $100.00 | $101.12 |
Why an EE bond is worth less than its face value
Because it was bought for half of it. A paper EE bond starts at its purchase price and grows with interest; the face value is a milestone, not what the bond is worth (TreasuryDirect). For EE bonds issued June 2003 and later, Treasury guarantees the bond will be worth at least twice what you paid at 20 years, which for a paper EE bond means its face value (TreasuryDirect). For bonds from May 1997 through May 2003 the guarantee is 17 years (TreasuryDirect); older EE bonds followed the original-maturity rules on EE bond maturity.
Example: a $50 paper EE bond issued May 2010 cost $25. As of October 2026 it is worth $31.44, still below the $50 printed on it, and Treasury guarantees $50 when it turns 20 in . A $100 I bond issued May 2000, which cost $100, is worth $508.80. Bonds cashed before 5 years old are also worth 3 months of interest less; see cashing early.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a $100 savings bond cost?
A $100 paper Series EE bond cost $50.00 (half of face value). A $100 paper Series I bond cost $100, a $100 Series E bond cost $75, and a $100 electronic EE or I bond bought today in TreasuryDirect costs $100.
How much does a $500 savings bond cost?
A $500 paper EE bond cost $250.00, a $500 paper I bond cost $500, and a $500 Series E bond cost $375.00. Electronic bonds bought today cost exactly the amount you choose, so $500 buys a $500 bond.
Can you still buy paper savings bonds?
No. New EE bonds are electronic only, and as of January 1, 2025, I bonds are only available electronically, bought in a TreasuryDirect account.
What is the most you can spend on savings bonds in a year?
$10,000 in electronic EE bonds and $10,000 in electronic I bonds per Social Security Number per calendar year. Bonds you buy as gifts count toward the recipient's limit.
What is the minimum amount for a savings bond?
$25. Electronic EE and I bonds can be bought for any amount from $25 to $10,000, to the penny.
Why is my EE savings bond worth less than its face value?
Paper EE bonds were sold for half their face value and grow from that price. For EE bonds issued June 2003 or later, Treasury guarantees they reach double the purchase price, which is the face value of a paper bond, at 20 years.
Related: Can you cash savings bonds early? · Where to cash savings bonds · FS Form 1522 · How to cash savings bonds · Savings bond calculator · Savings bond taxes · Inherited savings bonds · Matured savings bonds.
Purchase rules are quoted from TreasuryDirect and linked where they appear. Values are the U.S. Treasury's published redemption figures (Savings Bonds Value Files), scaled exactly by denomination. This site is independent of the Treasury and is not investment advice.