Can I redeem and old, lost US Savings Bond?

Factual Questions
1

When my son was born, about 22 years ago, a friend gave him a savings bond. I think it was for $300. My SSN was used, since the son didn’t have one yet.

Long story short, in the course of 2 moves since then we have misplaced the bond and have no idea where it is. Is there any way that this can be redeemed without having the actual bond? Also, since it has been over 20 years since the purchase, will it have accumulated interest above the face value, or is that the maximum it will ever be worth?

2

I can’t help with the first question, but yes, savings bonds accrue interest past their face value, but only up to a point, and then they stop earning interest entirely. My grandfather bought me some $50 bonds (for $18 each, I think?) and some $100 bonds (for $50, maybe?) in the late 70’s/early '80’s. I’m just now cashing them in, and the $50’s get me around $110 and the $100’s around $160 or so.

3

I don’t know how you could collect on something you don’t have. You present the savings bond and they pay to the bearer.

4

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eefaq.htm#lost

Worth a shot, I suppose.

5

But isn’t there a record of them being purchased under a SSN somewhere? That record would also indicate that it hasn’t been redeemed.

Oops, Mack jumped in there with the info I assumed would be available.

6

Thanks, Mack, for the link. I’ll try that form and see if they can redeem it for me.

7

OTOH if this is wrong, I want to redeem a twenty that I accidentally threw in the fireplace with the Christmas wrapping, about the year 1976. $20 went a lot further back then; I kicked myself for a couple of days over that one.

8

But a $20 bill doesn’t have a record in the Department of the Treasury that says we, the United States government, owe the citizen with SSN xxx-xx-xxxx $50, plus interest.

9

I think he meant a $20 savings bond, not a Jackson.

10

:smack: