Prior to January 1, 2012, definitive Series I savings bonds were issued in denominations of $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000. These definitive bonds were sold at par; that is, the purchase price was the same as the denomination (face value).

A definitive bond is validly issued when it is registered as provided in part 360, and when it bears an issue date and the validation indicia of an authorized issuing agent.

The issue date of a definitive bond is the first day of the month in which an authorized issuing agent received payment of the issue price.

The registration of a definitive Series I savings bond must include the TIN of the owner or first-named coowner. If the bond was purchased as a gift or award and the owner's TIN is not known, the TIN of the purchaser must be included in the registration of the bond.

Effective January 1, 2012, Treasury discontinued the over-the-counter sale of definitive Series I savings bonds.

Treasury discontinued the issuance of definitive Series I savings bonds through a payroll savings plan:

(a) Effective October 1, 2010, for United States government employees, and

(b) Effective January 1, 2011, for all other employees.

You may purchase bonds registered in the names of employee plans in authorized denominations through a designated Federal Reserve Bank, as provided in part 360 of this chapter.

We deliver definitive bonds by mail to your address. If your address is within the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, we will deliver bonds at our risk. Bonds delivered elsewhere will be delivered at your risk; however, at our discretion, we may require delivery to an address within the United States, or refuse delivery to addresses in countries referred to in part 211 of this chapter.

A financial institution qualified as a paying agent under the provisions of part 321 will pay the current redemption value of a definitive Series I bond presented for payment. The bond must meet the requirements for payment specified in part 360. You must establish your identity and entitlement to redemption to the satisfaction of the agent, in accordance with our instructions and identification guidelines, and must sign and complete the request for payment.

We determine the redemption value of a definitive savings bonds for the accrual date (the first day of each month) by first determining the composite rate as defined in § 359.13. If the result of the composite rate calculation is a negative value, zero will be the assumed composite rate in the redemption value calculation. Redemption values are calculated using the following formula (For examples of the calculation, see appendix A to part 359):

(a) Redemption values. Redemption values are available for definitive bonds in various formats and media.

(1) You may determine the redemption value for definitive bonds on the Internet at www.savingsbonds.gov.

(2) You may download savings bonds calculators from the Internet at www.savingsbonds.gov.

(3) You may obtain paper tables from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Parkersburg, West Virginia 26106-1328. We reserve the right to cease making paper tables of redemption values available.

(b) Redemption penalty. Redemption values published in the tables reflect the three-month interest penalty applied to bonds redeemed prior to five years from the date of issue.