If some of you may remember, a couple months ago I had found a $100 "United States War Savings Bond" (Series E), and wondered how I could cash it in. It was issued to my Great Grandmother, Mrs. Fannie Barnhart (wife of the late Robert L. BARNHART, of Charleroi), "or" Mrs. Lillian HORNE (former late wife of Allen HORN, of the Washington HORN's)(she added the "e" on the end). The bond cost $75 in 1943, with a maturity date 10-years later, at $100. Well, since my grandmother (Lillian HORNE) died in 1949, and her mother (Fannie BARNHART) died in Oct. 1953, one month after the expiration of the War Bond, it had never been cashed. So I went about trying to find out if I could cash it. With help from a lot of people on these rootsweb sites, and finally the Federal Reserve, and the Dept. of the Public Debt, I was able to cash this bond. It involved getting Death Certificates on Lillian HORNE (first one to die), and Fannie BARNHART (2nd one to die), and to prove that my mother was indeed who she was. To do that, though they didn't ask, I included a copy of her marriage certificate. I would think a birth cert. would be more "official." I couldn't send copies of the death certs, I had to get new "certified" copies from New Castle. For once New Castle processed a couple items faster than I'm used to! One of the death certs is dated February 13, this year, so I guess this has only been about a two-month project. Believe it or not, the "Bureau of the Public Debt" was quite helpful! The War Bond ceased earning interest 40 years after issue, in Sept., 1983. Here is is, 18 years after it ceased earning interest, but that $100 had grown to $409.92. On Tuesday of this week, my mom received a check from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which we took to the bank and cashed. They didn't even ask for I.D. at the bank, though I had plenty with me. Of course they checked to make sure we were on record with the bank. Now, I did have to get the Federal Reserve Form PD F 5336 notarized, where my mother signed it, and I signed as a witness. That was $5 each. And when I mailed everything in to the Bureau of the Public Debt, I sent it Registered Mail, with a Return Receipt, so total expense were "about" $30. Being the nice guy that I am, I tossed in the extra 8¢, so we got $410 for it, and I gave my mom $10, and kept the other $400, but I'm only keeping it for her! (honest!) If any of you ever run across a War Bond, and want to try to cash it, just contact me, and I'll give you the instructions on how to do it. An important address to have would be Bureau of Public Debt P O Box 1328 Parkersburg WV 26106-1328 That way you can handle it all by email Oh yeah, email address: SavBond2@bpd.treas.gov And you would need Form PD F 5336, which I got from the Denver Federal Reserve Bank. (which seemed weird, since I'm in Calif.) It cost me $13.25 to send it Registered Mail, but I wanted to be on the safe side, since it WAS a negotiable instrument. It wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. As long as the total amount is under $1000, such as this, it's much easier. I don't know exactly what is involved if it's more than $1000, but it's a harder transaction to complete. Also, if a Will is involved, that makes it more difficult too. If my mother were not alive, I would not have been able to cash it in at all! I know this is long, but I hope you find it interesting, and if you ever need the info, print out what you might need, and you'll be all set! Regards, Robert D. Mollenauer, Jr. Ridgecrest, CA b. Charleroi, PA (Aug., 1948)