Consumers have a hard time telling a genuine egg from a fake one. This is good news for unscrupulous entrepreneurs, who are even conducting three-day courses in the production of artificial eggs for less than S$150. A reporter with Hong Kong-based Chinese magazine East Week enrolled in one such course.
Series I bonds are sold at face value and mature after 30 years. Redemption rules are the same with Series I bonds as Series EE bonds. Series I bonds earn interest at a rate of 1.94% through Oct. 31, 2014.
EE savings bonds with issue dates after June 2003 have an original maturity date of 20 years from issue. Earlier EE bonds had varying lengths of time to original maturity. For example, bonds dated between March 1993 and April 1995 have an original maturity of 18 years. Bonds issued after May 2005 pay a fixed interest rate, but the Treasury guarantees that their value will double in 20 years, at original maturity.