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.
The Treasury guarantees a savings bond will reach the maturity value -- double the original investment amount -- within a certain number of years. Bonds issued since June 2003 are guaranteed to mature within 20 years after the issue month. Bonds issued from May 1995 through May 2003 have a 17-year guaranteed maturity, and bonds issued from March 1993 through April 1995 take no longer than 18 years to mature. A savings bond might mature faster than the guarantee, depending on the rate of interest it is earning.