Original war bonds were devalued and replaced with EE bonds in 1980. They effectively stopped earning value at that time. They were worth 3.6 times their face value at that time. If you bought a bond a month through out the war you invested 18.75 per $25.00 bond, war bonds had a ten year term, you have to hold them for 10 years at least. And the government max out the value you could earn in 1980 to 3.6 times the face value. An investment of one 18.75 bond per month for the entire war 48 months = $900.00 with a face value of $1200.00 after 10 years, and the government shut that down in 1980 to a max of 3.6 times the face value or $4320.00. Not really a great deal. If you have just put that 18.75 per week in a savings account and let that interest compound. your initial investment of $900.00 would have doubled every ten years with no cap. in 2015 that initial 900 would be worth $57,600.