Good to see you want to find the value of your savings bonds!
Better to find the value, and know when the bond matures -- than to have them fully mature and have the IRS penalize you since you didn't claim taxes in the year they matured. Yikes!
Personally, I am simply registering my Savings Bonds now. I don't want to think about them anymore. I don't want the paper copies lying about in my safety deposit box either.
Registering them online, I feel, they are safe and sound. I know when each bond matures, the payment will appear in my bank account in a few days. I also get a tax form at the end of the year, not something I want, but better than forgetting and getting a call from our IRS Buddies!
Another great idea I love is Savings Bonds sofware you can download (free) and add all your bonds to it. The problem is that as we upgrade computers, or lose hard drives, that work could be lost.
lf you don't care to register your bonds, you can use this Savings Bond Calculator instead. It's easy and you can save your work, go back and watch as interest grows.... I wonder if it's the same as registering, in the end.