Buy War Bonds, Lake Shore Club, Chicago, IL T-Shirt

The Family Club, Buy War Bonds, Lake Shore Club, Chicago, Illinois. The first World War II war bonds went on sale on May 1, 1941. They were called Defense Bonds at the time, but they were renamed War Bonds after the United States entered the war in December 1941. War bonds were available in denominations of $25 to $1,000, making them affordable for everyone. For those who found it difficult to purchase an entire bond at once, 10-cent savings stamps could be purchased and collected in Treasury-approved stamp albums until the recipient had accumulated enough stamps for a bond purchase. The sale of war bonds was a major part of the US government's effort to finance the war effort. By the end of the war, Americans had purchased over $185 billion in war bonds, which helped to pay for everything from weapons and ammunition to food and supplies for the troops. The last World War II war bonds were sold on June 30, 1980. These bonds were known as Series E bonds, and Series EE bonds replaced them on July 1, 1980.