50 YEARS OF PREMIUM BONDS

Wednesday, 1 November

On 1 November 2006, National Savings and Investments (NS&I) will celebrate 50 years since Premium Bonds first went on sale and caught the imagination of the British public. 

Premium Bonds, which offer the chance to win tax-free prizes rather than a rate of interest, were introduced to encourage saving among those who were not tempted to save in normal savings accounts.

Fifty years on, Premium Bonds worth £32 billion are held by 23 million people, almost 40% of the population.

Each month over a million prizes worth approximately £83 million are given away, with prizes ranging from £50 to two £1 million jackpots.

If you are lucky enough to scoop one of the top prizes, you will get it hand-delivered by NS&I’s Agent Million.

Songs to celebrate:  

Hot Chocolate, Everyone’s a winner Simple Minds, Glittering prize Earth, Wind & Fire, You are a winner Pat Green, If I had a million Madness, E.R.N.I.E.   Carpenters, Please Mr Postman Ben Harper, Gold to me Spandau Ballet, Gold Pink Floyd, Money Anything by the Magic Numbers Scissor Sisters, Better luck next time Bonnie Raitt, Luck of the draw Chris Rea, Lucky day             Elvis Presley, I got lucky The Verve, Lucky Man Kelis, Millionaire ABBA, The winner takes it all ABBA, Money, money, money Bee gees, Big chance The Saw Doctors, To win just once

Other celebrities with birthday’s on 1 November:

1942, Larry Flynt, American magazine publisher
1957, Lyle Lovett, American singer
1962, Anthony Kiedis, American singer (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
1972, Toni Collette, Australian actress
1972, Jenny McCarthy, British actress, model and TV presenter

Hits from 1956:

Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) - Doris Day
Memories Are Made Of This - Dean Martin
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
Hound dog – Elvis Presley
Long Tall Sally - Little Richard
Great Pretender – the Platters