The Story of Premium Savings Bonds and...
ERNIE - Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment
ERNIE - Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment. Shown here is ERNIE Mark I -1957

ERNIE was designed and built in the Research Branch of the Engineer - in - Chief's Office of the Post Office and was installed at Lytham St. Annes by staff of the Preston Telephone Area.

Photos and images used with kind permission of National Savings & Investments.

Disclaimer: These pages are an unofficial review of ERNIE and Premium Bonds.
| EXIT to Savings Bank |  Introduction | ERNIE's History | ERNIE Today |  Links |
Introduction

ERNIE - premium savings bonds The Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment, better known as ERNIE was devised to select prize winners of Premium Savings Bonds.
  • The initial concept of the machine was devised by Mr S.W. Broadhurst.
  • Premium Bonds were officially launched on 1 November 1956 by Harold Macmillan, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
  • The first draw took place on 2 June 1957.
  • Originally, there were 23 denominations of bond values.
    • The minimum purchase was a £1 bond.
    • The maximum purchase was a £500 bond.


ERNIE's History
The name's Bond, Premium Savings Bond...
Learn more about ERNIE's history

Dame Judi Dench officiates and announces the lucky winners in the prize draw of 1st May 1962.

"In the early years Premium Bonds were the lottery of the day; celebrities including Bruce Forsyth, Bob Hope and Dame Judi Dench announced the top prizes"

Learn more about ERNIE's history



Behind ERNIE Mark 1
Behind ERNIE 1 - Opening at the Science Museum 26th June 2008
Behind ERNIE Mark 1 - The opening of the exhibition at the Science Museum 26th June 2008

Photo © Light Straw Archive

After many years in storage, ERNIE Mark 1 has been painstakingly cleaned, re-assembled and re-housed in a custom designed showcase for display in the computing section of the Science Museum.

Learn more...



ERNIE 4
The power behind Premium Bonds...
An ERNIE 4 simulator used for exhibitions.
Today, ERNIE is a commercially produced chipset on a printed circuit board. He can generate more numbers, faster than ever before.

ERNIE is still the power behind Premium Bonds.

Learn more about ERNIE 4


ERNIE Today

This is the flyer you are likely to see when you are lucky enough to win a prize
Congratulations! One of your Premium Bonds has won a prize.

All Premium Bonds, including the original Series A and those bought since, are eligible for the prize draws, subject to the current terms and conditions specified by NS & I
which are updated from time to time.

It is worth noting for all series of Premium Bonds:

  • All Bonds are now eligible to enter the prize draw after just one month after purchase.
  • Customers are entitled to hold up to £30,000 worth of Premium Bonds.
  • When a Premium Bond Holder dies, his or her Bonds can stay in the draw for a year, with all prizes going to the Estate. After a year the Bonds are no longer eligible and it is recommended that the Estate arranges to cash them in.
  • The minimum purchase is £100

For the very latest, up to date details, please visit the National Savings and Investments website. Click on the link below...

Links & References
With thanks to the Science Museum, NS & I and BT Archives.
National Savings & Investments

If you have a query about money or bonds held in National Savings, please visit the National Savings & Investments site.

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