Here's something I came across today that I didn't know:

There's a replica of the Liberty Bell in front of the Hawaii State Capitol Building in Honolulu. This Hawaii Bell is casting #6 of 55, and was presented to Hawaii by the United States Treasury department on July 4, 1950.

I saw the original Liberty Bell some years ago in Philadelphia so was astonished to see one just like it today.

The replica bells were shipped as gifts to states and territories of the United States and the District of Columbia to be displayed and rung on patriotic occasions. This was part of a savings bond drive held from May 15 to July 4, 1950 with the slogan "Save for Your Independence."

That got me to thinking about savings bonds, the fact that these were often gifts purchased for children's future education by doting grandparents.  Well, you can still purchase them, but on a press release dated July 13, 2011:

Treasury to End Over-the-Counter Sales of Paper U.S. Savings Bonds

How did I miss that? Now it's all electronic directly from the Treasury, and no longer through financial institutions.

More about the Savings Bonds:

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/news/pressroom/pressroom_comotcend0711.htm

More about the Liberty Bell: 

 http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/

Have you seen your state's replica of the Liberty Bell?