<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 07/31/94
000 C000000 0000827773
000 D000000 N
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000 F000000 Y
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000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM PREMIER INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-5452
001 C000000 6172921000
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
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008 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-7974
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
012 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES
012 B000001 84-401299
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
015 A000001 BOSTON SAFE DEPOSIT AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02106
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
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<PAGE> PAGE 2
019 B000000 89
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH
020 B000001 13-5674085
020 C000001 24
020 A000002 SMITH BARNEY
020 B000002 13-1912900
020 C000002 10
020 A000003 GENESIS MERCHANT GROUP
020 C000003 5
020 A000004 DEAN WITTER REYNOLDS
020 B000004 94-1671381
020 C000004 5
020 C000005 0
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020 C000007 0
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021 000000 45
022 A000001 SHEARSON LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000001 13-2518466
022 C000001 1820006
022 D000001 251440
022 A000002 KIDDER PEBODY AND CO., INC.
022 B000002 13-5650440
022 C000002 1698602
022 D000002 10755
022 A000003 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER SMITH
022 B000003 13-5674085
022 C000003 842912
022 D000003 517009
022 A000004 J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
022 B000004 13-5123346
022 C000004 827551
022 D000004 118968
022 A000005 BT SECURITIES
022 B000005 22-2347336
022 C000005 877548
022 D000005 52690
022 A000006 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES
022 B000006 22-2347336
022 C000006 652578
022 D000006 12010
022 A000007 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000007 13-5108880
022 C000007 456609
022 D000007 146095
022 A000008 NOMURA SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000008 13-2642206
022 C000008 450214
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000008 35303
022 A000009 MORGAN STANLEY, INC.
022 B000009 13-2655998
022 C000009 258779
022 D000009 191961
022 A000010 SALOMON BROTHERS, INC.
022 B000010 13-3082694
022 C000010 134612
022 D000010 213167
023 C000000 8019411
023 D000000 1549398
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
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SIGNATURE GORDON H. SILVER
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM PUTNAM PREMIER INCOME TRUST ANNUAL REPORT AND IS QUALIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1994
<PERIOD-END> JUL-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> $1,195,251,563
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> $1,157,524,533
<RECEIVABLES> $48,712,456
<ASSETS-OTHER> $0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> $0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> $1,206,236,989
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> $22,298,413
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> $0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> $17,212,699
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> $39,511,112
<SENIOR-EQUITY> $0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> $1,248,889,180
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 140,759,960
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 140,759,960
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> $0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> ($20,076,623)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> $0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> ($25,590,444)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> ($36,496,237)
<NET-ASSETS> $1,166,725,877
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> $510,038
<INTEREST-INCOME> $100,218,004
<OTHER-INCOME> $0
<EXPENSES-NET> $10,623,376
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> $90,104,666
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> ($3,043,248)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> ($68,007,807)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> $19,053,611
<EQUALIZATION> $0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> $98,104,251
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> $0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> $3,416,241
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> ($82,466,881)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> $0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> ($529,863)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> ($9,060,214)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> $0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> $8,405,135
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> $0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> $10,623,376
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> $1,235,273,484
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> $8.87
<PER-SHARE-NII> $0.64
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> ($0.50)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> ($0.72)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> ($0.72)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> $0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> $8.29
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> $0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> $0
</TABLE>
