<PAGE> PAGE 1
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000 C000000 0000827773
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
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000 J000000 U
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001 B000000 811-5452
001 C000000 6172921000
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
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007 C010700 7
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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
013 A000001 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
013 B030001 02110
014 A000001 PUTNAM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
014 B000001 8-5088
015 A000001 BOSTON SAFE DEPOSIT AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
<PAGE> PAGE 2
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02106
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 98
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 TIEDEMANN INT'L RESEARCH, INC.
020 B000001 13-3506065
020 C000001 24
020 A000002 GS2 SECURITIES INC.
020 C000002 9
020 A000003 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000003 13-3082694
020 C000003 8
020 A000004 FSC SECURITIES CORP.
020 B000004 58-1288674
020 C000004 6
020 A000005 FIRST CHICAGO BANK OF MT. PROSP.
020 C000005 5
020 A000006 PAINEWEBBER INC.
020 B000006 13-2638166
020 C000006 3
020 A000007 WARBURG (S.G.) & CO., INC.
020 B000007 13-3340045
020 C000007 2
020 A000008 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
020 B000008 13-5674085
020 C000008 1
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020 B000009 22-2347336
020 C000009 1
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022 D000002 442948
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022 B000003 13-3082694
022 C000003 190120
022 D000003 208943
022 A000004 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000004 13-3224016
022 C000004 153808
022 D000004 176178
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 A000005 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000005 13-5674085
022 C000005 164547
022 D000005 121157
022 A000006 DONALDSON,LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORP.
022 B000006 13-2741729
022 C000006 51911
022 D000006 43362
022 A000007 ABN AMRO SECURITIES INC.
022 B000007 13-3227945
022 C000007 42311
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022 A000008 MORGAN STANLEY INC.
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022 C000008 33063
022 D000008 48248
022 A000009 UBS SECURITIES
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022 C000009 23018
022 D000009 29873
022 A000010 RBC DOMINION
022 C000010 26407
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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 PAUL BUCAVALAS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM
Putnam Premier Income Trust AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY
REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-95
<PERIOD-END> JAN-31-96
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 1,277,256,948
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,308,499,357
<RECEIVABLES> 83,290,534
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1,387,259
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,393,177,150
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 119,172,618
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 40,001,283
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 159,173,901
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1,239,093,847
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 140,709,960
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 140,709,960
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (8,832,988)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (28,243,379)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 31,985,769
<NET-ASSETS> 1,234,003,249
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 762,203
<INTEREST-INCOME> 49,539,564
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 4,963,285
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 45,338,482
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 34,082,996
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 10,489,282
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 89,910,760
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (46,282,322)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
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</TABLE>