30-Year Treasury

A U.S. Treasury debt obligation that has a maturity of 30 years. The 30-year Treasury used to be the bellwether U.S. bond but now most consider the 10-year to be the benchmark.

Investopedia Says:
The 30-year Treasury will generally pay a higher interest rate than shorter Treasuries to compensate for the additional risks inherent in the longer maturity. However, when compared to other bonds, Treasuries are relatively safe because they are backed by the U.S. government.

Related Links:
Investing in bonds - What are they, and do they belong in your portfolio? Bond Basics Tutorial
Treasuries are considered the safest investments, but they should still be analyzed when issued. Basics Of Federal Bond Issues