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      PAGE  1
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      PAGE  2
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020 C000008    129
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      PAGE  3
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      PAGE  4
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      PAGE  5
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      PAGE  6
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      PAGE  7
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      PAGE  8
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      PAGE  9
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086 F020000      0
SIGNATURE   PAUL BUCUVALAS
TITLE       MANAGING DIRECTOR

EX-27

WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The George Putnam Fund of Boston


   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> CLASS A

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUL-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-2000
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<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                   5,852,070,758
<RECEIVABLES>                              274,363,289
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 125,628
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
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<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
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<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .28
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (1.33)
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              15.91
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .46
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0


 

EX-27

WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The George Putnam Fund of Boston


   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> CLASS B

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUL-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                    5,939,367,280
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                   5,852,070,758
<RECEIVABLES>                              274,363,289
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 125,628
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           6,126,559,675
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                   237,803,204
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                   71,067,300
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                        308,870,504
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                 5,971,430,832
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       88,657,076
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       89,577,909
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    5,798,872
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                  (72,292,750)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                  (87,247,783)
<NET-ASSETS>                             5,817,689,171
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            18.33
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .21
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (1.32)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.23)
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              15.76
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .83
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0


 

EX-27

WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The George Putnam Fund of Boston


   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> CLASS C

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUL-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-2000
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<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                   5,852,070,758
<RECEIVABLES>                              274,363,289
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 125,628
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
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<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
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<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
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<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                           30,583
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
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<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                    (400,139,789)
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                     (691,649)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (100,908)
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                             34,549,805
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         8,033,479
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            18.49
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .21
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (1.32)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.28)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.23)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              15.87
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .83
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0


 

EX-27

WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The George Putnam Fund of Boston


   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> CLASS M

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUL-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                    5,939,367,280
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                   5,852,070,758
<RECEIVABLES>                              274,363,289
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 125,628
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
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<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                   237,803,204
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                   71,067,300
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                        308,870,504
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                 5,971,430,832
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       16,109,288
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       16,002,128
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    5,798,872
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (4,087,179)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                  (19,525,964)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            18.33
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[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0


 

EX-27

WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The George Putnam Fund of Boston


   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> CLASS Y

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUL-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                    5,939,367,280
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                   5,852,070,758
<RECEIVABLES>                              274,363,289
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 125,628
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           6,126,559,675
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                   237,803,204
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                   71,067,300
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                        308,870,504
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                 5,971,430,832
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       45,916,987
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       40,187,143
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    5,798,872
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                  (72,292,750)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                  (87,247,783)
<NET-ASSETS>                             5,817,689,171
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                           42,444,576
<INTEREST-INCOME>                           88,733,002
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                              33,653,407
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                     97,524,171
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                  (78,199,230)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                (419,464,730)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                    (400,139,789)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                 (13,584,999)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                  (54,139,426)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     10,845,039
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                (9,146,271)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                          4,031,076
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                   (799,542,859)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                      9,972,484
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                  444,661,032
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                       15,171,597
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                             34,549,805
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                       770,907,810
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            18.53
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .30
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (1.33)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.32)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.23)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              15.95
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .33
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0