Group of 7 Checks dated 1830's-1920's - Americana

Group of 7 issued and unissued checks. Some with vignettes or imprinted revenues. A cheque, referred to as a check in American English, is a financial instrument that instructs a bank, building society, or credit union to transfer a specified sum of money from an individual's account to the individual named on the cheque. The individual who issues the cheque, known as the drawer, maintains a transaction banking account—commonly referred to as a current, cheque, chequing, checking, or share draft account—where the funds are deposited. The drawer is responsible for filling in various details on the cheque, including the amount, date, and the name of the payee, and must sign it to authorize the bank, referred to as the drawee, to disburse the stated amount to the payee.

Although the concept of cheques has existed since ancient times, with records dating back to at least the 9th century, their popularity as a non-cash payment method surged during the 20th century, reaching a peak in usage. By the latter half of the 20th century, advancements in cheque processing technology led to the issuance of billions of cheques each year, with peak volumes occurring in the early 1990s. However, since that time, the use of cheques has declined significantly, largely due to the rise of electronic payment methods such as debit and credit cards. In many countries, cheques have either become a minor payment option or have been entirely eliminated.