A check signed by former Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs sold for $46,063 at auction this week. Issued by “Apple Computer Company” in 1976, the $4.01 check was made out to electronics retailer RadioShack.
I guess we probably used the old English currency notation, like 10/6d and £1/3/2, but that was long before I was writing cheques.
Interesting thing with the long form part, we would always do “one hundred and forty five pounds twenty two pence only” the only being used as the sort of end marker to mitigate changes
In the US its always been the standard as far as I’m aware. I think its so its impossible to confuse cents for the dollar amount if you have poor handwriting. For example mistaking the value of this check as $401 instead of $4.01
I was taught, and every check I’ve ever seen before this one has followed what I was taught, to write the amount normally in the top right box, and as a fraction on the bottom where you write out the full amount. This is the first time I’ve seen fractions used in both boxes.
As an American, it would be weird for me to see it as a decimal, however I can’t say I’ve ever really thought about it. It’s just “traditional” for checks to be written that way here, and how we’re taught in school.
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