The first checks were probably notes written to a goldsmith asking him to transfer ownership of some designated amount of gold from the writer of the note to its bearer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is a widely accepted theory regarding the origin of checks. The first known checks were used in the ancient world by traders to pay for goods and services without the need to carry around heavy bags of gold or other precious metals.

The First Checks Were Probably Notes Written to a Goldsmith