# Seventies-looking digits on checks **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299 "2017-01-04T05:44:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/1 "2017-01-04T05:44:26Z")
F, G and H here: [http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111](http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111) Why, in this day and age, are the numbers along the lower left edge of checks still that quaint-looking Seventies computer font? I’d have thought it would’ve been updated to something like, I dunno, Helvetica by now. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/2 "2017-01-04T05:54:10Z")
These numbers are printed in magnetic ink, so that machines can read them with a high degree of accuracy. The numbers have those quaint shapes, as you call them, increase the distinctiveness of each of the characters. The font is called E-13B. It first appeared on checks in the late 1950s. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/3 "2017-01-04T05:55:21Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > F, G and H here: [http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111](http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111) > > Why, in this day and age, are the numbers along the lower left edge of checks still that quaint-looking Seventies computer font? I’d have thought it would’ve been updated to something like, I dunno, Helvetica by now. MICR: magnetic ink character recognition. The routing and account numbers printed in that typeface are scanned by the processing machines automatically. The interesting bit is that they are not read optically, but as the name implies, each digit has a specific _magnetic_ value. That’s why the funny shapes and blobs, it’s to give each numeral it’s own specific volume of ink that can then be associated with the correct number by the scanner. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/4 "2017-01-04T06:17:20Z")
Although they’re still printed with magnetic ink, I think the vast majority of MICR scanners now work optically. So it’s just a matter of technological inertia, for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/5 "2017-01-04T06:18:48Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > The interesting bit is that they are not read optically, but as the name implies, each digit has a specific _magnetic_ value. They do it optically too. They have to be able to, otherwise they’d still need you to hand over the actual piece of paper to deposit a check into your account. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/6 "2017-01-04T07:40:44Z")
Why do you call those “seventies-looking” fonts? To me they just look like “check” fonts. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/7 "2017-01-04T07:57:08Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Why do you call those “seventies-looking” fonts? To me they just look like “check” fonts. Oh, in the ‘70s that font had a certain futuristic, computerized vibe to it.[sup]\*[/sup] In the original [Rollerball](https://youtu.be/aVUxK1mNups) the numbers on the players’ jerseys were done in that font. Although now that I take a closer look, they’re not quite the same. - I probably should have phrased that the other way around. Different eras have different visions of what the future will look like. In the '70s there was a view of the future that included things like computer-readable fonts. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/8 "2017-01-04T11:02:29Z")
I couldn’t find a cheque book to confirm it, but I think ours are identical. It is quite probably that there is an international standard so that would be very difficult to change, especially where there is no good reason to. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/9 "2017-01-04T11:46:04Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I’d have thought it would’ve been updated to something like, I dunno, Helvetica by now. Helvetica is actually older, designed in 1957. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/10 "2017-01-04T11:53:20Z")
I would think the properties that make it easily distinguishable with a magnetic scanner will also make it easier to distinguish using optical character recognition. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/11 "2017-01-04T12:20:03Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Oh, in the '70s that font had a certain futuristic, computerized vibe to it. > > … > > - I probably should have phrased that the other way around. Different eras have different visions of what the future will look like. In the '70s there was a view of the future that included things like computer-readable fonts. Indeed. The lead-in for the CBC’s flagship news program used that font, coupled with a computery “boopity-boop” sound effect: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CE6_9Bn7ID0/hqdefault.jpg "The National CBC 1978") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE6_9Bn7ID0) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/12 "2017-01-04T12:26:57Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > F, G and H here: [http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111](http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111) > > Why, in this day and age, are the numbers along the lower left edge of checks still that quaint-looking Seventies computer font? I’d have thought it would’ve been updated to something like, I dunno, Helvetica by now. So update it from a 70s font to a 50s font? (actually, they’re both 50s fonts) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/13 "2017-01-04T12:30:39Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I would think the properties that make it easily distinguishable with a magnetic scanner will also make it easier to distinguish using optical character recognition. I’m sure it would, but OCR has its own ‘default’ font: > **[OCR-A](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCR-A)** > > OCR-A is a font issued in 1966 and first implemented in 1968. A special font was needed in the early days of computer optical character recognition, when there was a need for a font that could be recognized not only by the computers of that day, but also by humans. OCR-A uses simple, thick strokes to form recognizable characters. > The font is monospaced (fixed-width), with the printer required to place glyphs 0.254 cm (0.10 inch) apart, and the reader required to accept any spacing bet The OCR-A f... (it’s a moot point now - modern OCR is capable of reading just about anything, including handwriting) ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/14 "2017-01-04T12:31:07Z")
And let’s not forget [Space:1999](http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umcorridor.html) (designed around 1975). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/15 "2017-01-04T12:58:36Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > And let’s not forget [Space:1999](http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umcorridor.html) (designed around 1975). That appears to be using a font called Westminster, which is an offshoot of MICR, with alpha characters included (MICR only had numbers and a few symbols). ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/16 "2017-01-04T13:12:26Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > F, G and H here: [http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111](http://www.promisechecks.com/line.aspx?lineid=111) > > Why, in this day and age, are the numbers along the lower left edge of checks still that quaint-looking Seventies computer font? I’d have thought it would’ve been updated to something like, I dunno, Helvetica by now. > [@Mangetout](#): > > So update it from a 70s font to a 50s font? > > (actually, they’re both 50s fonts) Ahhh, they’re 1950’s-style “debt pays”. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/17 "2017-01-04T13:17:59Z")
You, sir, should be taken behind the barn and tickled mercilessly with goose feathers! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/18 "2017-01-04T13:50:39Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Why, in this day and age, are the numbers along the lower left edge of checks still that quaint-looking Seventies computer font? If it ain’t broke, why fix it? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/19 "2017-01-04T13:56:04Z")
Thanks, all. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > …In the original [Rollerball](https://youtu.be/aVUxK1mNups) the numbers on the players’ jerseys were done in that font. Although now that I take a closer look, they’re not quite the same… Yes! I remember that now. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299/20 "2017-01-04T13:56:24Z")
Modern OCR can _usually_ read almost everything. But the occasional errors still creep in. And when even a single error could mean misplacing a very large amount of money, with possibly an even larger amount needed to fix it, you want to get that error rate down as low as you possibly can. And if that means writing numbers using a barcode that’s disguised as a font, then that’s what you do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seventies-looking-digits-on-checks/776299.md?page=2)