S
slobone
Guest
Yes. I should have been more clear about this. The American 21-year-old.
Back to the banks. It was out-of-state checks that took 2-3 weeks to clear. Here's why:
1. You deposit check in California, drawn on small bank in NY.
2. Teller enters it as a tentative deposit. Surface Mails the physical check to NY. Remember--you had to pay extra for Air Mail. Mail takes 3-5 days to reach NY.
3. Small Bank in NY (NOT the same bank) receives mail. It debits the check out of the check writer's account--that day if they're not busy. If they're very busy, it might take two or three days. Check cancelled.
4. Bank in NY mails the physical check back to California. Another three or four days.
5. Bank in CA receives cancelled check. Teller finally credits account.
6. Add up the days; you can see why it took 2-3 weeks!!
Remember--while banks had in-house computers back then--there was no Internet so that they could communicate with each other.
Hmm, I'm still dubious. I went to college on the opposite side of the country from where my parents lived, and I know their checks didn't take 2 weeks to clear. I would have starved if they had. And there were always ways for banks to communicate with each other -- teletype, etc.


