by TheDarkMan, The Duran:

Cheques (or checks in American parlance) have been with us a long time. Although they take a while to clear, they are safer to use than cash, especially for large purchases. At one time, ordinary people, especially women, would not be issued with chequebooks by their banks. Cheques have two big advantages over cash. If you sign a cheque for a thousand dollars then lose it or it is stolen, you simply put a stop on it with your bank whereas if you lose cash, it’s usually gone forever. Cheque payments can also be traced, so again, they are safer than cash.