Two hundred years ago, banks invented checks so they could transfer money between company accounts and between banks themselves without actually having to risk moving large sums of cash. Eventually, someone came up with the idea of allowing individuals to use checks so they, too, could forego carrying large amounts of cash on their person that they could either lose or someone could rob.

People began to learn that you could take a check from one person to a bank and then the bank would redeem the check and give you the cash. In other words, that check was in essence a money-back guarantee that if taken to a bank - cash would be given in return.

Out of that, a figure of speech entered into every day language known as "Take it to the bank" to designate something that was sure; something yo…