They were also the best friend of the business owner, as the tiny pin-point perforations the machine created in each check offered a useful defense against fraudsters. As the name would suggest, a pull of the Paymaster’s handle activated an internal pressure bar and ink rollers, which then stamped down the monetary value (selected via the levers under “DOLLARS” and “CENTS”) on to an inserted blank check.ĭevices like this were the integral conduits through which millions of paychecks and billions of dollars were distributed to workers for much of the mid-to-late 20th century. Only, instead of storing cash in it, this magical machine produced its own money. Often kept well out of sight in the backrooms of banks and the HR departments of small businesses, the nearly 15-pound Paymaster X-550 Check Writer had the heft and durability of a small burglary safe. “The only way to have the Paymaster system when you NEED it is to have one all the time-NOW!” - tagline from 1951 Paymaster sales manual Museum Artifact: Paymaster Series X-550 Check Writer Machine, 1960s
