The date on the 1962 check my grandfather Ufkes wrote was either October 26th or 16th. It’s clear that he either wrote a “2” first and then a “1,” or wrote a “1” first and then a “2” to replace it.
Based on the “paid” perforation on the check (indicating a paid date of 10-18-1962), the check would have been written on 16 October and not on 26 October. Granddad likely realized his mistake after he had written the date on the check. Of all the dates on the check, the “paid” one is the one that is mostly likely to be correct. Banks can always make a mistake, but it seems unlikely that the paid date would be incorrect.
When analyzing a record that has inconsistent information, always ask yourself which pieces of information have the lowest probability of being wrong. And always write down your reasons for choosing one piece of information over a piece of information that is inconsistent with another piece.
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