An identification card issued by a
retailer allowing the holder to tender payment by
check. Such cards were commonly issued in the United States by supermarkets and other retailers before the widespread use of
debit cards.
In Ireland and the United Kingdom, similar cards known as
cheque guarantee cards were issued by banks to their customers.
In the United States, the term 'check card' was first coined by
H. Robert Heller, then the President of
Visa Inc. to indicate to users that it could be used just like a check.