There is an instrument where the buyer uses an envelope "check" from his bank, known as a "Bank Draft". The issuing bank (the one with the funds) debits the buyer's account, fills in the amount on the draft, and gives it to the buyer who mails/gives it to the seller. The seller takes the Bank Draft, executes the title, which he inserts into the envelope section of the draft, takes it to his bank and after they are satisfied that the title is accurate and properly executed the draft envelope is sealed (title inside), the seller is paid the amount of the draft, and the envelope goes back to the buyer's bank. I don't think Bank Drafts are used as much today, but they were very common with independent car dealers thirty years ago, where they scanned the Sunday paper looking for "deals", called to set up buys, and then drove around picking up cars and leaving a string of Bank Drafts in their wake. Often they would drive to the first deal, leave that car and drive the newly purchased car to the second deal, leave that one with the second, and so on until they were done (prevents "seller's remorse" - that car is gone!) Then they'd send a car load of drivers out later, or on Monday to round up all the abandoned cars. The sellers would take their draft to their bank Monday morning with his title to get the cash.