A "certified" check is a customer's own personal check, signed by the customer and certified by the bank. It is usually stamped "certifed" and some of the numbers at the bottom of the check may be punched out to prevent the check from going through the customer's account twice.
A cashier's check, on the other hand,is a check drawn by the bank on the bank's own funds, and is signed by an official of the bank. When the customer purchases the check, the bank takes the money from the purchaser's account and places it in its own account. Cashier's checks are most common, because many banks do not "certify" checks any more.
Depending which type of check you have, you should contact the bank where it is drawn to see if it is "good." They should be able to tell you, either way.
BC
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Stupidity got us into this mess - why can't it get us out?