Why do some analog clocks with Roman numerals have '4' as 'IV,' while others have 'IIII'? This is one of those questions where no one seems to have a definitive answer, and probably no one ever will.

A Wall Street Journal article from MMIV ... whirring and chiming mechanical timepieces: The Roman numerals on most clocks are centripetal, that is, they are not horizontal but point toward ...