Style of Arabic Numerals where the characters appear at different positions and heights as opposed to the modern style of all numerals at the same size and position are called Old Style Figures. The numbers are usually smaller than their Lining Figure counterparts (those that sit on the baseline). Although it can vary by font, typically 12345790 line up across the top with 34579 also descending below the baseline. 6 and 8 sit on the baseline but extend higher than the other numbers.
Often Old Style Figures are available only in Expert Character Sets although some fonts may come with both Old Style Figures and Lining Figures. Today's OpenType fonts are more likely to contain multiple number styles, including Old Style Figures.
There are two types of spacing common with Old Style Figures:
- Proportional Old Style Figures typically work well within a paragraph of text, blending into the text better than the larger lining figures.
- Tabular Old Style Figures are monospaced and work well when numbers need to line up in columns such as in tables, financial documents, or numbered lists.
