The Evolution of Money Symbols
Currency symbols are shorthand graphic characters used in place of the name of a currency. They are usually placed before the amount (e.g., $50) in English-speaking countries and Latin America, but often after the amount in many European countries (e.g., 50€).
Notable Symbols
- The Dollar ($): Evolved from the Spanish American Peso abbreviation "ps", eventually merging into the S with a vertical bar. Used by USA, Canada, Australia, and many others.
- The Euro (€): Inspired by the Greek letter epsilon (ε), representing the cradle of European civilization, crossed by two lines to certify stability.
- The Bitcoin (₿): A modern addition to Unicode (added in 2017), representing the rise of decentralized digital currency.
- The Generic Currency Sign (¤): Also known as the "scarab," this symbol is used to denote an unspecified currency when the correct font character is unavailable.
Typing Currency on Keyboards
While the Dollar sign ($) is standard on almost all keyboards, others like the Cent (¢) or the Euro (€) often require specific keyboard shortcuts (like Alt Codes or Option keys) to type accurately without a copy-paste tool.