A considerable number of nations use the dollar sign “$” to represent their respective coins. What is almost never mentioned is that such spelling was invented in Mexico.
Read: The beautiful Mexican coin that China copied to make it its official currency: 8 Reales
To give us an idea of its importance, it should be mentioned that this sign is used to represent money in Argentina, Chili, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Uruguay, USA, Australia, Canada, Brazilto name a few.
Peso sign, for the first time between the 17th and 19th centuries
Although there are no very clear sources, it is believed that the first time the term was used pesos sign ($) It was between the 18th and 19th centuries that, although the symbol was not necessarily engraved on coins, it was already beginning to be used on documents.
Before continuing, it should be clarified that the gold coin minted in Spain whose weight corresponded to one hundredth of a pound of fine gold. This measure remained as a reference of the payment unit, that is, such good or service cost a certain number of “gold pesos”, which were measured with scales.
The dollar sign, a deformation
It is possible that, although the 8 reais coin has started to coin on the Mexico City from 1535, until 1770 when the peso symbol began to be added to it, at least in the business correspondence and other transaction documents of the time.
Hispanic-American and American studies propose that the peso symbol, as we know it today, that is, with an “S” plus a vertical cross line, emerged as a deformation of the abbreviations that meant weight: “$” either “ps“
The US adopts the peso sign in 1792 for dollars
It was not until 1792 when USA adopted the symbol of pesos ($) to represent the dollar as its currency, as it was a sign to which the government and the population were already very accustomed as it was the 8-real coin in very common use because it was reliable in its value in silver. even in countries as far away as China.
And although many of the banknotes that use the peso sign created in Mexico do not always print it on their banknotes either coinsthey do recognize it in their documentation or as reference abbreviations.
For example, in Argentina, AR$ is used; Chile, CLP$; Colombia, COP$; Cuba, $MN; Dominican Republic, DR$; Uruguay, $U; Hong Kong, HK$; Brazil, R$; United States US$ and Canada, C$.
Joshua Huerta Traveler who, in addition to life experiences, is after the click.