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You are here: Home / Language / Who Invented the Dollar Sign and How Did the Dollar Symbol Originate?

Who Invented the Dollar Sign and How Did the Dollar Symbol Originate?

April 11, 2020 by Karen Hill

Thomas Jefferson used the letter “S” with two lines through it to symbolize a dollar in a document.

It is in that document that he suggested the dollar as the primary unit of American currency in 1784.

Prior to this the symbol was in use for the peso throughout Latin America.

Consequently, the most widely accepted explanation is that the dollar sign ($) is a depiction of the twin pillars of Hercules wrapped with a scroll, as found on early Spanish pieces of eight.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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