Learn Spanish and Go ¿Dolar o Peso? La Historia y Uso del Signo - Dollar or Peso? The History and Use of the Symbol
May 27, 2025
Discover the intriguing origins of the dollar sign, which likely stems from the abbreviation for pesos, not the U.S. currency. Learn how Mexico and other Latin American countries used the symbol long before the United States adopted it. The discussion covers various theories about its origin and how the same symbol represents distinct currencies today. Travelers also get practical tips for distinguishing between dollars and pesos and advice on payments in Mexico. This deep dive into a symbol we often take for granted is both enlightening and entertaining!
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Student Confusion Over The $ Symbol
- Mai and Jimmy share student confusion about whether Mexican ATMs give dollars because the $ symbol is shared.
- Mai personally thought peso and dollar signs differed by number of lines in the S.
Sign Origin From 'PS' Abbreviation
- The dollar/peso sign likely evolved from the abbreviation "PS" for pesos in colonial documents.
- The P and S merged over time into the familiar S-with-a-line symbol.
Multiple Origin Theories Exist
- Alternative origins include Spanish symbols like the Pillars of Hercules and mint marks from Potosí coins.
- Historians favor the PS abbreviation because of surviving colonial documents and coin imagery.