From following the links through to the FAQ of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in the U.S. Department of the Treasury (the URL is cute) : http://www.moneyf

From following the links through to the FAQ of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in the U.S. Department of the Treasury (the URL is cute) : http://www.moneyfactory.gov/faqlibrary.html http://www.moneyfactory.gov/faqlibrary.html "What is the origin of the $ sign?" "The origin of the "$" sign has been variously accounted for, however, the most widely accepted explanation is that the symbol is the result of evolution, independently in different places, of the Mexican or Spanish "P's" for pesos, or piastres, or pieces of eight. The theory, derived from a study of old manuscripts, is that the "S" gradually came to be written over the "P," developing a close equivalent of the "$" mark. It was widely used before the adoption of the United States dollar in 1785." Unless someone shows me good evidence to the contrary, I think I'm going to assume they have a good idea of what they are on about on this topic.