Why is that the dollar is repsented by $ not D?

Answer 1

Nobody knows for sure. One theory is that the dollar symbol is the letters US superimposed on each other, but I don't think that is true. The term arises from German :"thaler", and was around before the US was.

Answer 2

Possibly an S for shilling. Shillings were British currency for centuries and would have been used by the first British settlers before Americans took on the dollar. A downward slash was a sign of abbreviation. The dollar symbol or something very similar would have been available on printing blocks as a Cifrão, which was a Portuguese multiplier sign (whereby 1,000 would have been expressed as $1). It is also argued that the dollar symbol is similar to old Spanish monetary symbols - Pesos expressed as a P superimposed on the pluralising S, or the Potosi coins - and either evolved or was designed as such. Credence for this theory comes from use of the word dollar (actually derived from Anglo-Saxon) for Spanish currencies long before the British arrived, and the prevalence of Spanish trade in America. Probably it was in use for all these reasons when someone decided to put it on US currency.

Answer 3

Interesting question. An economics prof told me the same story about the U superimposed over the S but decided with this question to go research it.

The U.S. federal bank says it is most widely believed it came from Spanish Pesos. S superimposed over P gave a similar look to $. If the U.S. Fed says it ain't a U.S. conception/evolution, I'm inclined to believe it.

Peace

Answer 4

it used to be a u on top of an s, you know US, but the bottom of the u eventually got cut off.

Answer 5

$ is worldwide for money...in other countries, D means "dinar"