"Former Portuguese currency" and "bitcoin" symbols

[remotemass]

In the last century the Portuguese currency was called "escudo" and its symbol resembled the dollar sign but instead of having only one vertical line across the "S" it had two vertical lines across the "S". Like the bitcoin currency symbol.
The currency was called "escudo" that in Portuguese means protection and its symbol was called "cifrão" (cypher).

I find this curious.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cifr%C3%A3o

[1715369278]

1715369278

[CarnagexD]

If there would be a closest currency symbol to bitcoin, it would be the BAHT currency of Thailand. The symbol ฿ is the closest, BTC has just 2 horizontal lines behind the letter B, and on Baht you can see the line passing through. I only know cypher as a programming language lol.

[JakobFugger]

Some people say that the dollar symbol appeared when they started to place the U on top of the S. They put money from the US. Then it was merged to $. So at some point the dollar also could have had two lines.

In Portugal they already had a currency that was called Dinheiro in english money.

[pixie85]

Some people say that the dollar symbol appeared when they started to place the U on top of the S. They put money from the US. Then it was merged to $. So at some point the dollar also could have had two lines.

In Portugal they already had a currency that was called Dinheiro in english money.

You're close. It actually came from the letters PS put together.

The peso was used in America in 1700s and the $ sign that evolved from peso was used in the US before the first dollar was printed.

I have a much better explanation of the bitcoin sign. Many currencies use their first letter like the euro uses a modified Greek E (Epsilon) so bitcoin used B. Many also have paralel lines going through the sign and it's usually explained as a sign of stability or equality.

[remotemass]

Makes sense. "Peso" is both Portuguese and Spanish word that in English means: "weight". I agree. Makes sense.

[Ucy]

The Cypher(Cifrão) is interesting. Is it this  Cypher⏬

Cypher: a secret or disguised way of writing; a code.

Noticed some months ago that creating a solid/fool-proof physical currency would also require lots disguising/secrets (just like with Cryptocurrency). Guess that's how they handled the currency in those days?   But centralization could easily weakens such feature.

[wanted sliter]

There are dozens of horizontal or vertical characters on the Latin letter to represent a currency.
I don't know if the current Bitcoin logo was created by satoshi or the people put it. But the symbol of Bitcoin is similar and equal to the series of symbols representing other currencies.
Bitcoin is on par with FIAT.؋฿₵₡¢Cifrão$₫֏€ƒ₣₲₴₾₭₺₼₦₱£元圆圓﷼៛₽₹Rpරු૱௹꠸₨₪৳₸₮₩¥円

[AjithBtc]

Maybe dollar symbol is a copy from the former Portugesian dollar. From the historical evidences it is clear that more currencies have been created before dollar. In the late 19th century everything went in the hands of British colony rule.

When economy of the entire World collapsed, the present billionaires out of minerals made a big change in the economic infrastructure of USA. From there the value of USD started to grow against other currencies around the globe.

[dothebeats]

I’m most curious on the meaning of the Portuguese’ currency Cifrão rather than the symbol behind it. Just goes to show that the idea of integrating ciphers and codes into money is already available to people and governments even before bitcoin and crypto came in full bloom. The symbol is also unique, though might sometimes be confusing due to its striking similarity with the $.

One feature of physical currency are its security features, and perhaps the Portuguese government thought of placing little intricacies of their own in the currency to avoid it beingn easily counterfeited by syndicates.