Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-02-18

marx now In common use. Since then we have seen
other suggestions which we copy for the amusement
and information of our readers. correspondent Of
the Journal Of Commerce says
1.-The origin of the sign is as follows:-The Span
sh word for dollar IS peso in the plural, pesos
In old Spanish accounts the word is written in full,
and placed before the numerals. Then we find it alb
brevated into Ps. Afterwards we find the small P
used, and the letter placed the lower part of the
p. Next, that the curved part Of the letter is omit
ted, which gives the present dollar sign 3 The use
Of tco long strokes in the sign is modern in its
Thus the sign s IS an equivalent for the word
Pesos"
The editors of the Journal, in a subsequent paper,
say
"a gentleman who examined the matter long ago,
says the dollar mark is composed of the initials OF
the Spanish words peso fuerte, hard dollar, which
used distinguish the from the deprecated
currency The Spaniards had, long before we adopt
ed the mark been in the habit of writing p f., bound
together in a which cannot represent with
our types, but which he says was the origin of the
present dollar mark"
A correspondent of the Baltimore American says
"The true derivation of it is the figure 8. The
Spaniards, from whom derive the dollar. count by
reals, the French do by francs real is in value
l24 cents, or one eighth part OF dollar. Any one
who has read Gil Bias or Don Quixotte will recoect
the phrase PIECE OF EIGHT which is frequently used
nothing than dollar, or reals. When, there
fore, the dollar becomes generally used, the figure
prc6xed express dollar and in process of time
the has been changed TO the present mark. II has
been asserted, but | know not whether correctly or
not, that Gen. Hamilton first used this mark, soon
after the adoption of currency of dollars and
cents. However this may be, the figure is no doubt
the original of the mark, and the derivation l have
given above, the correct one"
The National Intelligencer has a correspondent
who supposes the origin to be found in double d,
placed reyersely to indicate dollars-thus Cd. This
mark is supposed to have assumed in process of tme
the shape in which it is now used.
A distinguished friend, who presume lad not
seen any of the above attempts at explanation avors
us with the following exposition of the matter, which
We think is probable than either of the others
The Indiana State Sentinel of the 7th of the cur
rent month, quotes the Southern Standard, for an
attempt of Mr.. Beverly Tucker, to define the origin
and Specification of the mark 3, commonly P-efxed
to sum of dollars, in figures.
The writer assumes the sign to be the two pillars
Spanish coins, (emblematca, he supposes, of the
Pillars of Hercules, which he brings together,
and binds with the flet, on which imagination is
permitted TO trace the boastful motto, plus ultra.
The mark in question has an origin half so fan
cIful.
The money of account in Portugal is in Reis-one
thousand Refs to the Mil Rel; and if Mr.. Tucker had
been a merchant trading with the Portuguese, he must
have learned from inspection of their bills and
invoices, that this mark signifies nothing else than
the Roman numeral letter M. The flourish was
probably substituted for the letter by some dashing
penman, for convenience, to give grace to
his chirography. The letter. in this connection, is
now quite disused in manuscript except by some very
old fashioned persons. Printers the letter the
mark indferently; according as taste, or, perhaps,
as the state of the type case, may dictate.
The Portuguese never prefix the to the sum; but
insert it between the integer and the fraction of the
Mil Rel, just where we should pronounce the word
thousand;' as thus, IL s $50; which you may read
twelve thousand two hundred and fifty Refs; or
what is the same, twelve Mil Refs two hundred and
fifty Refs.
The mill, or one thousandth part of the dollar,
though much neglected forms also part Of our own
decimal system of accounting; but unlike the Portu-
guese, from whom the sign is derived we prefix the
s to the sum, and write Sl2 25-twelve dollars and
cents; when if we to follow strictly
what partially and imperfectly initiate, the
preston would be IL S 250-twelve dollars two hun
dred and fifty Mills or, literally, twelve thou
sand two hundred and fifty mills. This neglect of
the mill, Gotten unimporant,) may be cause why
the has been i'll defined and misunderstood
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