Why is the dollar sign, $, shaped like an S rather than a D?

Question

Actually, the £ sign is an L for Librae, the Latin word for Pound, weight or money.

Answer 1

It decends from a symbol for "Pesos", derived from the Spanish dollar which circulated in the US up until 1794.  The abbreviation  for Pesos was "PS" which eventually got smushed together with only the vertical stroke from the P remaining.

Answer 2

They did it to copy the Brits who's £ symbol looks more like an E than a P.

Don't believe me ?

D and E only one letter apart

P and s only one letter apart

Spooky coincidence ? I don't think so !

Answer 3

Because money is like that

The pound sign is £ but it doesn't even have an L in it

Its just dependent on how you want to have it.

Answer 4

No one really knows, but there are several theories. The Wikipedia article below has the full story.