Sheqel sign

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The two ways of representing sheqels. On the left, is with the "₪" symbol, and on the right is with abbreviation "ש״ח". They mean the same thing. The symbols are not necessarily smaller than the numbers; this was done for stylistic reasons.

The sheqel sign (₪) is a currency sign used for the Israeli new sheqel currency which replaced the Israeli sheqel in 1985.

[edit] Israeli new sheqel (1986–present)

The Israeli new sheqel is denoted in Hebrew "שקל חדש" (sheqel ḥadash, IPA: [ˈʃɛkɛl χaˈdaʃ]) or by the acronym "ש״ח" (IPA: [ʃaχ]). The symbol is constructed by combining the two Hebrew letters that constitute the acronym (the first letter of each of the two words): ("ש" and "ח"). Sometimes the "₪" symbol is used following the number, other times the acronym "ש״ח".

The Israeli toll road symbol

The sheqel sign, like the dollar sign ("$"), is usually placed left to the number (i.e. "₪ 12,000" and not "12,000 ₪"), but since Hebrew is written from right to left, the symbol is actually written after the number. It is separated by a thin space.

Unlike the dollar sign, the new sheqel sign is not used that often when handwriting monetary amounts.

The road sign announcing the entrance to the Israeli toll road, Highway 6, is a sheqel symbol with a road in the background.

[edit] Unicode and Input

The symbol "₪" is officially called the New Sheqel Sign and has the Unicode code point U+20AA. It has been found in Unicode since June 1993, version 1.1.0. In HTML it can be entered as ₪ or ₪. It can be typed into Microsoft Windows on a standard Hebrew keyboard layout by pressing AltGr and 4 or by Alt + 8362 on a non-Hebrew layout.

[edit] Israeli sheqel (1980–1985)

The initial Israeli sheqel, "", lasting only from 1980–1985 had a different symbol. It was a stylized Shin shaped like a cradle (i.e. rounded and opening upward). Before the introduction of the old Sheqel in 1980, there was no special symbol for the Israeli currency. This symbol appeared on checks issued by Israeli banks between 1980 and 1985. Quoting prices in New Sheqels started officially on January 1, 1986, and the old Sheqel checks remained unused had to be stamped with The New Sheqel symbol over the old symbol. The old symbol is no longer used.

[edit] Graphic design uses

The new sheqel sign has been used as a graphic logo for the Gaming section of the Athens Digital Week organised in Athens, Greece from October 13 to October 19, 2008. It falsely appears as a copyrighted element of the festival on their webpage![1]

[edit] See also

• Israeli new sheqel
• Israeli agora
• Currency sign

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