Shekel sign
| ₪ | |
|---|---|
New Shekel | |
| Other names | New Sheqel |
| InUnicode | U+20AA₪NEW SHEQEL SIGN |
| Related | |
| See also |  (Old Israeli shekel) |
 Category | |
Theshekel sign⟨₪⟩ is acurrency signused for theIsraeli new shekel,which is thecurrencyofIsrael.
Israeli new shekel (1986–present)[edit]
TheIsraeli new shekel(Hebrew:שקל חדש,romanized:šéqel ħadáš,IPA:[ˈʃekelχaˈdaʃ]), also known by the acronym NIS (Hebrew:ש״חIPA:[ʃaχ]), was announced officially on 22 September 1985, when the first new shekel banknotes and coins were introduced.[1]It is constructed by combining the two Hebrew letters that constitute the acronym (the first letter of each of the two words, Hebrew being written from right to left): ⟨ש⟩ and ⟨ח⟩. Sometimes the ⟨₪⟩ symbol (Unicode 20AA) is used following the number, other times the acronymHebrew:ש״ח.
The shekel sign, like thedollar sign⟨$⟩, is usually placed left of the number (i.e. "₪12,000" and not "12,000₪" ), but since Hebrew iswritten from right to left,this means that the symbol is actually written after the number. It is either notseparatedfrom the preceding number, or is separated only by athin space.
According to theAcademy of the Hebrew Languagerecommendation for writing numbers in Hebrew, the sign should be written to the left of the number without a space between them.[2]
Unlike the dollar sign, the new shekel sign is not used that often when handwriting monetary amounts.
The road sign announcing the entrance to an Israeli toll road, such asHighway 6or theCarmel Tunnels,is a shekel symbol with a road in the background.
Unicode and input[edit]
The symbol has theUnicodecode pointU+20AA₪NEW SHEQEL SIGN.It has been in Unicode since June 1993, version 1.1.0.
Under theUnicode bidirectional algorithm,typing the sign after the number will cause it to be displayed to the right of the number in any text directions. This contradicts the recommendation of the Academy of the Hebrew Language to place the sign to the left of the number in the Hebrew caption.
Using the standard Hebrew keyboard (SI 1452), it must be typed asAltGr+A(the letter ש appears on the same key in regular Hebrew mode). The Shekel sign, however, is not engraved on most keyboards sold in Israel and the sign is rarely used in day-to-day typing.
- On systems with theHebrew keyboardlayout set, it can be typed on modern[a]Microsoft Windows,desktopLinuxandChromeOSby usingAltGr+4.(⇧ Shift+4makes the dollar sign andAltGr+Ais used to typeshva.)
- On most Unix heritage systems, it can be entered by holding down Ctrl+Shift+u (an underlined u will appear), releasing and then typing the Unicode code point
20aathenspaceor↵ Enter,irrespective of keyboard setting. - OnMac OS Xit can be typed as⇧ Shift+7when the system is set to a Hebrew keyboard layout.
Old Israeli shekel (1980–1985)[edit]
Theold Israeli shekel,⟨⟩, in circulation between 1980 and 1985, had a different symbol, which was officially announced on 18 March 1980.[3]Before the introduction of the old shekel in 1980, there was no special symbol for the Israeli currency. It was a stylizedShinshaped like a cradle (i.e. rounded and opening upward). This symbol appeared on checks issued by Israeli banks between 1980 and 1985.[4]Quoting prices in new shekels started officially on 1 January 1986, and the old shekel checks remaining unused had to be stamped with the new shekel symbol over the old symbol.
See also[edit]
Explanatory notes[edit]
- ^Windows 8 or later
References[edit]
- ^Reshumot- Yalkut Pirsumin(Israeli official gazette, collection of miscellaneous announcements), Collection No. 3254, 14 Tishrei 5746, 29 September 1986, p. 430,ISSN0334-2980(in Hebrew).
- ^Section 5: Writing ₪ or $ before or after the number,Writing Numberspage, on theAcademy of the Hebrew Languagesite
- ^Reshumot- Yalkut Pirsumin(Israeli official gazette, collection of miscellaneous announcements), Collection No. 2619, 27 Nisan 5740, 13 April 1980, p. 1423,ISSN0334-2980(in Hebrew).
- ^https://rfa.justice.gov.il/SearchPredefinedApi/Documents/mffCJsyXCkc9j5~8JYEGOpm9XUXmAjjzBQU8LqxVdFM=[bare URL]
