Money is an inescapable reality of life and, as such, the everyday symbols we use to represent it are potent pieces of visual shorthand. However, as with any human invention, they come with a few quirks. The UK’s £ sign is derived from the Latin word libra, meaning “balance” or “scales”, China and Japan share the same ¥ sign, and the $ sign is thought by some to have its origins in a different currency entirely – the peso.