Philippine <i>piso</i> symbol U+20B1

Kent Lew

I’m wondering if anyone has any native perspective or practical insight regarding the Philippine piso currency symbol (₱).

The Unicode nominal representation features a double strike, and that is the most common form in fonts that I see. Occasionally, you find a single strike.

The biggest challenge comes as weight increases. Common strategies include using disproportionately thin strikes or eliminating the segments that cross the counter above a certain threshold. I don’t find either terribly convincing, personally. Using a single strike presents fewer difficulties, obviously.

Does anyone have insight into native preferences regarding double- versus single-strike.

I am unable to find many images of the symbol in use via internet search. My go-to for examples of currency symbols in use are usually postage stamps or restaurant menus. Nearly all Philippine examples I can find use just a P abbreviation. Even documents from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines, the issuing agency) seem to use only an abbreviation, not the symbol.

I managed to find one stamp that featured the symbol — a single-strike.

I would be grateful for any perspective that goes beyond mere speculation.

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

I was going to propose a new structure but then realized the Ruble already uses it...

Ah, what about this?

Kent Lew

Not looking for a new structure, thanks. I’m interested in what the folks who use this currency find familiar and expect of their symbol.

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

From your description I figured that things might be hazy enough to leave the door open to help this symbol out structurally. Like how people have thankfully been weaned off a dollar sign with two verticals. I do realize that many (perhaps most) type designers don't see such a role for themselves, but since as a field we're the most qualified to do it...

Paul Miller

The Filipinos are very easy going about this symbol, although the 'official' symbol uses two strikes a single strike is perfectly acceptable and even the use of a capital P is completely accepted as the meaning is usually obvious from context.

Even in the small shops and markets where price lists are written on bits of paper or on a small balckboard all three forms are common.

The banknotes aren't much help either they have the denomination in numbers and in words but the symbol never appears, like 100 and then 'Sandaang Piso'.

Sorry this isn't much help to you, but it does mean that whatever form you produce will be OK.

Kent Lew

Paul — Thanks for your observations. Yes, banknotes are almost never any use for gauging native use of a currency symbol, as most do not display one.

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

> The Filipinos are very easy going about this symbol

Bingo.
(Opportunity knocks.)

Paul Miller

Hrant H. Papazian said:

I was going to propose a new structure but then realized the Ruble already uses it...

Ah, what about this?

I asked my wife about this symbol (she's a Filippina) and she said it doesn't look like a Philippine Peso symbol, sorry.

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

Thanks for asking her.
It would be interesting to test such alternatives more deeply.

Christian Thalmann

In Eau de Garamond, I just use the default configuration and clear out the counter for the heavier weights.

Does that work, or would a single stroke crossing the counter be preferable?

Bhikkhu Pesala

Nearly every font listed on fileformat.info that supports it shows a double-stroke through the counter. I think the heavier weights will look better with the open counter than with a single stroke. The bolder fonts like Roberto Black really don't work too well. 

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

> would a single stroke crossing the counter be preferable?

I think consistency is important in such symbols.

If I were forced to make a double-bar one, I would make the head of the "P" as large as possible; to me it doesn't have to match the actual "P".

[Deleted User]

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Paul van der Laan

Nice feature of TrueType hinting is that you can merge the two bars in small ppem sizes. Here is an example of a typeface we're currently working on.

Christian Thalmann

Good point, Hrant. I'm using this one now.