New Shekel Sign

Shekel first meant a weight of silver or other precious metal, from a Hebrew root meaning "to weigh", and later named ancient coins. Israel revived the name for its money: the shekel replaced the Israeli pound in 1980, and after severe inflation the new shekel replaced it in 1985.

Israeli graphic designer Moshe Pereg drew ₪ for the new shekel by joining ש (shin) and ח (het), the first letters of שקל חדש, "new shekel", into one mark. So it is a modern currency design built from Hebrew letters, not a relic from ancient coins or manuscripts.

Why does ₪ sometimes look too wide or reversed?

Your font draws it, so the shape varies. The sign is unusually broad next to digits, so type designers narrow or rebalance it to fit their styles. Some poorly made fonts have even flipped the letter order. If it looks odd, try another font before assuming it is a different character.

When someone sends ₪, read it as an amount

In a message, ₪ points to a price, payment, budget or salary in Israeli money. Any political or personal edge comes from the words around it, not from the sign itself.