So I was intrigued enough to look up why the $ sign goes in front. Doesn't really seem to be any definitive answers.
Some possibilities are:
1) It originally came from latin and was spoken as, for example, dollars two for $2 (wouldn't be dollars, but whatever currency being used)
2) Its sort of an intro to let you know its a currency before reading it, similar to the upside down ? in some languages or " at the start of a quote to let you know what your about to read is in fact a question/quote
3) Something to do with showing what currency it is first, so you know you are talking in dollars/pounds/pesos/etc. before you even read the amount
4) Its put at the front so that a person couldn't add in numbers. Its the written form, so its usually something you write out and give to another person (check, invoice, etc.) This prevents them from adding digits to it and making that $42 check you wrote a $8342 check
Some possibilities are:
1) It originally came from latin and was spoken as, for example, dollars two for $2 (wouldn't be dollars, but whatever currency being used)
2) Its sort of an intro to let you know its a currency before reading it, similar to the upside down ? in some languages or " at the start of a quote to let you know what your about to read is in fact a question/quote
3) Something to do with showing what currency it is first, so you know you are talking in dollars/pounds/pesos/etc. before you even read the amount
4) Its put at the front so that a person couldn't add in numbers. Its the written form, so its usually something you write out and give to another person (check, invoice, etc.) This prevents them from adding digits to it and making that $42 check you wrote a $8342 check