Colon Sign ₡

₡ (U+20A1) is a standard Unicode character that you can copy and paste anywhere text is accepted. This page provides a concise reference with safe tips, internal links, and practical guidance so you can use it reliably across apps and platforms.

What it is and where it’s used: Colon Sign is part of the Symbols family (block: Currency Symbols). If you need styled or decorative alternatives, try our Fancy Text tool to generate compatible text that works in most modern interfaces.

History & usage: The COLON SIGN, with codepoint U+20A1, is a currency symbol in the Currency Symbols block and uses the Common script. It is used to denote the Costa Rican colón as the monetary unit in prices and finance. In writing, the symbol appears alongside numbers to show amount values and to identify currency type. Its use can vary by locale, so the surrounding formatting may differ between regions and styles. The symbol helps readers recognize money values quickly in financial pages, receipts, and economic reports. As a punctuation mark, it also helps structure text and convey tone, but this role is secondary to its monetary meaning. The COLON SIGN often coexists with other currency signs and digits, requiring clear spacing and consistent formatting within documents. Users should follow local conventions for symbol placement, spacing, and decimal marks to avoid confusion. Overall, the symbol connects numeric amounts to a specific currency and supports clear financial communication across contexts.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+20A1 in many development tools or editors. Some operating systems provide a character viewer or input palette that lets you search by name or code and insert the glyph into documents.

Display and fallback: if you see an empty box (tofu) or a placeholder rectangle, the active font might not include this codepoint. Switching to a font with broader Unicode coverage or using a fallback font usually fixes the issue. On the web, ensure the page’s font stack includes a general‑purpose fallback.

Related references: browse the Categories for similar characters. When choosing a symbol, prefer the official codepoint for semantic clarity and better compatibility with search, copy, and accessibility tooling.

See our category page for related symbols.