Hello Anonymous Monk,

Read this previously answered question PDF::API2 / unicode characters it is considered solved.

Update: Also read this question PDF::API2 printing non ascii characters.

Update2: Running this sample of code from PDF::API2 / unicode characters using your sample of unicode characters is producing:

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use warnings;
use PDF::API2;

# Create a blank PDF file
my $pdf = PDF::API2->new();

# Add a blank page
my $page = $pdf->page();

my $font = $pdf->ttfont('DejaVuSans.ttf');

my $ustring = "Sample: \x{0052}\x{0044}\x{0024}";

# Add some text to the page
my $text = $page->text();

$text->font($font, 20);
$text->translate(80, 710);
$text->text($ustring);

# Save the PDF
$pdf->saveas('test.pdf');

__END__

Sample: RD$

Update3: I verified that the output is correct from this unicode table (Unicode-Table).

Hope this helps, BR.