Ordinary South African coins marketed as premium souvenirs
A VIDEO filmed in a Cape Town shop has gone viral on TikTok after a shopper expressed disbelief at the price of a souvenir coin set that contains everyday South African currency.
The video, which has been viewed thousands of times and widely shared across social media, shows a woman examining a pack labelled “original upgraded circulated coins”.
The set includes a full range of South African coins: 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent, R1, R2 and R5. Altogether, the coins add up to a face value of R8.88 – yet the asking price is R245.
As she videos the display, the woman can be heard reacting with shock.
“They are selling R8.88 for R245?!” she says, audibly stunned.
Another person off-camera attempts to explain the pricing, suggesting the inclusion of discontinued coins may justify the cost.
“But you know why I think, because the 1 cent, 2 cent and 5 cent,” the second voice says, referring to coins that are no longer commonly used in everyday transactions.
@post.newspaper South African souvenir coin set priced at R245! For full story visit www.thepost.co.za
The explanation does little to convince the woman filming.
“Ma’am I’m pretty sure I can find this at home,” she replies, before ending the video in disbelief.
The clip has sparked debate online with many social media users questioning how ordinary circulated coins could be sold at such a steep markup. One social media user @digital.science said: “I can find these in my couch.”
Others defended the price, pointing out that souvenir items were often marketed for novelty rather than monetary worth. They argued that packaging, presentation and the inclusion of obsolete coins may appeal to collectors or tourists looking for a uniquely South African keepsake.
@kayrabmayrab wrote: “You are not the target audience. It’s for mainly tourists of whom their currency favours”