“We’re Being Scammed”: Woman Questions R250 Price Tag on R8 Coin Set in Cape Town

• A woman has sparked debate after questioning a Cape Town souvenir set made up of everyday South African coins that appear to total just a few rand
• The neatly packaged coin set, marketed as a Republic of South Africa souvenir, features circulated coins that most South Africans grew up using
• The moment resonated because it tapped into wider frustrations around affordability, tourism markups and how locals sometimes feel priced out of familiar spaces

What looks like spare change quickly turned into a bigger conversation about tourism, pricing and how Cape Town keeps testing the patience of locals who know exactly what R8 can, and can’t, buy.

A South African woman has sparked debate online after calling out what she believes is an overpriced souvenir being sold in Cape Town. TikTok user @nontomfa posted the video on 25 January 2026, showing a souvenir coin set labelled Republic of South Africa, which contains everyday circulated coins. In the video, she pointed out that the total value of the coins adds up to about R8, yet the set was being sold for R250. Reacting to the discovery, she questioned how the price could be justified and captioned the post by asking how Cape Town got to that point.

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The image she shared shows a neatly packaged souvenir set featuring South African coins ranging from cents to rands, including one cent, two cents, five cents, ten cents, twenty cents, fifty cents, one rand, two rand and five rand coins. The packaging also states that the coins are original, ungraded, circulated coins from the 1990–2023 new series. While the presentation looks polished and tourist-friendly, the coins themselves are still legal tender that many South Africans recognise from everyday use.

Cape Town souvenir pricing debate

The video quickly gained traction because it touched on a familiar frustration around tourist pricing, especially in popular cities like Cape Town. Many viewers related to the idea that items with little everyday value are often repackaged and sold at steep prices to visitors. The post also tapped into ongoing conversations about affordability, cost of living and how locals sometimes feel priced out of their own cities, while tourists are charged premium rates for basic items.

Mzansi’s reaction was mixed but lively. Some felt the price was unreasonable and agreed that the markup was excessive, while others pointed out that souvenirs are about presentation, convenience and targeting tourists rather than locals. The discussion reflected a broader tension between tourism-driven pricing and everyday South African realities, with many saying the post highlighted how disconnected some prices have become from what ordinary people consider fair value.

Here’s what Mzansi said

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Mpho said:

“I’ll write why below.”

Samantha said:

“I also saw Cape Town Air in a can, selling for R300.”

Tso_Tuli said:

“There’s also water tasting now in Stellenbosch. I think we’re not maximising our audacity enough, guys. 🤔”

Shavonne Kyra Singh said:

“For the tourists watching…the creator is joking, it’s not a scam, she’s gatekeeping. 👀 Buy lots of these for your friends and family and take them back home…This is actually a very good deal. 🤭"

Lola Sanchez said:

“Cause its collectable. I can't see if it's properly sealed, but if it increases in value. The chance of finding a 1993 coin in a till is very unlikely. Coin collection is a hobby like stamps.”

Nontomfa_ said:

“Please don’t annoy me in these comments. Whether it’s a souvenir for tourists or not doesn’t take away from this being a scam. Selling money at a ridiculously inflated price of what it’s actually worth is insane.”

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simply_mike said:

“That's not for South African, it's for tourists who visit South Africa and feel the need to keep certain artefacts such as those coins.”

Khutšo said:

“Did she say the 1c, 2c & 5c are extinct? 😂🤣🤣”

Check out the TikTok video below:

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Source: Briefly News