Ora (currency) Ora (currency) The Ora (symbol:Φ, ) is the local currency of Orania, an Afrikaner enclave in South Africa. It is pegged at par with the South African rand. The name, recalling that of the town where it circulates, derives from Latin "aurum", meaning "gold". The currency is not sanctioned by the South African Reserve Bank. The first notes were issued in April 2004 to provide an internal currency for Orania as part of its quest for self-determination. The idea of the Ora originated in 2002, when Professor Johan van Zyl argued that a community that intended to empower itself should
De facto currency De facto currency A de facto currency is a unit of money that is not legal tender in a country but is treated as such by most of the populace. The United States dollar and the European Union euro are the most common de facto currencies. Andorra used the euro unofficially prior to June 2013, at which point the euro became its official currency. The euro remains the de facto currency in Kosovo and Montenegro. Countries using the United States dollar as their de facto currency include Aruba and Cambodia, where most hotels, restaurants, and transportation are priced in dollars;