The coin sound comes from Nintendo's Super Mario series, which began with Super Mario Bros. in 1985, where picking up gold coins gave players points and extra lives. Its simple electronic chime became one of gaming's most familiar reward cues as the games spread across consoles. Online, creators reused the clip outside gameplay as a universal shorthand for earning, finding or winning money. It remains popular in short edits and memes because viewers understand the payoff instantly, without needing any context from the original level or character on screen.