self.item.price is probably an NSString?
:
NSNumber *price = (NSNumber*)@"13.5";
NSNumberFormatter *formatter = [[NSNumberFormatter alloc] init];
[formatter setNumberStyle:NSNumberFormatterCurrencyStyle];
NSLog(@"Price: %@", [formatter stringFromNumber:price]);
NSLog(@"Price: %@", [formatter stringFromNumber:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:[price doubleValue]]]);
NSString doubleValue, :
2010-07-16 17:17:50.384 test[716:207] Price: (null)
2010-07-16 17:17:50.386 test[716:207] Price: $13.50