What is $_coreHelper->currency($_price, true, true) doing ?
/**
* Convert and format price value for current application store
*
* @param float $value
* @param bool $format
* @param bool $includeContainer
* @return mixed
*/
public static function currency($value, $format = true, $includeContainer = true)
i.e add currency symbol and enclose it into <span class="price"><span>
so if you would use $_coreHelper->currency($_price, true, false) you would get the same price without <span class="price">
If you need to use £<span class="price">100.00</span>
<?php echo Mage::app()->getLocale()->currency(Mage::app()->getStore()->getCurrentCurrencyCode())->getSymbol(); ?>
<span class="price"><?php echo $price ?></span>
<?php echo $_price ?>
- is not a final version of your code, you need to format it but without currency symbol, you can read it on Magento SE topic - how to get price without currency symbol
Smth like
Mage::getModel('directory/currency')->format(
$product->getFinalPrice(),
array('display'=>Zend_Currency::NO_SYMBOL),
false
);