It is a common belief among Vietnamese that lucky charms, amulets, and talismans improve one’s luck and help ward off evil.
But this practice is turning Ho Chi Minh City into a market for bizarre items like animal fangs, claws, tails, and even placentas.
“Cat placentas are an invaluable charm that bring good luck in business to those who own them,” is a typical tag line found on sellers’ online trading sites.
Other popular items include tiger claws and fangs, elephant teeth, tusks, and tail hair, bear fangs, and even the preserved bodies of newborn animals with birth defects.
They sometimes cost millions of dong depending on supply.
H., a HCMC-based seller, told Tuoi Tre that “lucky” items made from elephant tusk are mostly sought by businessmen, gold traders, and stock investors.
Cat placentas, one of the most popular charms among southern buyers, cost around VND5 million.
Another trader, Nh, said tiger claws are the most sought-after items. Small claws, often mounted in gold for use as pendants, cost VND1.5 million ($80) on average.
They are believed to protect children from evil.
A claw less than three centimeters long can cost up to VND4.5 million.
The scramble for unusual items is luring an increasing number of gullible customers who often end up paying millions for fake goods.
“Claws sold in the market are mostly fake because there are not many tigers out there,” a seller said.
“People want tiger claws to make their wishes come true.
“I don’t care … If customers still believe [in the goods], I’ll continue to sell the products. There are days when I sell a few dozens but [still] cannot fulfill all the orders.”
P. became a victim when he bought four large-sized claws for VND80 million ($4,300) to gift his bosses for Lunar New Year.
But P. found out they were made of plastic after having them examined by experienced traders.
Traders said there are ways to check if a merchandise is fake.
“You only need to hold a fang or claw above a fire for a while,” one said. “If it is fake, it will melt. If there is a burning smell, it is real.”
H., a trader on Au Duong Lan Street, said many traders pass off fangs taken from wild boars and bears as tiger and lion fangs.
“When it comes to cat placenta, it’s even harder to identify if the item is real,” a seller who wished to remain unnamed, said.
“Even if you give your customers dog placentas, they won’t know the difference.”
The practice of wearing charms made from animal fangs and claws stems from ethnic minorities who believe these help ward off evil spirits and bring luck, folk-culture researcher Truong Ngoc Tuong explained.
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