Buying Thai Amulets Safely
After selling Thai pendants for a couple of years now I noticed some things. I of course tried the eBay route but was met with a lot of dissatisfaction because the buyers are of a different type than I was used to working with online at one of the Thailand pendant sites I work with.
This article will be an overview of buying Thai pendants and what to look out for. There are a lot of foreigners and Thais alike who are selling dubious gold, brass, bronze, copper, and clay pendants that are basically worth less than the dirt or metal they’re made with. Worthless Thai amulets.
Initially, my friend was given some Thai pendants by her grandparents who had quite a collection. There were hundreds of antique pendants we looked through and we were given a sizeable amount.
We were left with instructions to give them away and sell them if we wanted but these were very decent pendants with a lot of power as believed by Thai people.
Thais believe that certain pendants that were blessed by certain monks are extremely powerful. Powerful how? Good luck, protection from evil, and physical altercations. There are Thai pendants for the protection of the body, family members, and health, against knives and bullets, sharp things like glass and machetes…
There are pendants to protect against natural disasters. There are Thai pendants that bring money in. There are pendants that give businesses great luck and fortune.
How in the world do you know if you’re buying a genuine, blessed Thai pendant if you find a website online that is selling them?
Good question. In short, you don’t. There are some things you can look for to ensure you’re getting a genuine article, but Thai talismans are easily faked and there are quite a few charlatans out there that will dupe you given half the chance.
It’s a sad state of affairs, but, like every country, there are those that believe in good karma and those that don’t. Here, most everyone believes in good karma – but that trend is blown away when you look at those selling the sacred Thai pendants online or at the markets.
Things to look for when shopping online to ensure you get a quality, blessed, genuine Thai Buddhist pendant that is worth the money you pay for it.
When Buying Amulets Online
1. The pendant store has more than one photo of the item and can take another one for you if you request it. This would prove the person actually HAS the pendants and could ship them to you if he/she wanted to.
2. The pendant store has an account with WISE, or Moneybookers, or some other means with which to accept money for the amulets. A PayPal account needs to be registered with a verified bank account which means that PayPal could track someone that was cheating buyers out of pendants bought online.
3. The pendant store has ten or more pendants – each with a separate page for each amulet. This means someone spent the time to create individual pendant pages and maybe there is a better chance they actually are selling the items and not just listing them all on one page with little effort put into making the site.
4. The person selling the pendants appears genuine and knows English well enough to tell you exactly what you need to know.
5. The pendant store doesn’t list wild claims on the site. Ridiculous claims made to incite buyers to buy on emotion are usually a good warning sign that the pendant site might be bogus.
6. There is some history to the pendant if it’s old, or some explanation of who the Thai pendant features on it – and the reasoning behind it. Does it feature the Buddha on a coiled Naga (serpent)? Or, Luang Por Tuad? Why?
A good site will give you a history of the amulet. Look up on Google the keywords the pendant seller uses to see – is Luang Por Tuad really a monk? Maybe not. Challenge the site by trying to prove the things it displays are true.
7. Email is answered promptly, courteously, and without some urgency for you to buy something.
8. Jatukam (jatukum, jatukarm) pendants are only worth something if genuine and from Wat Mahathat in Nakhon Si Thammarat, or other respected temples. Unfortunately many scammers came to make their own worthless copies and though they are easy to discover, many people still get taken by their scames.
Jatukam pendants are large, round about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter, and are made of clay or have metal coatings over clay.
9. Amulet prices are too high or too low. An old pendant might be worth as much as $500 USD. There aren’t that many for sale. If someone is selling 30 of them – probably they are fake. If selling 5 – that’s more credible. If the price is $10 and free shipping then that’s probably a fake.
The cheapest pendant we sell is about $15. The most expensive we sell on a regular basis is under $80. If you’re interested to see the range, see Thai Amulet Sales.
If you follow these tips you should find yourself in possession of a quality amulet. There is still a chance you will find a fake amulet.
The best way to ensure the pendants are quality is to come to Thailand yourself and buy them at a temple.
The second best way? Find someone you trust who buys pendants at a temple and that you believe in. I try to be that person when I sell amulets. I do my best to offer people a realistic price for genuine Thai pendants that they can’t get anywhere else.
To my knowledge, nobody is selling these pendants that I do from Wat Tum Sua. Nobody, just the temple itself. The best route is to find someone you trust.
Summary of Buying Thailand Amulets Safely
We hope you agree that we offered valuable insights for buying genuine Thai amulets online above. We highlighted the prevalence of fakes and provided nine key points to consider when selecting a trustworthy seller. Let’s briefly recap!
1. Multiple Photos. Ensure the store provides multiple images of the item and can take more upon request.
2. Secure Payment. Look for verified payment methods like PayPal, offering buyer protection.
3. Detailed Listings. Individual pages for each amulet with specific descriptions suggest effort and authenticity.
4. Knowledgeable Seller. Choose a seller who demonstrates genuine knowledge of Thai amulets and answers questions clearly.
5. Avoid Ridiculous Claims. Be wary of exaggerated statements intended to manipulate buyers emotionally.
6. Historical Context. The page should explain the historical significance of the amulet and its features.
7. Responsive Communication. Prompt and courteous communication indicates a reliable seller.
8. Beware of fake Jatukam Pendants. Only the ones from major temples and Wat Mahathat in Nakhon Si Thammarat are seen as genuine.
9. Price Consistency. Reasonable prices reflecting value and rarity are more likely to be genuine.
Overall, this article provides valuable information for both novice and experienced buyers of Thai amulets, encouraging informed and cautious purchasing decisions.
Visit ThaiAmuletStore.com, you can trust that these are genuine, blessed, Theravada Buddhist pendants mailed from Thailand as you purchase them with Paypal.