Dropped by a friend’s store. I was talking to his wife. He grabbed a box from the back, then started transferring them into another box. Walked over and was intrigued, he tells me it was his wife’s side business selling items. She turns to him, and says, “Give him one.”
In Buddhist, Thai, and Indian traditions they are symbols of strength, loyalty and longevity. They’re revered to invoke illumination through meditation, and represent good fortune.