SPECIAL- Special Thai form of "Happy Buddha" called Saenkajai (not sure how it is spelled in English). Bought 20 years ago in the far north of Thailand from a farmer who had found this in the ruins of an overgrown temple complex in the far north of the country (probably 400 to 600 years old based on the other temple ruins in that area- and likely either from the kingdoms of Payao or Chen Seng) the 1960's before it was sectioned off and protected by the government. This piece was found inside the chest of the body of what had been a monumental Buddha made of bricks, stucco, etc. It was now an 8 foot ruined half body overgrown by plants and dirt. He said that near where the heart would have been he found a clay jar that had a group of clay amulets, some crystal beads, and this lead alloy piece. He wanted an astronomical amount for it given that it was 1990's and we were in Northern Thailand in a rural area, but he believed it was very powerful, rare, and very valuable. He refused to sell it for less so I did not buy it. I went back to the USA and thought about it for an entire year. There is something about the face, the ultra-smooth patina, and the shape of the piece that makes it very special. (for me) it truly has a power to it that is indefinable. When I went back to Thailand and went back to the north the first thing I did was to hire a driver and go back to the small village where I had met him, but I could not find him. The NEXT year I DID find him. Miraculously, he did still have it, and I did buy it (for the original price). I then had this case made by a high-end jeweler in Bangkok with close to 1/3 of nearly 22k gold-not with the typical plastic case, but in a much more expensive way, with a gold hinge that allows the case to be opened so the piece can be taken out. Also, the back of the piece can touch the user's skin. Expensive, but you will never find another like it. I've had 3 or 4 top-quality amulets I've kept for myself over the past 30 years to wear myself out of the thousands I've owned- this is one of those, and maybe my favorite out of all of them. I'm finally ready to let them all go.Domestic shipping is included, and international shipping is $50.