Customers buy gold at a gold shop in HCM City. Demand for gold is expected to skyrocket on the God of Wealth Day on February 3 since buying on the day is expected to bring good fortune through the year.

Legend has it that the God of Wealth used to be in heaven. Once, after drinking too much, he fell to earth and lost his memory and had to beg for survival.

After a while his memory returned and he went back to heaven. It was the 10th day of the year and so Vietnamese have a tradition of buying some gold on that day to ensure good luck and prosperity throughout the year.

In fact, in recent years people have been queuing up from 3-4am to buy “lucky” gold on that day.

In addition to traditional products such as figurines of the God of Wealth inscribed with words like Phúc (Happiness), Lộc (Prosperity) Tài (Wealth), and Thọ (Longevity), gold companies have also made a variety of items this year featuring the rat since this is the Year of the Rat.

Phú Nhuận Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ) has launched figurines of rats made of 24k gold and weighing 0.213 taels (a tael equals 37.5g) with sophisticated and vivid carvings, and gold bars with Tài – Lộc written on one side and a rat figure on the other.

It has also launched a variety of charm bracelets made of 24k and 18k gold with a golden mouse, or pixiu, money pack, carp, gold bar and others at prices ranging from VNĐ4.6 million (US$198.3) to VNĐ6 million ($258.57), and Kim Tý jewellery product line with youthful designs at prices ranging from VNĐ2.4 million ($103.5) to VNĐ3.5 million ($150.9).

Võ Hoàng Huy, regional sales manager of the company, said: “These are very popular products, especially on the God of Wealth Day. Everyone wants to choose a product for wealth and prosperity throughout the year.”

Other gold and jewellery companies like DOJI, Sacombank Jewelry Company (Sacombank -SBJ), Phú Quý Gold, Silver and Gem Stone Group, and Sài Gòn Jewelry Company Limited (SJC) have also launched new products.

Phú Quý has a collection of gold coins inscribed with the images of the 12 animals of the zodiac on one side and a money bag on the other to indicate good fortune, wealth and prosperity. Made of 24k gold, they weigh 0.37g each and are exquisitely crafted using 3D embossing technology.

SJC has also launched a lucky gold series this year, including a 24k golden rat in 1 tael and 0.1 tael, besides its traditional gold pieces inscribed with images of the God of Wealth, Maitreya, and the words Phúc, Lộc, and Thọ, and “lucky” coins.

DOJI offers 24k items in blister packs and 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 tael gold coins inscribed with the images of the rat and God Caishen figurines.

Gold and jewellery companies also offer gold bars with Tài – Lộc etched on them, Phúc-Lộc-Tài, God of Wealth and Bodhisattva figurines made from 24k gold, 24k gold-plated rat figurines, jewellery made from 18k and 24k gold, and feng shui-inspired pixiu bracelets and bracelets with gold rats.

According to gold and jewellery shops, they will employ more staff and open earlier and close later than usual to meet the huge demand on the God of Wealth Day.

Many businesses are selling gold online with the price fixed at the time a customer places an order and delivery to be made on the Gold of Wealth Day. VNS