Trinkets and amulets were important to people because they were believed to bring luck and protection.
Unlike trinkets, which were just little knick-knacks, an amulet could be anything someone thought was lucky.
Some things that are commonly considered amulets are: gems or simple stones, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants, and animals. Even some words or sayings can be considered amulets. Since the definition of amulet is something that protects a person from trouble, all these options seem like good good luck charms.
Amulets were important in folklore. They were/are also used across the world by everyone. Amulets are not something that one religion or group of people uses, that everyone else shuns. They are worldwide things. Some examples of amulets in history are the cross. To this day, Christians consider this to be a lucky charm, as well as the symbol for their religion. Another one is the statue of Buddha, which Buddhists wear around their necks or display in their homes. In Bolivia and Argentina, the people wear the god Ekeko around their necks. This is supposed to offer them a minimum amount of money to be used to get good fortune.
Zodiac signs and the birthstones associated with each one are also considered to be lucky to people. Also, an ancient Chinese tradition of capturing a cricket and keeping it in a box is considered to be good luck. Later on, this tradition traveled to the Philippines. The Chinese also spread coins on the ground to get more money, and they believe that rice brings good fortune.
A few very common lucky charms are horseshoes, a rabbit's foot, or anything special to you. As you can see, the Ancient and Modern worlds both used amulets and trinkets as good luck and to provide protection. So, the next time you are nervous and pull out your lucky charm, think about the people that first considered that thing to be a lucky amulet.