The big toe of this towering monument to Croatian national hero Gregory of Nin is worn from years of superstitious rubbing. Croatians are taught from an early age that rubbing Gregory’s big toe will grant them their wish, and he has been credited with births, weddings, and riches.

Local tradition dictates that the touch of David Hume’s toe will bring good luck, though the practice ironically defies the philosopher’s vehement rejection of superstition. Since 1997, when the public statue was erected at the top of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, it’s become an international point of interest for handsy passersby.

As the president with arguably the most monuments, tributes, statues, and memorials in American history, it is no surprise that Abraham Lincoln's Tomb is a grand piece of work. What is a bit surprising however is the odd compulsion to rub the 16th president's nose for good luck that seems to come over visitors to his gravesite.

Inside Hagia Sophia, there’s a column where tourists perform an unusual ritual. They make a wish and stick a thumb into a hole within the structure, then attempt to rotate the finger in a perfect circle. Supposedly, if their finger gets wet, it means their wish will be fulfilled or their illnesses will be healed. The modest pole would go unnoticed, if not for the crowds of people attempting to jam their fingers into its small opening.

The Mermaid of Ustka is said to grant a wish and a half to anybody that touches the statue's left breast. Why a wish and a half? Touching a golden fish grants you three wishes. A mermaid is half a fish. Following that logic, touching the mermaid grants you a wish and a half.

In the center of Philadelphia's venerable Reading Terminal Market is a three-foot-tall, 225-pound pig. But this is no ordinary hog. This beloved marketplace mascot poops money and is said to grant good luck when you rub his sount.

The snout of this bronze boar outside the Mercato Nuovo in Florence has been rubbed to a golden sheen by visitors seeking good fortune.

Among the many pieces of elaborate historical architecture and decoration in Mons, the so-called Guardhouse Monkey may be the most mysterious. Located just outside the entrance of the Mons city hall, the metal simian has been a fixture of the city for several centuries, yet no one is quite sure where the little rascal came from. Locals insist that rubbing the monkey's head will provide good luck and possibly even grant wishes.

For over three centuries, this small stone owl carved into a corner of the oldest church in Dijon, France has had a big job: granting wishes to all who reach up and stroke his face. This is the Owl of Notre Dame de Dijon, the city’s symbol and unofficial talisman. The carving sits about six feet off the ground on an otherwise unremarkable corner of the church. Tradition holds that if you touch him with your left hand and make a wish, it will come true.

On the front gate, the sarcophagus, and the walls of Cappella Colleoni in Bergamo, you can see the coat of arms of the Colleoni family, which consists of three testicles. Colleoni’s coat of arms must have caught people’s imagination, as it was—and perhaps still is—commonly believed that it would be auspicious to touch the three testicles on Colleoni’s coat of arms.

Just outside the Grand Place of Brussels, a monument to Belgian hero Everard t'Serclaes shines and stands out on the side of a building. In 1898, Belgian artist Julien Dillens sculpted a bronze monument to commemorate Everard t'Serclaes. The memorial is considered lucky by the locals and it is said that touching and rubbing the statue, especially the arm, can bring luck, grant wishes, and ensure that one will come to Brussels again.

According to legend, the bronze monkey on Heidelberg's Old Bridge was meant to remind those who crossed it from either side to look over their shoulders at where they’ve come from. Whether a Heidelberg citizen lived inside or outside of the city, it reminded them they were no better than their respective counterpart.

Standing in Budapest's market square, the “Fat Policeman” statue was created by Finnish sculptor Kaarlo Mikkonen and has become a beloved icon of the city. Nicknamed Uncle Karl, the affable bronze copper is clad in a mid-20th-century uniform, complete with a dated helmet and a dapper mustachio.

Chimney sweeps in Estonia once had golden buttons on their uniform and it was considered lucky if you could get one of the buttons for yourself. As members of the public would try and steal the "lucky buttons," chimney sweeps in Tallinn would often be seen with some of the buttons missing from their coats.

A scruffy yet lovable looking dog looks out over Edinburgh atop a granite fountain built in his honor. This little Skye terrier known as Greyfriars Bobby was said to have stood vigil at his owner’s grave, for 14 years after his death. His dedication and loyalty became legendary, and when he finally died in January 1872, he was laid to rest in Greyfriars Kirkyard, not far from his owner’s grave.

Hidden in the corner at the back of the great shrine of Kameido-Tenjin Shrine, where students come to pray for good luck on their entrance exams, is a small shrine known as Oinusama. It features a statue of a dog, which is typically covered with salt from head to paw. Locals believe that rubbing salt onto him will make one's wishes come true, especially if they wish to be cured of a disease. 

According to local folklore, an odd little face on a wall of Rudyard Kipling's former home can bring a bit of luck. The custom is to touch the wishing stone on the nose with your right forefinger, close your eyes, and turn around three times while facing away from the sun. If you do everything just right, it is said that your wish will be granted—as long as it’s not a wish for monetary gain.

A brass belly sculpture protruding from a wall on a busy pedestrian street lined with cafes. The belly is dedicated to all who need a bit of luck. A plaque invites passersby to rub the belly for luck.

This life-sized bronze statue of Albert Einstein was unveiled in 1979 to celebrate the physicist's 100th birthday. It sits outside the National Academy of Sciences, and has become one of the city's most beloved monuments. Rumor has it, if you rub Einstein's nose some of his genius will rub off on you.

This beloved statue of a young girl and her geese is maybe the most celebrated icon of the medieval city of Göttingen in Lower Saxony, Germany. And every year she gets her own festival and is festooned with flowers by local scholars, celebrating their freshly minted PhDs with a kiss for good luck.