Toys are the theme of this year’s Europe stamps issued by the member states of the trade association representing European public postal operators, PostEurop. The Liechtenstein issue comprises two special stamps showing figurines produced in Liechtenstein in the 1940s, a “Polar Bear” (value: CHF 1.40) and a “Goat” (value: CHF 1.40). The artistic realisation focuses on the actual purpose of the figurines – playing – so the pictures look like snapshots of childlike playing scenes: The polar bear is enjoying the climate in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator and the goat is proudly climbing a lemon. The toy factory in Schaan at that time made nativity figurines and other animal figures for several years. A kind of modelling material was developed in advance on the basis of kieselguhr in protracted tests. This was pressed into metal moulds and painted by hand after hardening. The figurines found a ready market worldwide. In 1949, one of the company’s founders left the company. Under the name Spiwa, his partner merged with another company in the business and continued to make toys for some years afterwards.