Shortly after Cracker Jack started putting plastic prizes in its popcorn product in the United States, plastic flats and stand-ups were inserted into packages of oleomargarine in Germany and other German speaking countries as an incentive for people to buy their brands beginning in 1950. Other retail products -- such as tobacco and alcohol -- used them also, but they were widely called "margarinfiguren" (EN: margarine figures). Eventually the margarine companies came to an agreement to stop putting prizes in the products, a practice that ended in 1954. In just a few years, hundreds of series of prizes were produced with thousands of individual shapes. background online and I have a whole bag of these... MANY GREAT PIECES GO BY PICTURES.. we have work horses with wagons, we have children, trees aside a tower, , a shepherd with his sheep, , gent in a canoe paddling, buildings, women working,, elderly couple, , sheep, , children with a goose, a wolf, some Edekasonne writing under the stand ; one has Wagners margarine under the stand, , some Hamker Margarine, some Hamker solo; a nice thatched roof house I believe lovely animals; , dog, , a woodcutter, with Fri-Homa and wriiting; all 31 pieces together go by pictures filed doll room shelf w inv 3 2022 will travel small packet airmail tracked or parcel in Canada