teddy bear - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2002 - 51 Euro Cent

Probably the most common and popular cuddly toy is the teddy bear. 100 years ago, the plush toy replicating a bear began its triumphal procession around the world. The forefather of all teddies was created in 1902, when German toy manufacturers Richard and Margarete Steiff made plush toys on a trial basis with movable joints made of twine, which were soon replaced by metal rod joints. The result was first a light brown bear "55 Pb" (55cm seat height), which was exported in 1903 in 3,000 copies in the United States. In 1901 Theodore Roosevelt became president there. According to the Washington Post of 16.11.1902, the president refused to shoot a bear cornered in a hunt. Why the German toy bear got the nickname of the president, namely Teddy, was not very clear in all investigations. Steiff alone produced 12,000 in 1903, but an incredible 975,000 teddy bears in 1908. Steiff acquired a few patents and branded his products with the "button in the ear" brand. Nevertheless, toy bears were produced in large numbers throughout the world. The brand with the Teddypärchen designed by Auguste Böcskör. For collectors, the product definitions of Steiff were cited, with the small "28 PB" being particularly interesting because of its smaller number of units.