The small set of the top row (sampled in 1995) shows a gradual evolution towards the Russian group of men-at-work signs. The last sign is very close. The same observation holds true for (almost ?) all countries of the old Sovjet Union. The road signs were the same everywhere.

Our more recent samples seem to indicate that Estonia tries to express the newly won freedom also in the design of the road signs. The shape of the heap shifts away from the Sovjet kind and the man shows a bit more detail (he features hands and a neck). I am feeling happy (and as a collector also lucky) that Estonia took its own way of doing and didn't choose for one of the imperialistic influence groups —e.g. the U.K or the Mediterranean group.