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M.U.S.C.L.E. 4-pk          M.U.S.C.L.E. 10-pk          M.U.S.C.L.E. 28-pk

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The M.U.S.C.L.E. four pack

Depending on where you bought them from, and if they were on sale (or clearance) I remember four packs costing anywhere from 99¢ to $4.00  The four pack was the first choice of most kids in my neighborhood because they were affordable, and you could see exactly what figures you were getting.  The original 4-packs had a mail away offer on the back of the card for a M.U.S.C.L.E. poster showcasing all 233 M.U.S.C.L.E.'s in the toy line.

 

packaging variations

When I first started buying M.U.S.C.L.E. four packs, they consisted of 4 pink figures.  Later on.. as a ploy to increase sales, Mattel introduced colored M.U.S.C.L.E.'s into the toy line.  This second wave of 4 -packs featured two pink, and two colored figures.  Finally, a third wave was released which included 4 colored figures exclusively.  The third wave did not feature the mail away poster offer.  


Four pack color variations - 124 KB
 


card back variations

 

Ever seen a M.U.S.C.L.E. 3-pack?


There is a little gap on the bottom most part of the four pack plastic bubble, which is not glued to the card back.  Different factors such as humidity, age, and handling, cause the glue on either side of this gap to start releasing from the card back.  Once this happens, a little coaxing in the form of bending the card could cause a figure to easily slide out from the bubble. 

I remember seeing four packs on the store shelves that had less than four figures in them.  One could only conclude that this was due to ingenious kids with sticky fingers!  This method of pilfering did not leave the card without some kind of damage however.  Usually the card was left bowed or bent, and would always tear or damage the card back in some kind of way.

 
 



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