M.U.S.C.L.E. 10-Pack Store Display
M.U.S.C.L.E. 10-Packs were housed in clever little translucent garbage cans. They originally sold for around $3.00 when they first hit shelves. The original assortment came with all pink/flesh colored figures. The second generation came with a mix of pink and colored figures. Finally, the 3rd generation assortment came exclusively with colored figures like the 2nd generation 28-Packs.
I remember there being both a feeling of excitement and dread when purchasing a M.U.S.C.L.E. 10-Pack. These were pretty much the equivalent to blind bags or blind box assortments back in the day. The plastic wasn't totally clear, so it was tough to make out what guys you were actually getting. At least with the darker colored figures, you could sometimes identify a sculpt or two.
As a kid in 1976, I remember buying 'Slime' that was housed in a very similar garbage can. The slime can was green and made of a harder plastic. The 'Slime' just happened to be made by MATTEL as well. Chad Perry's University of MUSCLE has a great write-up on the can, which actually shares some interesting history behind this unique plastic receptacle! You can read about it here.
