UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

The 10-pack is arguably the most iconic of the M.U.S.C.L.E. packaging. It’s retail price seemed to greatly fluctuate between the 4- and 28-packs, usually landing near three dollars. The 10-pack allowed for the ten figures inside to somewhat visible, but remain largely mysterious. A clever child was able to decipher some of the figures, or at least have a better chance of not buying figures they already owned.

Like the 4-pack, the 10-pack was available in three different figure combinations. The first release was the all Flesh package.

The second was a mix of colors and Flesh figures. Unlike the 4-pack, the 10-pack’s 50/50 split was not limited to just purple, red, and blue figures. The 10-pack seemed to have any of the colors in its 50/50 split packs.

The final mix of figures removed all the Flesh figures and included only colors.

Like the 4-Pack, the can and shrink-wrap did not change over its two years of release. However, there was one variation – an uncommon French-Canadian version of the 10-pack. The can features everything in both English and French. This is the only legitimate variation to the 10-pack.

One of the most interesting aspects of the 10-pack can is its origins. In 2003 a LRG message board user named, Soupie, discovered that the 10-packs cans came from a Play-Doh-like Kinnikuman product from Bandai.

This 1984 set, which predates M.U.S.C.L.E., came with the clay presser, four figure molds, and 3 globs of clay. The three globs of clay were housed in a clear plastic garbage can. This is the can that would be used for Mattel’s M.U.S.C.L.E. 10-pack.

Several years later, in 2007, some similar looking garbage cans started to appear. They were soon identified as cans from Bandai products: Canfull of Monsters and Monster Toss. Both of these sets predate the Clay Presser with respective release dates of 1979 and 1981. For more information on these lines, please read Canfull of Monsters/Monster Toss at Toypedia.com

– Images provided by: Toypedia

It is unknown if Bandai suggested the garbage can or if Mattel requested the garbage can.

For further information about the 10-Pack, please read the 10-Pack Display Case information.