Preiser packaging has changed subtly over the years, although the box size has always remained the same. At the outset, figures were glued to thin clear plastic mounting strips and placed in boxes with dividers and slots to accept the strips. For a very brief time, the figures were packed loosely in the divided box, along with separate mounting strips. Then, figures were packed in vacu-formed nests in new boxes with no dividers, along with separate mounting strips. Finally, the strips were no longer included. Photos are mine.
The inserts have changed several times. Originally they were printed in black on light tan paper, and went through at least four type font changes. The catalog numbers were also printed on the reverse (inside) of the inserts.
Then came pale yellow inserts, which featured the PMP (Paul M. Preiser) "handshake" trademark and the company name in Helvetica, as it has remained ever since. The catalog numbers were still printed on the inside.
During this phase, Preiser moved figure painting from Germany to Mauritius.
Finally Preiser settled on inserts printed in reverse to make white lettering on black, and the inserts filled all four box sides.
For a brief time, inserts had dual catalog numbers as Preiser transitioned from 09XXX to 79XXX, until they arrived at the insert design we see today.
The nests and inserts went through a few color phases. For a while, the inserts were red on the inside, and the nests were either red or clear. Then the inserts were orange on the inside, and the nests were either orange or clear. Finally Preiser settled on plain white inserts with clear nests, as they remain today.
