Cool errors, AOS.
As for the cut-down blister history, you reminded me of some stuff I found over here. In some supermarkets they will tape up the cars to prevent stealing, they simply put some kind of industrial, plastic-ribbed tape over the bubble so it's really difficult to open the package and steal the car. It happens less so now (these days, stapples are all the rage) but some years ago it was a common practice.
What would my surprise be when I found about 8 regular THs, all same model -don't ask me to remember which one, this was several years ago- all taped up... and when I say all, I mean it, they had TONS of tape all over the bubble and even in the card. The cards had also been folded pretty badly and some even had some marker lines on them.
My guess is that the employee had formed his stash, then got caught, got scalded, had to put them back, and in revenge to the evil collectors, made them absolutely worthless to them. I bought two.