Old Metal Shoulder Pads - did the design change when they changed sprue layout?

[OrkPlayer137]

I have a question about old metal space marine shoulder pads. I have some existing models with metal pads and I want to make some new models that are consistent.

After looking for pads on eBay, I was surprised to find that a similar design was apparently made in two different ways - sometimes on a sprue of 5, and sometimes with individual sprues.

Does anyone know if the pad itself stayed the same design, or if it changed in some way when they changed the sprue layout? Alternatively, does anyone know when they made this change? I might be able to find something in White Dwarf or a catalogue if I know roughly when it happened.


The design looks similar in photos, but it's difficult to be sure, and I can't tell in which year they changed the sprue layout. For example, these two eBay auctions show similar tactical squad pads on a long sprue, and also on individual sprues:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134755396436
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266349432860

I have seen the same thing with Ultramarines logo pads, and some other designs too. When looking closely, it's clear that the individual pads were not just cut from a longer sprue, but were made separately - the writing on the sprues is different (or missing) between the long and individual sprues.

I am fairly certain that these are not recasts, as I have seen the same thing from various different sellers, and also some mention in old GW catalogues of shoulder pads being sold as sprues of 5, while others had them for sale individually.

 

Thanks for any help!
 

[Cleon]

I can't speak for the tactical squad ones, but the Blood Angel drop ones it looked to me like the individual ones were from the sprue of 5 broken up and put individually in the death company set.

[Grotsmasha]

Can confirm, at the metal DA pads were the same.

[OrkPlayer137]

Thanks, I appreciate the comments, that's useful feedback.