Longbox
|
A Longbox is a form of cardboard packaging for musical compact discs in widespread use in North America in the 1980s.
When record stores first began carrying compact discs, the longboxes served to make them fit into the bins originally used for vinyl records. Longboxes were about 12 inches high, able to contain two separate CDs where necessary. There were generic white longboxes with windows that would display the compact disc cover, as well as clear plastic versions that were a cheap substitute for a printed longbox. Most longboxes, however, were full color, had details about the compact disc on the back, and artwork that was frequently taken from the original album cover art, reworked for the new size.
Environmental concerns of too much unnecessary cardboard waste finally eliminated the longbox, as stores also stopped selling records and converted their fixtures to accommodate shrink-wrapped jewel cases. Since most longboxes were discarded, they have become a collectible: A compact disc is worth even more if it comes in its original longbox.