Abstract: The wire coil wound to a variable diameter which is packaged onto a display backing in the form of a card (3) has groups of turns of different diameters which are stacked by being overlapped according to an increasing or decreasing diameter pattern meeting the relation E=D.sub.o .+-.2 n .phi. where E is the increasing or decreasing winding, D.sub.o is the initial coil diameter, n is a positive integer and .phi. is the wire diameter.

Abstract: Unlike display bases of the blister type of the prior art, the coil (1) is packaged on a display base (3) with a thin plastic film (14) which matches all the visible surfaces of the coil. This film (14) cooperates with the display base (3) both in the zone (15) inside the coil and in the zone (11) outside the latter. If cutting means (7) are also provided on the display base, the film (14) (as shown at 12) completely envelops the cutting means (7) without it being necessary to use additional fastening means. The inner end (10) of the tie material passes through a hole (9) in the film (14) and thus can be pulled for controlled unwinding due to a braking action caused by the at least partial adherence of the film to the turns of the coil. Packaging of this kind can be achieved by a single-stage process in the course of which a stretched and heated film is applied to a porous substrate carrying the coil and optionally the cutting means (7).