There definitely were - and we have the pictures to prove it because everyone and their uncles posted pictures of their transparent cases as they started to disintegrate!
A friend of mine is actually still walking around with a transparent slimcase, held together with glue and tape. He loves the look so much it doesn’t bother him that bits fall of his phone every now and again.
I wonder if the old transparent cases are made of the same stuff, but I never saw cracking in those cases. Maybe the rubber just gives out sooner than the plastic so it never gets to that point.
@lool_lauris , I’ll send you a DM.