In honor of Presidents Day, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame revealed three new series of bobbleheads featuring former and current presidents and first ladies.
A total of 43 new bobbleheads have been unveiled at the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum (NBHF) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bobbleheads from two new presidential series and the very first series of first ladies are now available for purchase for $35 apiece plus a flat rate shipping charge of $8 through the organization’s online store. The presidential series will be shipped in June, whereas the first ladies’ series won’t be ready until August.
“We’re excited to release these new presidential bobbleheads to celebrate Presidents’ Day,” said Phil Sklar, co-founder and CEO of NBHF. “Each President and First Lady played an important part in our country’s history, and we think people will enjoy these new presidential bobbleheads.”
Each bobblehead model is numbered from 1 to 1,776 — the year the United States was founded — making it a fun, patriotic gift and collectible.
Joining the wide array of bobbleheads sold via the NBHF, the three new series are as follows:
The First Lady Bobblehead Series memorializes Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Mary Todd Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, and Jill Biden. Although over 50 women have held this position — often spouses, relatives, or friends of the head of state — throughout American history, only 15 were chosen for the rollout of this brand-new series.
Despite the role of the first lady never officially being referenced in any founding texts, it was forged by Martha Washington, who acted as a hostess for presidential guests even before the White House was built. However, the duties of the first lady didn’t become more public-facing until Eleanor Roosevelt. She held her own press conferences and published news daily from her column, “My Day.”
The First Lady Bobblehead Series complements the 2022 release of the Presidential White House Bobblehead Series, which features all 45 presidents standing in front of the same small replica of the White House. Built between 1792 and 1800, the White House has served as the presidential residence and workplace since John Adams’ administration. It was built out of Aquia Creek sandstone and designed in the neoclassical style by James Hoban.
The White House Podium Bobblehead Series features seven presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Each stands behind the White House podium as if speaking at a press conference. The American flag and the White House emblem stand in the background, while a star-speckled carpet below further sets the scene.
The Resolute Desk Series features 11 Presidents: Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. They all sit behind a replica of the famed double pedestal partners’ desk gifted to President Rutherford B. Hayes by the British Queen Victoria in 1880.
The historic desk was constructed using the oak timbers of the British ship HMS Resolute, which was used in an Arctic expedition that was trying to find an elusive Northwest Passage to the Pacific.
Members of the NBHF help induct a handful from its collection of over 6,500 bobbleheads — the largest collection in the world — into its Hall of Fame each year.
Information on how to visit the NBHF or become a member can be found on its website.