(MILWAUKEE, WI) -- To celebrate National Bobblehead Day, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the first Cryptid Bobble Series. The series includes eight cryptids: Bigfoot, Chupacabra, Goatman, Jackalope, Jersey Devil, Loch Ness Monster, Mothman, and Yeti. Each bobblehead features an artistic depiction of these mythological animals with bobbling heads and, in the case of Mothman, bobbling wings as well. National Bobblehead Day is celebrated annually on January 7th, and the Museum is celebrating starting today with dozens of new bobblehead releases including this new bobble. The special edition bobbleheads are being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
This first Cryptid Bobble series includes Bigfoot, Chupacabra, Goatman, Jackalope, Jersey Devil, Loch Ness Monster, Mothman, and Yeti. Each bobble is approximately 8” tall. This marks the first bobblehead for the Chupacabra, Goatman, and Jersey Devil. Each bobble is individually numbered to 2,024, and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in April, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order. A set of eight is available for $225.
Cryptids are animals that have been claimed to exist but have never been proven to exist. Cryptozoology, a pseudoscience that searches for and studies these unknown creatures, coined the name cryptids for these creatures. The term “cryptozoology” means the study of hidden animals. This pseudoscience is neither a branch of zoology nor of folklore studies. Two zoologists, Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sandersons, founded the field in the 1950s. The field is more akin to ghost hunting or ufology. Famous cryptids include the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Mothman, and many more. Cryptids have found their way into pop culture including movies, television shows, video games, and even whole museums dedicated to one creature or many.
Bigfoot - Bigfoot, also commonly known as Sasquatch, is an ape-like creature that is said to inhabit forests typically within the Pacific Northwest region of North America and parts of Canada. Bigfoot is described as a large, bipedal human or ape-like creature and is said to be covered in black, dark brown, or dark reddish hair. Legends of this creature go back beyond recorded history and span across the world. Historic sightings have been reported since the late 1800s and into the early 1900s. The mystery and debate of the existence of a Bigfoot has been discussed for years with evidence such as footprints, occasional encounters, and even some grainy photos and videos adding to the debate.
Chupacabra - Translated to “goat-sucker” in Spanish, the Chupacabra is a popular Latin American legend. It is said to be a monstrous creature that attacks animals and drinks their blood. The creature was first reported in 1995, in Puerto Rico. It was blamed for attacks on goats, sheep, and other domestic animals, reportedly leaving the body uneaten, but drained of blood. The Chupacabra is described as having glowing red eyes, scaly greenish-gray skin with sharp spines running down its back, and sharp fangs. Sightings of the Chupacabra have been reported in the Yucatán Peninsula, northern Mexico, and parts of the Southwestern United States.
Goatman - The Goatman is a half-man, half-goat creature said to take refuge in the woods of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Most stories of the Goatman appeared in the early 1970s, describing the creature as a seven-foot-tall half man, half goat creature with horns. No one knows the true origin of the Goatman. The creature is said to make high-pitched goat-like noises and attack cars, dragging his victims into the woods. Goatman can also supposedly be found in Kentucky and Texas.
Jackalope - Part jackrabbit and part antelope, the Jackalope is a mythical creature of North American folklore. Old Western folklore tells that the Jackalope may be caught by putting out a flask of whiskey at night. The effects of the drink will make it easier to hunt. Douglas, Wyoming has declared itself the Jackalope capital of America. According to this small town, the first Jackalope was spotted here in 1829. A large statue dedicated to the Jackalope stands proudly in the center of town, and every year, the town hosts Jackalope Day in June.
Jersey Devil - The Jersey Devil is a mythological creature that is said to inhabit the forests of Pine Barrens in Southern New Jersey. The creature is described as a flying biped with hooves and often looks like a kangaroo with a horse or goat-like head. It has large bat-like wings, horns, and small arms with clawed hands as well as a forked or pointed tail. The legend of a winged creature in this area has been around for some time with a Northwestern indigenous group, the Lenape, who originally populated the Pine Barrens, believing that the area was inhabited by a spirit called M’Sing, that sometimes took the form of winged deer-like creature.
Loch Ness Monster - The Loch Ness Monster, also known as Nessie, is a famed marine creature that is believed to inhabit Loch Ness, Scotland. It is described as a large, long-necked serpent like creature and is often depicted with one or more humps protruding from the water. The earliest sighting of this creature was written in the seventh century C.E. by an Irish monk, Saint Columba. Many expeditions and hunts have set out for proof of the Loch Ness Monster’s existence, with the most recent large-scale hunt in decades taking place in August of 2023.
Mothman - From November 15, 1966, to December 15, 1967, reports of a flying man-sized creature spread across the Point Pleasant area. The national press even picked up the story and soon the reports were heard across the United States. With the volume of reports and the press that the story was getting, Mothman soon found its way into pop culture including comic book series. Descriptions of Mothman vary, but many report similar characteristics including glowing red eyes, large wings, and a muscular, humanoid body. Today, Point Pleasant is home to a large statue of the famed creature and even an annual festival devoted to the Mothman legend.
Yeti - Like Bigfoot, the Yeti, which is also known as the Abominable Snowman, is a large ape-like creature. It is reported to inhabit the Himalayan Mountain range in Asia. It has said to have been spotted across Nepal, Tibet, Russia, and India. The creature is described as large, bipedal, and ape-like with either brown, gray, or white hair. It is sometimes described as having large, sharp teeth. Aside from its association as a cryptid, the Yeti also finds itself in Buddhist mythology as a peaceful creature that lived in dense snow caves in India. It was even mentioned by pre-Buddhist cultures, such as the Lecha people. Supposed bones and skulls of yetis can be found in the Smithsonian Museum today.
"We’re excited to be unveiling the first Cryptid Bobblehead Series in conjunction with National Bobblehead Day,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Many of these cryptids have never had a bobblehead or don’t have readily available bobbleheads, and we think this will be a popular series for collectors and fans of cryptid creatures.”
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country.
