Blog Post

An Obama mask you can buy on the Internet today.

Politics can be scary. Real scary.

It’s a fitting topic here on Halloween.

If you live in a swing state as I happen to, this election can mean constant phone calls, people knocking on your door and a pile of political mail each day. Okay for a collector, as the political mail can lead to interesting political collectibles.

But there’s another type of political scary. That’s political masks.

Going as far back as the 1800s, there have been examples of political masks. There’s a well-known one for Horace Greeley. Greeley, all politics aside, was pretty scary looking in his own right. Create a mask with a representation of his hair on it and you’ve got something on Frankenstein.

Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Jacquie Kennedy and Barry Goldwater masks still turn up somewhat often in political collectibles auctions. They come in plastic, rubber and paper. Do an Internet search today and you can find plenty of masks for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Many of these masks have been made through the years as parts of Halloween costumes, but have made their way into political collections.

So as you head out tonight to a party, or out with your kids for some trick or treating, don’t be surprised if you see a scary politician or two. Some might even come to your door looking for candy. Or your vote.