8 of Our Favorite Funko Pops Based on Real People

You'll find Bob Ross, Bill Nye, and many other Funkos based on actual people.
You'll find Bob Ross, Bill Nye, and many other Funkos based on actual people. / Funko/Amazon
facebooktwitterreddit
This article contains affiliate links to products selected by our editors. Mental Floss may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for a picky loved one or just want to add some personality to an empty desk or lonely shelf, chances are there's a Funko Pop! out there that fits your needs. But if you're not into the superheroes and movie characters that make up a majority of the company's figures, don't worry, because there are also plenty of vinyl Pops based on real-life heroes and icons. These are perfect for science lovers, history buffs, and bookworms, and you can find them all for under $15.

But fair warning: You just might be tempted to buy them all.

1. Albert Einstein; $10

Amazon/Funko

Albert Einstein, best known for his theory of relativity (and his incredible head of hair), is the perfect companion for the desk of any aspiring scientist. This Funko, complete with its E=mc2 sign, will ensure that no one forgets one of science’s most important equations—or one of its quirkiest figures.

Buy it: Amazon

2. Bob Ross; $11

Funko/Amazon

Bob Ross proved that life is all about happy accidents and happy little trees. But he wasn’t always the hippie-like painter that audiences—and ASMR fans—know and love. He spent two decades in the Air Force, where he served as a Master Sergeant until he retired in 1981 and made his foray into public television. Ross, who took painting classes while in the military, wanted to share his own “joy of painting” with others—and after he got his hair permed, he became the icon we all know and love today. This Funko Pop! is the perfect way to celebrate his legacy, and to bring a little more happiness into your own home.

Buy it: Amazon

3. George Washington; $9

Funko/Amazon

There’s only one word to describe this Funko Pop!: Iconic. Modeled after the first President of the United States, this George Washington Funko Pop! comes complete with Revolutionary War regalia and powdered hair. (Although he’s not smiling, so you can’t see his hippo, ivory, gold, and brass dentures.) Buy this for any history buff who won’t shut up about the founding father who holds the highest-ranking officer title in U.S. history—sort of.

Buy it: Amazon

4. Bill Nye; $6

Funko/Amazon

Bill Nye is a science luminary—and it’s not just because of his hit TV show. The author, educator, engineer, and aspiring astronaut (he was rejected by NASA four times) is the CEO of the Planetary Society and worked on the Mars rover space mission. He’s made science more accessible—and a whole lot more fun. (You can watch Bill teach science using emojis here and here.) This Funko Pop! is great for the goofy scientist in your life who embraces the power of the bow tie and never takes themselves too seriously.

Buy it: Amazon

5. Edgar Allan Poe; $11

Funko/Amazon

Never say “nevermore” with this funky Edgar Allan Poe figurine, which is currently available for pre-order and will ship in the spring. The poet and writer behind “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” was despised by his contemporaries. Ralph Waldo Emerson cast him aside as a “jingle man,” and of “The Raven” said, “I see nothing in it.” But English majors, hopeless romantics, and high school teachers know that Poe was nothing short of a genius. Help them to honor him with this Funko, which is sure to spark creativity (or just to give your home a little literary-inspired flair).

Pre-order: Amazon

6. Benjamin Franklin; $8

Funko Pop!/Amazon

Contrary to popular belief, some historians and scientists debate whether Benjamin Franklin even conducted the kite experiment on that faithful night in 1752. But nevertheless, the image of the founding father braving a lighting storm in the name of science is forever part of history—and the Funko Pop! collection. Along with holding a kite and key, this Funko also sports Franklin's signature shoulder-length hair and bifocals, which he invented.

Buy it: Amazon

7. Stephen King; $10

Amazon/Funko

Stephen King, the master of the horror genre and the author of over 70 novels and 200 short stories, is one of the biggest bestselling authors of all time. With masterpieces like It, The Shining, Carrie, Pet Sematary, and many more under his belt—and with countless movies, TV shows, and even operas based on his works—he’s made himself a household name when it comes the art of writing. And the work he’s done championing other writers makes him something of a literary philanthropist. This Funko is guaranteed to bring you some positive SKE (Stephen King Energy). Just make sure never to turn the lights off when you put it on display.

Buy it: Amazon

8. Ruth Bader Ginsburg; $13

Funko/Amazon

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (a.k.a. The Notorious RBG), can bench press 70 pounds, dissent like there’s no tomorrow, and can even drink her own custom beer. In August 1993, she became the second woman ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and she's still going strong after serving for nearly 27 years (and beating cancer four times). Channel your inner RBG with this Pop! and defeat all who might oppose you—even if that just means deciding what to binge on Netflix this week.

Buy it: Amazon

At Mental Floss, we only write about the products we love and want to share with our readers, so all products are chosen independently by our editors. Mental Floss has affiliate relationships with certain retailers and may receive a percentage of any sale made from the links on this page. Prices and availability are accurate as of the time of publication.