Lord Plushbottom (The Moon Mullins Family) - Wheaties Cereal mask (1940s-50s) - backside

This “Lord Plushbottom” mask, drawn from the popular Moon Mullins newspaper comic strip, was one of the many character masks Wheaties featured on the backs of cereal boxes during the 1940s–50s. Lord Plushbottom, a comic foil with his bald head, round spectacles, and exaggerated features, was a perfect fit for the playful cut-out mask promotions that General Mills marketed to children.

These masks were intended to be cut out, strung with elastic, and worn for imaginative play—meaning most were quickly used and discarded. Surviving examples still on the cereal box panel, such as this one, are significantly scarcer. The tie-in with Moon Mullins also speaks to the way Wheaties aligned itself with contemporary pop culture, using newspaper comic figures to capture young consumers’ attention at the breakfast table.

Measures: 12 x 10 inches
Date: 1940s–1950s
Origin: Wheaties cereal backside premium

Rarity: While not the rarest of the Wheaties series, Lord Plushbottom has a moderate survival rate compared to common characters.