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Sister Jean Bobblehead Breaks Hall Of Fame Sales Record

CHICAGO (CBS) -- She's not just Loyola Ramblers' most famous fan, Sister Jean is now a record holder in her own right.

On Friday, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame announced a new Sister Jean bobblehead to celebrate the team's historic NCAA Tournament run. In less than two days, it became their best-selling bobblehead ever.

"We've been completely overwhelmed with the love for Sister Jean and her bobbleheads," National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Phil Sklar said in an email.

Within the first day of sales, the new Sister Jean bobblehead had been sold to people in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada. By Monday morning, more than 5,000 had been sold, easily surpassing their previous best-seller, the Clemson Football National Championship bobblehead, which sold nearly 3,000.

"When the Final Four rolls into San Antonio in just a few days, the biggest name might not be a player, coach or celebrity attendee--instead, it most likely will be a nun from Chicago! Who would have guessed that just a few weeks ago when the NCAA Tournament got underway? Not even Sister Jean herself, who only had Loyola-Chicago going to the Sweet 16," Sklar said.

According to Sklar, 63 percent of the orders for Sister Jean bobbleheads have come from outside Illinois, proving the Ramblers and their 98-year-old chaplain are not just the media darlings of Chicago, but the nation.

Sister Jean fans will have to wait a few months to get their bobbleheads.

They're expected to start shipping in June, and some fans apparently can't wait.

Loyola previously had giveaways of Sister Jean bobbleheads in 2011 and 2015, and some of those have been selling on eBay, with bids of up to $350 for the 2011 version. According to the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, one seller sold five bobbleheads this week for at least $300 each.

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