Seattle Woman's Strange Collection Earns Her Guinness World Record

A Seattle woman now has a world record to her name thanks to her quirky collection. On Friday (October 13), Guinness World Records revealed that 54-year-old Charlotte Lee holds the world record for the largest collection of rubber ducks.

How many of these adorable toys does she have? According to the company, 5,631 and counting!

What delights Lee just as much as collecting the ducks is watching people's reaction to her hobby.

“Some people gasp and laugh with delight," she told Guinness. "Others are disturbed because they feel like all these ducks are looking at them!”

Lee said that her collection started as a way to spice up her "drab bathroom" in 1996. The rubber ducks were the only decor that stuck.

“I thought I would quit after I had seven but then friends would come over and see them,” she said. "Soon, I was getting them as gifts for my birthday, Christmas, whenever really!"

Nearly 20 years later, Lee has a network of people letting her know of the special, rare, or limited-edition molds she can add to her rubber legion. Because she has thousands of them, she has a whole room dedicated to showcasing some of rubber ducks. They're organized by whether they're vintage or not, country or continent of origin, material, and theme.

The rubber ducks take on many shapes, sizes, and purposes. The record-setting collection ranges from dog toys and decorations to souvenirs and household tools.

“The more I learned about rubber ducks, the more I wanted to see and learn about different kinds,” she said.

All of the items aren't on display, however. Lee admits the ducks can take up a lot of space in her home, and some are sitting in boxes inside both her attic and garage. She also has to make sure the ducks are meticulously preserved, as well.

As for what she plans to do with her duckies in the future, the 54-year-old hopes to find a museum to take it so the public can view her "big, silly, and cheer-bringing collection."