pokemon toy collection
Back in our youth, a "collection" was when we'd chewed enough gum to fill our Trapper Keepers with baseball cards. But the guys featured here, well, they have gone above and beyond the call of duty -- not that there is any such call of duty to collect cuddly Pokémon toys.

They've drilled down their collecting desires to just toys, and not only just toys, but specific toys, and they're record breakers for it, too.

Collection: Pokémon
Collector's name: Lisa Courtney, collecting since 1997 (she's 21 now)
Approximate number of toys: 14,000 and rising
Favorite item: The Pokémon/Pikachu yellow-jumpsuit number
Why it's so worrying: Plushy toys are scary anyway, but in extreme numbers, it's just ... shocking. It makes the mantra "Gotta catch 'em all" even more intimidating than it was back in 1997.

Keep reading to see toy collections so out of control that even we're a little concerned.


star wars toy collection
Collection: Star Wars figurines
Collector's name: Rob Foster, collecting since 1977
Approximate number of toys: 2,000 and rising
Favorite item: The Limited Edition LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon
Why it's so worrying: As you look through the photos, you begin to realize that any character, ever, no matter how brief his appearance, exists in figurine form. (There are also such unfathomable items, like the Space Slug oven mitt and, of course, the Darth Vader toaster.) Fortunately, Foster just stuck to the figurines and LEGO models.


101 dalmations toy collection
Collection: 101 Dalmatians
Collector's name: Karen Ferrier, collecting since 1992
Approximate number of toys: 1,200 or so
Favorite item: It's not a toy, but it's so ludicrous it can't not be mentioned: her Dalmatian car.
Why it's so worrying: What's encouraging here is that the Dalmatians toy obsession isn't based solely around the Disney movie (either in its 1961 animated form or its 1996 incarnation). On the not-encouraging side of things, she still has over 1,000 dotted objects in her house -- except, alas, she just split up with her husband and doesn't have room for it all in her caravan. Massive 101 Dalmatians toy collection anyone? Anyone?


happy meal toy collection
Collection: Happy Meal toys
Collector's name: Luke Underwood, collecting since 2005 (he's only 12)
Approximate number of toys: 7,000 or so
Favorite item: The only known complete set of the 101 Dalmatians in their original bags. (We know. Wow.)
Why it's so worrying: Well, to give the kid his due, he was doing all this collecting as a cunning financial ruse. Back in 1999, he begged his dad to buy a collection from another Happy Meal fan for $381. Those additions made the little businessman an almost-$12,000 profit upon selling the whole collection and clearing out the lounge, landing and special spare room that were flooded with Ronald McDonald and Co. wares. Clever kid!

snow globe toy collection
Collection: Snow Globes
Collector's name: Josef Kardinal, Nuremberg, Southern Germany
Approximate number of shakers: Around 7,100 and rising
Favorite item: The first snow shaker that was produced at the end of the 19th century in Austria.
Why it's so worrying: We can't help but be afraid he's collecting souls in there.