Woman wins record for world’s largest Minion collection

Part of Liesl Benecke’s Minion collection at her home in Perth, Australia. Photo / Liesl Benecke

• Liesl Benecke has been awarded the Guinness World Record for the largest Minion memorabilia collection.
• She has collected 1035 Minion items over 15 years, including two limited-edition coins.
• Benecke plans to continue expanding her collection and will celebrate with a Minion-themed party.

Liesl Benecke took her two daughters, then 10 and 12, to see Despicable Me when it first hit movie theatres in 2010. It was life-changing.

“I was just taken with the Minions,” said Benecke, 52, referring to the tiny yellow creatures in the film, known for their nonsensical language, mischievous antics and passion for bananas. “It was like an instant love for them; they made me laugh.”

So much, in fact, that she bought herself a Kinder Surprise chocolate, knowing there would be a Minion inside. Then, she got a Stuart figurine and a Minion eraser. The more she bought, the more she liked them.

Soon, Benecke – who lives in Perth, Australia – had bobbleheads, blankets, Lego sets, shower curtains and water bottles with pictures of Kevin, Stuart, Bob, Dave and the rest of the squat, overall-wearing pranksters. The collection kept growing.

“It just gives me joy,” she said.

It‘s been 15 years since she started her Minion collection, and she has racked up 1035 Minion-related items from around the world, including two limited-edition Minion coins, which cost her about $150 each. She even has two Minion tattoos – one of one-eyed Stuart laughing, and the other of Stuart posing with his tongue out.

One of Benecke’s Minion tattoos. Photo / Liesl Benecke

Last month, Guinness World Records awarded Benecke the title for the largest collection of Minion memorabilia.

“It‘s the best feeling ever,” she said. “When I got the world title, I’ll never forget that moment; I was just bouncing around.”

Everywhere she goes, Benecke is on the lookout for Minion mementoes.

“If anything is yellow, it draws my eye,” she said, noting that her collection includes everything from lollies and costumes to pillows and pictures. Her home looks like a Minion museum.

While she loves all Minions, if she had to pick a favourite, it would be Stuart. “He is so sassy, he’s very funny and he just does the most outrageous things,” she said.

She keeps a giant, 3ft-tall stuffed Stuart in her car. He keeps her company, and she knows it‘ll turn heads.

“Stuart likes to go for a drive,” she said. “I do it because I know I’m going to get a laugh out of people.”

Benecke hugging a stuffed Stuart, which she keeps in her car. Photo / Liesl Benecke

Benecke works for the Government in the welfare department. She has Minions all over her desk.

“You do need brightness in that job,” she said, adding that she believes her co-workers have come to love her Minion collection. “If I’m laughing, usually the people around me are.”

She visits several local shops in search of new Minions, and looks for them every time she travels.

“I can’t resist; whatever it is, I’ll buy it.”

Minion memorabilia cover the shelves at Benecke’s home. Photo / Liesl Benecke

She went to Japan with her daughter in 2023 to visit the Minion Park at Universal Studios. She also went with her mother in 2018 to Universal Studios in Singapore for a meet-and-greet with Minion characters.

They were just as charming as she’d imagined.

Benecke with Stuart the Minion at Universal Studios in Japan in September 2023. Photo / Liesl Benecke

People sometimes questioned why she spent so much of her time and money on Minions, she said.

“I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t go out. People have things they spend their money on. This is my thing.”

Plus, she added, “I guess I’m a bit obsessed with them”.

She said she had faced difficulty in her life, and the Minions were her salve.

“The Minions have helped, for sure. I always try to look for the silver lining, and so do they.”

Many family members and friends are supportive of Benecke’s Minion fixation, and they are on the lookout for memorabilia.

“I call them my Minion hunters,” she said.

The hunters became even more important to her when she decided to apply for the Guinness World Record in April 2024.

“My partner and I were talking one day, and he said, ‘You’ve got a lot of Minions,’ and I said, ‘I’ve got the most Minions ever,’” she recalled.

Benecke’s living room. Photo / Liesl Benecke

She decided to make it official. She looked online and saw there was no record-holder for the largest collection of Minion memorabilia. The minimum number she needed for the record was 1000, and none could be duplicates.

Benecke had only about 800 distinct Minion items, as many of her pieces are duplicates. She decided to collect an additional 200 to set the record, and leaned on her Minion hunters.

“Quite a few people were helping me,” she said.

Getting the title proved harder than she anticipated. It took several months before she surpassed the 1000 mark. She bought lots of merchandise from the Despicable Me 4 film, as well as Minion gift bags, wrapping paper and more figurines. Her most recent purchase was three crystal figurines from Swarovski.

Benecke keeps valuable Minion items in a glass case, including a leather handbag, minted coins, pieces from Swarovski’s new collection of Minion figurines and items from overseas. Photo / Liesl Benecke

“It‘s not easy to break a world record,” she said, explaining that she had to photograph every item and record a video counting them all – which took an entire day. Two witnesses had to be present.

But it was worth it.

“It had taken such a long time, and so much work, and so many people were involved. I was so excited. I was like a little kid.”

Guinness World Records commended her for her dedication.

“Liesl most certainly is a great example of setting a goal and working hard to achieve it,” Guinness World Records said in a statement to The Washington Post.

Benecke is planning to have a Minion party next month to celebrate her record. When she received her certificate, she immediately framed it and put it on a wall in her home.

Despite claiming the world record, she has no plans to retire.

“The collection will continue.”